Te Ara Ahi Walking Cycling Difculties - Easy , Medium - Walking Access NZ

Te Ara Ahi
 Walking
 Cycling

Dif culties
Easy , Medium

Length
46.7 km

Journey Time
2 days

Region
Bay of Plenty

Part of the Collection
Nga Haerenga - The New Zealand Cycle Trail

Rotorua — Waikite Valley (2 days, 48km)

This trail offers a 48km adventure through a thermal wonderland of steaming vents,
bubbling mud pools and spectacular geysers.

Between the trail heads at Rotorua and the Waikite Valley Thermal Pools, this cycle trail
takes riders to four signi cant geothermal elds: Whakarewarewa, Waimangu Volcanic
Valley, Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland and Waikite Valley Thermal Springs. Each has its
own unique geothermal features, including rare ora and fauna, and is rich in Maori history
and folklore. Possibly the most famous of these is the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve,
located next to Te Puia (the New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute). Here you will also
 nd Whakarewarewa Village, which has existed for over 700 years and is home to many
families of the survivors of the 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera.

Other unique features along the trail include the Lake Okaro restoration project (re-
established wetland), Rainbow Mountain, Te Ranga Hot Pools and the Waikite Geothermal
Field. Most of the geothermal areas are well established tourist attractions, with a wide
range of amenities such as cafés, souvenir shops, toilets and bike storage facilities.

We recommend you take at least two days to ride this trail. And if you want more after
that, Rotorua is a mountainbiking mecca, with a range of worldclass cycle trails to explore.

Whakarewarewa – The Living Maori Village
Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley incorporates a living, breathing Maori village that relies on
geothermal power for the ease of everyday living. Throughout the day local residents act
as village guides, providing a tour with a difference – from relaying village stories, to
cooking meals and explaining how they use the natural landscape for bathing, washing
clothes and predicting weather patterns. You can also see spine-tingling cultural
performances including the haka, and taste delicious traditional Maori food.

Lake Rotorua
This picturesque lake is the second biggest in the North Island and is perfect for
windsur ng, sailing and shing. Tours are available to Mokoia Island, in the middle of the
lake.

Conditions:

MOBILE PHONE COVERAGE: Good coverage from the start of the trail at Princes Gates
through to Waiotapu. No coverage on Waikite Valley Rd.

DRINKING WATER: Available at cafés at the Rotorua Mountain Bike car park in the Waipa
Valley, Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Waikite Valley
Thermal Pools and at Lake Okaro and the Waiotapu Tavern.

How to get here

Rotorua to Waimangu Volcanic Valley, (Grades 2-3, Easy to Intermediate) 30km

From the Rotorua i-SITE, ride east on Queen St to the start of the trail at the Princes Gate
Archway a few hundred metres away.

Follow the trail signs around the edge of Lake Rotorua for 6km to the historic
Whakarewarewa Maori Village (the village entrance is 200m off the trail on your left).

Guided tours are regularly held through this historical village. From the turn-off to the
village, continue following signs south past Te Puia, theNew Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts
Institute, through Hemo Gorge to the entrance to the Whakarewarewa Forest for mountain
biking (100m off the trail on your left). Here you will nd a café and bike hire, etc.

From the mountain bike carpark, ride 150m towards the highway to the start of a concrete
bike path, which runs alongside the highway for several kilometres of smooth easy riding.
The trail then follows Waimangu Rd to the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, which is 31km from
Rotorua.

At Waimangu Volcanic Valley you can relax in the café or pay to go for a walk on a number
of walking trails through one of the world’s youngest thermal areas.

Waimangu Volcanic Valley to Waikite Valley ThermalPools, (Grade 3 Intermediate) 18km

From Waimangu Volcanic Valley, continue along Waimangu Rd, past the Lake Okaro picnic
area (camping sites available) and onto SH 38.

Take care crossing the highway and follow the off-road cycle path around Rainbow
Mountain.

After passing a roadside picnic area the trail climbs further around the mountain and
drops down to cross the gravel Old Waiotapu Rd.

Here you can turn left to go to Te Ranga (a thermally heated stream locally known as
Kerosene Creek) or you can carry on straight ahead on an off-road trail all the way to
Waiotapu.

Parts of the trail are steep here and may require walking. At Waiotapu you will nd a hotel
with accommodation, petrol station and a honey factory with a café and shop.

Only 2km from Waiotapu is the Waiotapu Mud Pool and the Wai-OTapu Thermal
Wonderland (paid entry).From Waiotapu follow the Waikite Valley Rd for 6km to the
Waikite Valley Thermal Pools – there is camping and a café here.

Track Elevation and Map

Page last updated: Sep 8, 2020, 3:41 PM