Rotorua: Hell's Gate Geothermal Walk & Māori Carving

4.74

(135 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“It smells like eggs, but somehow it’s not gross,” was the first thing I blurted out as we stepped into Hell’s Gate Geothermal Park in Rotorua. Our guide, Mereana, just grinned and said, “That’s how you know it’s alive.” Steam curled around our ankles and the ground felt warm—almost like standing on a giant kettle. I kept thinking about how close we were to all that boiling water and mud. There were moments when the wind would shift and suddenly everything was quiet except for the gurgle of a mud pool somewhere behind us. Kind of eerie, honestly.

The walk itself isn’t hard, but you do need to watch your step—some paths are uneven and there are little bursts of steam that surprise you if you’re not paying attention. We stopped at this mud volcano (yep, an actual volcano made of mud), and Mereana told us a story about how warriors used to come here after battle to heal their wounds. I tried dipping my fingers in the foot pool—felt warm and slick, almost silky? Not what I expected from something that looks like gray porridge. There was a weird comfort to it.

I didn’t think I’d care much about the Māori carving part but ended up getting really into it. The wood smelled sharp under my hands and my attempt at a koru shape was… well, let’s just say it wasn’t going on display anywhere. The carver helping us (I think his name was Tama) laughed when I asked if he ever got splinters—he just held up his hands like “occupational hazard.” That little moment stuck with me more than I thought it would.