Orakei Korako: 23 Geysers, a Rare Thermal Cave, and a Ferry to Reach Them

Orakei Korako sits between Rotorua and Taupo, on the far side of the water, and the short ferry across is included in the ticket. It runs on demand rather than to a timetable, so nobody stands waiting for a scheduled crossing. The park has more active geysers than any other in New Zealand: up to 23 of them play across the site, and the site itself keeps changing. Around them, boiling springs, mud pools, silica terraces, and a thermal cave, which is a rare thing to find in a geothermal field at all. The walk is self-guided, 2.5 kilometres long, and takes an hour to an hour and a half. Native bush covers part of the route. Lonely Planet calls Orakei Korako arguably the best thermal area left in New Zealand, which is a comparative claim rather than a superlative, and worth reading as one. Open every day of the year, Christmas Day included, from 8am to 4.30pm. Cancel 24 hours or more before your booking for a full refund.