Still a fantastic place to be, and spend 3 nights here before we head off to Rotorua.
We have a tourism guide box that's tied in to the GPS, when we pass places of interest this box goes "BING BONG" as it did for the"The hidden valley Orakei Korako" Cave and Thermal Park.
Situated 25 minutes north of Taupo, it's off the beaten track, a local guy said, "we will find it quieter than Rotorua area."
On picking up a leaflet, to read the following: Orakei Korako ("The place of adorning)
- "Orakei Korako is possibly the best thermal area left in new Zealand and one of the finest in the world" ref; Lonely Planet Guide.
- Scenes from the BBC Natural History Series "Walking with Dinosaurs" were filmed here.
Take highway 5 out of Taupo, hang a right at Taupo Quad bikes following the road signs to Orakei
Korako.
The scenery is outstanding a in some cases breathtaking, long roads with lush green hills and peaks running in to twisty valleys coupled with blue sky's and fluffy white clouds.
Very easy place to find follow the signs and the road ends at the car park at Orakei Korako, to find out, that for a huge cost and for the tourists that feel rich, you can arrive by Helicopter or fly in by Floatplane from Taupo or Rotorua.
The ferry across the lake leaves on demand, so when you have paid you can either go straight across or have a coffee and browse the shop. We chose to get onto the 'small' ferry and take the short trip over, the view that you get first is of steam and golden silica running into the lake its awesome. Off ferry and climb the well maintained ramps and pathways that meander throughout the journey, passed the bubbling water and mud pools, its like another planet.
Passed a couple of geysers that are unpredictable, we had a small show from one of them which coughed and spluttered boiling water out. You could feel the heat as we walked around.
We wandered through native bush and into a rare geothermal cave which was breathtaking and rocks of different colours.
This valley hasn't change for thousands of years and the leaflet informs us that 20 million litres of hot water flow over the silica terraces every day.
What stands out is the impact on our senses
from sounds, colour, noise and smell and that it's ever changing and unpredictable which could also be very dangerous.
The pictures I have placed are random, hopefully a taste of what we experienced.
Very easy place to find follow the signs and the road ends at the car park at Orakei Korako, to find out, that for a huge cost and for the tourists that feel rich, you can arrive by Helicopter or fly in by Floatplane from Taupo or Rotorua.
The ferry across the lake leaves on demand, so when you have paid you can either go straight across or have a coffee and browse the shop. We chose to get onto the 'small' ferry and take the short trip over, the view that you get first is of steam and golden silica running into the lake its awesome. Off ferry and climb the well maintained ramps and pathways that meander throughout the journey, passed the bubbling water and mud pools, its like another planet.
Passed a couple of geysers that are unpredictable, we had a small show from one of them which coughed and spluttered boiling water out. You could feel the heat as we walked around.
We wandered through native bush and into a rare geothermal cave which was breathtaking and rocks of different colours.
This valley hasn't change for thousands of years and the leaflet informs us that 20 million litres of hot water flow over the silica terraces every day.
What stands out is the impact on our senses
from sounds, colour, noise and smell and that it's ever changing and unpredictable which could also be very dangerous.
The pictures I have placed are random, hopefully a taste of what we experienced.
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