9/25/2021 Te Ara Ahi — NZ Walking Access Commission Ara Hīkoi Aotearoa
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) https://www.walkingaccess.govt.nz/track/te-ara-ahi/pdfPreview 1/5 9/25/2021 Te Ara Ahi — NZ Walking Access Commission Ara Hīkoi Aotearoa 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.
https://www.walkingaccess.govt.nz/track/te-ara-ahi/pdfPreview 2/5 9/25/2021 Te Ara Ahi — NZ Walking Access Commission Ara Hīkoi Aotearoa
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.
https://www.walkingaccess.govt.nz/track/te-ara-ahi/pdfPreview 3/5 9/25/2021 Te Ara Ahi — NZ Walking Access Commission Ara Hīkoi Aotearoa 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. https://www.walkingaccess.govt.nz/track/te-ara-ahi/pdfPreview 4/5 9/25/2021 Te Ara Ahi — NZ Walking Access Commission Ara Hīkoi Aotearoa Track Elevation and Map
Page last updated: Sep 8, 2020, 3:41 PM
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