Rotorua is a land of geothermal pools, lakes, and steaming geysers located in the heart of the North Island’s Taupo Volcanic Zone. All due to its last major eruption - about 240,000 years ago. 

Richard and I spent two days living at the edge of the Lake Rotorua, on “Bay of Plenty” a thinly water covered Caldara.

The first day, we walked almost 10 miles today capturing the most incredible images of bubbling gurgling mud and sulphur vapors - right in the middle of town…

The next day we drove about a half hour from there to Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Area with similarities to Yellowstone National Park – It was wonderful to explore the hot springs and pits of bubbling mud.

From there we drove to Waimangu Volcanic Valley where we explored a “new” thermal eco-system created by the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886. This litho was made by A. D. Willis, based on a painting by Charles Blomfield. The view is from the Māori village of Waitangi, on the northern shores of Lake Tarawera:

That hike was gruesome- but we survived….