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Last Updated on June 13, 2025
Top Experiences From Geothermal Wonders to Glow Worms, From Caves to Canopy Walks — Don’t Leave Rotorua Without Doing These.
Rotorua was one of the most unforgettable stops on our New Zealand adventure. It is one of New Zealand’s most thrilling and otherworldly destinations, where raw natural beauty meets unforgettable adventure. From the moment we arrived in Rotorua, we could feel the geothermal energy (and yes, we even smelled it!).
Located on the North Island, this geothermal hot spot offers a perfect mix of adrenaline, relaxation, and otherworldly charm. We soaked in hot, bubbling mud baths, wandered through towering redwoods lit up by magical lanterns at night, and braved the thrill of white-water rafting over a 23-foot waterfall — and every moment was pure magic. If you’re heading to NZ, these are the experiences that truly belong on your bucket list.
Here’s a quick guide to the absolute best things to do in Rotorua — plus a couple of nearby musts we’re so glad we added to our itinerary. Trust us: you don’t want to miss these, so add them to your bucketlist New Zealand journey.
Bucket List New Zealand Experiences: North Island (Rotorua)
No time to scroll? Jump to your favorite adventure for more details!
A very special thank you to the north island New Zealand businesses for sharing the best New Zealand Bucketlist Activities with us. An extra special thank you to Redwoods Treewalk for extending their invitation to experience all that this great attraction has to offer. As always, the opinions are my own. #sponsored.
Redwoods Treewalk
Walk Among Giants at Redwoods Treewalk:
Imagine strolling high above the forest floor, suspended among towering 120-year-old redwoods, while softly glowing lanterns light your way. We thoroughly enjoyed our 2 visits to the Redwoods Treewalk experience and agree that this should be on any Rotorua itinerary!
By day, the views are stunning. But by night, the forest transforms into a serene wonderland of color, shadow, and light. Artist-designed lanterns create a dreamy atmosphere as you move between platforms and suspension bridges, 20 meters above the ground. It’s a peaceful yet awe-inspiring experience — and one you won’t soon forget.
What is ALTITUDE?
PRO TIP: Add the Altitude Experience to your Redwoods Treewalk Rotorua Ticket!
If you’re up for more adventure in the Redwoods, we highly recommend the Altitude Experience — it’s the thrill-seeking big sister to the Treewalk. We geared up in harnesses and spent the morning zipping through the treetops and crossing swing bridges high above the forest floor. The zipline portions were fast, fun, and gave us a bird’s-eye view of the towering redwoods, while the bridgewalks kept our adrenaline pumping just enough to make us feel alive (and a little wobbly). Our guide was fantastic — super knowledgeable about the forest’s ecology and Māori culture, which added a rich layer to the whole experience. If you love a good mix of nature, culture, and heart-racing fun, this is a must-do.
➡️ Book ziplining through the redwoods in Rotorua! – ⭕BOOK NOW⭕
We loved every minute of our Altitude Adventure in Rotorua. Do you have more questions about it and want to know what it is like. Read is our full review of Altitude in Rotorua!
What is the Altitude Experience at Redwoods Treewalk really like?
Need a ticket to Redwoods Treewalk?
White-Water Rafting with Kaituna Cascades
Conquer the Falls at Kaituna Cascades
Ready for a thrill? Kaituna Cascades offers the most exhilarating rafting experience in the country — and maybe even the world. You’ll paddle through a lush jungle gorge before plunging down Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall on the planet at 23 feet!
No experience needed — just bring your adventurous spirit. With expert guides and heart-pounding drops, this is one bucketlist experience you’ll be talking about for years.
➡️ Use the same rafting company as us! – ⭕BOOK NOW⭕
We recommend Kaituna Cascades Rafting because, even if you’re not rafting, you can still witness the action up close. The Ōkere Falls Track (a 3/4 mile loop trail) is just a quick 3-minute drive! It winds through native bush and offers multiple viewing platforms overlooking the Kaituna River’s dramatic waterfalls, including Tutea Falls. One of the best spots to watch rafters tackle Tutea Falls is from the dedicated viewing platform along the track. This is where we watched the other rafts navigate the drop. We heard them scream and then whoop for joy just like we did!
The trail also features views of other waterfalls like Okere Falls and Trout Pool Falls, as well as historical sites such as the remains of the Okere Falls Power Station.
When you have more than 1 day in Rotorua, include Kaituna River Rafting and a stroll along the nearby trails on your New Zealand itinerary for an unforgettable adventure.
Book White Water Rafting in Rotorua!
➡️ Use the same rafting company as us! – ⭕BOOK NOW⭕
Or try these other rafting companies in Rotorua:
Hells Gate Rotorua
Soak in Volcanic Luxury in the Mud Baths at Hells Gate
Oh, this one I wasn’t sure that I was actually going to do until I stepped in, got dirty, and DID IT!
I got messy in the best way possible at Hell’s Gate, Rotorua’s most fun geothermal reserve and home to New Zealand’s only mud bath experience.
The naturally heated mud and sulfur-rich waters have been used for centuries by Māori for their therapeutic properties. Soak in the warm mud, let it dry on your skin, then rinse off in the sulfur spas while taking in the surreal, steaming landscape around you. It’s relaxing, healing, and a bit wild — an essential stop on your Rotorua itinerary.
But Hell’s Gate Rotorua offers so much more than just mud baths. Take a walk through their geothermal park, where you’ll see boiling hot pools, steaming fumaroles, and the country’s largest hot waterfall, Kakahi Falls — traditionally used by Māori warriors to heal after battle. You can also witness the unique Sulphur Crystal formations, bubbling mud volcanoes, and the intense Inferno Pools, which reach scalding temperatures of over 212°F. The raw geothermal energy bubbling beneath your feet is humbling and powerful — making Hell’s Gate one of the most fascinating and diverse geothermal experiences in New Zealand.
Book a Spa Day at Hells Gate!
PRO TIP: Don’t forget to try the traditional Māori carving experience offered onsite (free with the admission ticket) to connect with the cultural roots of this incredible land. I can’t say that I was very good at using a chisel. Hubby had to fix my attempt at carving out a New Zealand fern!
Don’t-Miss Adventures Near Rotorua
There are some amazing adventures and other things to do near Rotorua, so make sure you carve out time to explore these nearby attractions. They are all within a few hours of Rotorua and absolutely worth the trip. We actually did these activities FIRST before we arrived in Rotorua, but you can also base yourself there the whole time and take day trips from Rotorua.
Glow Worm Caves – Black Abyss Tour, Waitomo
The Ultimate Black Abyss Tour
If you’ve ever wanted to journey to the center of the Earth, this is your chance. The Black Abyss Tour by The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. in Waitomo is a five-hour adventure like no other. This tour tested my endurance and my tolerance to cold! I am a freeze-baby and I survived- so you can too!
You’ll abseil over 100 feet into the darkness of Ruakuri Cave, zip-line under a ceiling of glow worms, tube through underground rivers, and climb up waterfalls in one of the most exhilarating caving tours in New Zealand. It’s a glowing, underground wonderland and a magical experience worthy of your New Zealand Bucket List Itinerary!
Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to take photos of those amazing glowworms, so you will have to go see them for yourself.
If you’re up for a true adventure, this black water adventure is a MUST, and The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co is where you can do it! They invented black water rafting and really know what they are doing!
➡️ Experience the Black Abyss Tour!! – ⭕BOOK NOW⭕
What are glow worms?
Book a Glow Worm Tour!
➡️ Experience the Black Abyss Tour!! – ⭕BOOK NOW⭕
If The Black Abyss Tour by The Legendary Black Water Rafting Co is all booked, you might want to try to change your itinerary so you DON’T MISS the best tour in New Zealand. You can also try these other tours.
What is the Black Abyss Tour like?
We put together a short video to introduce you to the blackwater caving experience. The extra surprise will be the millions of glow worms that you can see while you are walking, crawling, climbing, and floating through Ruakuri Cave.
Hobbiton Movie Set
Step Into Middle-earth at Hobbiton
Just an hour from Rotorua, the Hobbiton Movie Set is a must-visit for fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Explore the lush rolling hills of the Shire, wander through hobbit holes, and enjoy a drink at the Green Dragon Inn. We added on the whole lunch package and dined ‘Middle Earth’ style at banquet tables filled high with delicious morsels. Even if you’re not a die-hard Tolkien fan, Hobbiton’s beauty and cinematic charm make it the most popular tourist attraction in the country — and a magical way to start your Rotorua adventure, like we did!
Book a Hobbiton Tour
➡️ Rotorua to Hobbiton Day Trip – ⭕BOOK NOW⭕
Final Thoughts on what to do in Rotorua
Rotorua is where nature, culture, and thrill-seeking collide in the best possible way — and it completely blew us away. Whether we were walking through redwood treetops, soaking in volcanic mud, or conquering white-water rapids, every experience in Rotorua was well worth it. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we added on side trips to see caves sparkling with magical glow worms and to witness the storybook charm of Hobbiton — both absolute highlights of our trip.
Use our tips to plan your bucketlist New Zealand adventure and you will have a Rotorua itinerary that’s nothing short of unforgettable.
Ready to plan your Rotorua escape? Trust us — it’s worth every second!
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