Explore The Lakes Tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Rotorua, New Zealand

High interest

Booked 2 times today.

4 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Rotorua’s volcanic history has created a landscape of lakes, hot springs, and waterfalls. See some of the most spectacular on this half-day tour, traveling in a small group with a knowledgeable guide. Exercise your legs with a bushwalk, watch springs bubble, and learn about the natural processes that have shaped this land of fire and water.

Travel in comfort: an air-conditioned minivan gets you around the region
Get out of town: see some further away highlights in the Rotorua area
Convenience: hotel pickup and drop-off in central Rotorua included
Enjoy great views of Mt. Tarawera and the Blue and Green Lakes

What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Rotorua Central only.
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
All Fees and Taxes

Lunch

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Meeting point

1167 Fenton Street, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand
Outside the information center/ i-site. Silver Ford Transit mini van with Real Rotorua signage on it.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.8:30 am

Itinerary

Lake Rotorua (Pass By)

Hamurana Springs Nature Reserve

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Lake Rotoiti (Pass By)

Okere Falls

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Redwoods Treewalk (Pass By)

Blue Lake Track

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Rotokakahi

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lake Tarawera

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
A maximum of 8 people per tour

Operates in most weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Supportive footwear such as trainers or hiking boots is recommended
This tour includes walks of up to 2 kilometers, a good level of fitness and balance is required for all participants
Risk Disclosure: We operate a strict safety management system that is audited to New Zealand standards. It is important for you to be aware of the risk and hazards of this tour which are: uneven grounds, tree roots, rocks and slippery surfaces that could result in slips, trips and falls causing injury / strains / sprains / or broken bones
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

John_P

I’m very pleased to recommend the Lakes Tour. I’ve been to Rotorua a few times before and visited all the usual tourist attractions close to and around town. This time, I decided to take a tour around the lakes to sites not usually frequented by tourists (and even some locals). We visited lots of spectacular sites. Stephen was a great host and guide; he was punctual, the minibus was clean and tidy, and he drove safely. Stephen provided us extensive commentaries covering science, geography and history for all the sites. This tour is not just about showcasing spectacular views; you’ll be enriched by the back-stories that go with them.

Reviews

5.0

based on 69 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Hidden Gems of Rotorura

Heinz_K, Mar 2025

An absolute must do as you get to see and here all about the secret hidden gems away from the crowds. Stephen knowd all these spaces and stories.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for the 5 star review and i would like to share with you that my tour made Trip Advisors number 5 in NZ. Cheers Stephen

Must in Rotorua

Nancy_S, Oct 2023

So glad we booked this one!! Stephen was very friendly and knowledgeable. We covered several attractions, tour was not rush and lovely drive to the places. I also enjoyed the fun facts about the lakes, ferns, glow worm and so many more!

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thanks Nancy. I love getting out around those locations and nice to hear you appreciated them as well and all the things in between. All the best for your future travels. Cheers Stephen

Fabulous tour

Sandra_P, Sep 2023

We had a wonderful tour with Stephen. He picked us up at our hotel and took us on a very informative journey through forests and past beautiful lakes. Stephen shared his love and knowledge of these beautiful areas. He pointed out and explained about the fauna and even showed us glow worm traps. Highly recommend this tour

Response from Host, Oct 2023

So many awesome places around the lakes, so nice to hear that you enjoyed the morning with me. Cheers Stephen

Beautiful nature tour everyone should experience

Mira_A, Apr 2023

This tour is very reasonably priced compared to other tours in the area. You get a lot for not that much money. There was three of us in the tour so it was nice and private. Stephen took us to beautiful places and was very knowledgeable about lakes, birds and nature in general. We saw lakes and streams and visited very peaceful places where there weren't many other people around. We would never have even known about those places without this tour.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Thanks for joining me and for taking the time to share your experience. Small groups is what I am about and avoiding crowds is my specialty. Rotorua has lots of awesome nature , nice to be able to share it with you. All the best cheers Stephen

An excellent overview of the nature and history of the area

Derek_M, Nov 2022

Stephen knows his subject well. He met us ahead of time at our camp site out of his way and proceeded to show us areas we would never have access to. He was able to explain the way the islands were formed and the spring water sources to create the rivers and streams. It was a fascinating insight to nature and were in awe of the redwood trees. Stephen showed us the glow worms in the day near paths where we would never have looked and took photos of the delicate, enticing sticky stuff to attract the bugs. He provided hot chocolate and cookies during a break in the tour. He had thought of everything and is to be commended and thanked. You will not be disappointed if you choose to use Stephen's services!

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Thanks Derek, It was a real pleasure showing you guys around the lakes. Awesome to receive such positive feedback. All the best for your future adventures together. Cheers Stephen

Around The Lakes Tour

John_P, Aug 2019

Response from Host, Aug 2019

Thanks for taking the time to review my tour. I am really pleased to hear how much you enjoyed the experience. As you saw Rotorua is a lot more than bubbling mud . Great meeting you guys and thanks for sharing your story with me. All the best. Cheers Stephen