Over 5600 hectares of exotic forest await to be explored in Rotorua, an easy 5-minute drive from the town centre means a visit to the Rotorua Redwood forest is possible even within a strict time frame.
The Whakarewarewa Forest is popular for walking, mountain biking, and horse trekking, with the Redwoods Tree Walk being a fantastic tourist attraction for locals and visitors.
The Rotorua Redwoods visitor’s centre is based at the main entrance off Long Mile Road which stocks everything from maps of the forests to souvenirs to remember your visit by.

This Rotorua Forest is made up of exotic and native flora and fauna, the most significant being the large Californian Redwoods which create a magnificent canopy above the forest floor. They can grow up to 76 meters tall with a thickness of about 9 metres! The majority of these trees are over 100 years old after they were first planted in Rotorua in 1901 to be used for commercial wood. The Whakarewarewa forest is now thriving with these magnificent trees and has created a beautiful habitat for our native insects and animals to flourish.

About Rotorua

Rotorua is like the Queenstown of the North Island. The large town sits central to several other holiday hotspots like Mt Maunganui and Taupo and is jam-packed full of activities and adventures to keep anyone’s weekend interesting. Rotorua is surrounded by a landscape filled with summer and winter activities like Mt Ruapehu for skiing, several lakes for swimming, fishing, or water skiing, or hiking in one of the many forests and Volcanoes which encase the central North Island. Rotorua isn’t short of activities for families or individuals and is perfect for adventure hunters or professional relaxers.

Rotorua is also hot with geothermal activity, so don’t blame your passengers for the foul, rotten egg smell in your car. You can visit Hells Gate on state highway 30 to see some impressive geysers or relax in their mud spa. Or you can walk around Rotorua for free and see steam seeping out of cracks on the footpath or check out some boiling hot springs in the Government Gardens.

Driving from Rotorua to Auckland

Driving from Rotorua to Auckland takes just over 3 hours; it is a pretty simple drive; jump on state highway 5 and head west until you meet up with state highway 1 and continue travelling North past Hamilton and until you hit the big city of Auckland.

About the Redwood Forest Rotorua

The 700-meter-long Rotorua Redwood tree walk takes you along 28 suspension bridges that sit as high as 20 metres above the forest floor. No safety equipment or harnesses are required which makes this experience perfect for families. We managed to squeeze in a visit to the Redwoods before we were due to head back to Auckland after a weekend away to the Bay of Plenty. Paul and I both have varying degrees of fear of heights, so doing something like this together is always a gamble with who will crack first. We both made it to the end without incident, but I don’t think a treetop walk in the dark will be on the cards anytime soon.

The tree top walk allows you to get up close and personal with 27 redwood trees, with the balconies safely encasing all 27 trunks for you to freely walk around. The walkways are built in a way which doesn’t affect the plants and surrounding environment, so you can peer down below the walkways to the flourishing green forest floor below. Majority of the trees are well over 100 years old so keep your hands off the bark to prevent any damage. Along the way you can learn about the Redwoods, forestry and wildlife in the forest through the interactive storyboards and display cases at each tree.

Adults $35
Child $20
Under 5 Free
Family Passes Available from $69

Buy a Redwood day walk pass, and you have 3 days to come back and experience the treetop walk at night, lit up by large hanging lanterns among the tree canopy. The forest is most active at night with the majority of wildlife coming out to hunt, if you’re lucky you may hear a Ruru (owl) or catch a glimpse of a possum jumping between tree branches. Deer and wild pigs are also known to wander through the forest however aren’t as common as their smaller furry friends.

How to get to the Forest Walk Rotorua

The large Redwood forest sits on the southeastern side of Rotorua, so it’s hard to miss. If you’re heading from the centre of Rotorua travel south on state highway 30A, onto SH30 and turn right onto Tarawera Road. Follow signs for the Redwoods Treewalk onto Longmile Road and you’ll have the magnificent Whakarewarewa forest on your left. Travel down Long Mile Road; follow this until you reach the large carpark and information centre. The Redwoods tree top walk starts directly outside the information centre, but nothing is stopping you from parking further up the road and exploring other areas of the forest first.

Other Activities in the Redwood Forest Rotorua

The treewalk isn’t the only opportunity for entertainment in the Whakarewarewa forest. Take your family, friends, dog or horse and explore the forest floor.

The Whakarewarewa forest has 6 walking tracks ranging in distances from 2km to 11.5km. The time it takes to complete each walk completely depends on your walking speed. All of the tracks are easy enough for almost everyone to complete, with most being quite flat with well-formed paths. The paths for mountain bikers and horse trekkers are all separate, so make sure you pick the right path for your chosen activity.

Check out the Whakarewarewa Forest walking map here for more information on the walking tracks.

Other Rotorua Attractions

If you’re looking for more things to do in Rotorua then look no further then the next few activity options. These popular Rotorua attractions will kep you busy for a weekend to a whole week.

The Luge Rotorua

Rotorua is jam-packed and full of activities for children and adults. The most popular and long-standing attraction is the luge; a small kart-like ride where you ride the winding track down Mt Ngongotahā. Even if the Luge isn’t your style of excitement, the view from on top of the Maunga is one of the best views of the central North Island town overlooking Lake Rotorua. The luge has been around for as long as I can remember and is popular among locals and visitors. One luge ticket includes the gondola ride up and back down the mountain.

The Luge Rotorua Prices: 
Adults Start at $52 for one ride, and to $68 for 5 rides
Children Start at $35 for one ride, and $57 for 5 rides. Children can accompany an adult for the added cost of $5.
Family Start at $127 and can reach $256

Zorb

One of Rotorua’s original thrill-seeking rides is the Zorb; a large clear orb resembling a blow-up ball big enough to fit three adults inside. The objective of riding inside a Zorb is simple – Don’t vomit. Otherwise, prepare to experience what it’s like to be shoved in a washing machine and pushed down a hill.

You can either choose to ride the zorb with water so it’s almost like being shoved down a water slide, or you can choose to be strapped in place while you roll down a rather large hill before coming to an almost sudden stop at the bottom.

Zorb Prices:
Start at $45 and can reach $70. The price depends on what Zorb track you choose and whether you want 1, 2 or 3 people inside a single Zorb.

White-Water Rafting

If you love water-based activities, then you’ll love the sound of white-water rafting. The Kaituna River is a popular location for white water rafting in Rotorua because of its many rapids and waterfalls. This river officially has the largest commercially run white water rafting waterfall in New Zealand. So get a taste of true adventure and ride the wave!

Several companies run rafting experiences on the Kaituna River but only one of them I can truly vouch for and tell you how much of an amazing experience it was. Rotorua Rafting sits almost directly opposite the beginning of the Kaituna River, so you can get a good look at the rapids before choosing to embark on your next watery adventure.

Rotorua Rafting Prices:
Paddleboarding From $95
Kaituna River Rafting From $105
Rafting and Hotpool Combo From $140
Raft, Kayak and Hotpool Combo From $165

If you’re undecided about whether white-water rafting ‘floats your boat’ then check out my recent post, we experienced the rapids of the Kaituna River with this amazing company and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

Waikite Valley Hot Pools Rotorua

Several hot pools and springs take advantage of the extremely active geothermal activity that bubbles away under Rotorua’s surface. Places like Waikite Hot Springs and the very popular Polynesian Springs allow you to soak is varying temperatures while surrounded by the wonderful natural smell of Rotorua’s sulphur.

Waikite Valley has the option to enjoy the large pools with friends or family, or you can opt for something a little more private with either your significant other or by yourself and hire a private spa for an hour.

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Rain, hail, or shine, the Whakarewarewa forest is a great way to spend all or part of your day. Grab a mountain bike, your walking shoes, and a sense of adventure and explore the Redwoods or Rotorua. Whether you’re in Rotorua for a day, weekend, or a week, it’s a great way to spend a morning or afternoon.