The temperture of the water is around 30 degrees and the reason for the bad smell is because of the decaying vegetation along the water’s edge. However, it’s a nice walk to go for a swim.

  • Location: Near Rotorua, Central North Island
  • Distance: 0.20 km
  • Time needed: 10 minutes
  • Difficulty: Very Easy
  • Wheelchair Access: No
  • Route: Round Trip
  • Elevation: Flat walking
  • Wet Feet: No
  • Toilets: No
  • Dogs: Yes
  • Mobile Coverage: Yes

SAVE 51% on last-minute tickets to Waimangu Volcanic Valley – Walk and Boat Cruise

The old Waikaremona Rd road is a typical gravel, dusty and narrow NZ road, please drive slowly. The main car park is on the right, but there is adequate parking on the other side of the road.  It would be a lot more enjoyable if you planned your trip to the pools on any day but Saturday and Sunday. 

The dirt motor bikers use the hill on the other side of the road to race their little toys up and down.  So it will be very noisy. People have camped there overnight. BUT DO NOT LIGHT ANY FIRES, you will get into a lot of trouble.  Walk down through the trees and along the creek.  It is a short 5 min walk to the main pool.

About half way to the main pool, the track runs very close to the creek.  You can hop into the creek at any spot that takes your fancy. The only drawback is the depth, it’s too shallow.

There is a very small waterfall right alongside the track just deep enough to sit in.  The only drawback is everyone walks within inches of you.

At the main pool, downriver end, there is, what is left of an old ladder to help you down into the water.

The pool has a clean sandy bottom and is quite shallow in places, so make your way up to the waterfall.  The depth there is good, but the rocks make it a little tricky to find a good foothold to brace yourself when you back up to the waterfall. 

The pressure is great and just what the doctor ordered for the aching back.

Almost forgot about the temperature, it is not quite to my favoured 40c, and not as cold as 32c, so I would say around 37c.  If you dig your toes into the sand, you will find places where the temperature is as high as 40c. I might take a spade down to the pool next time we are there.

The only downside is the smell.  Not quite a sulphur smell but more like KEROSENE.  If the wind is blowing down the valley it’s not too strong for the noise. There seemed to be no effect on the skin, but the swimsuit still smelled of kerosene the next day.

One good point I must say, is there were no mosquitoes around, great.

Don’t waste time walking further down the creek, I tried that, nothing but mud and overgrown with blackberries.

See more of my walks in Rotorua