We visit Orakei Korako Geothermal pools where we see geysers, hot springs, and bubbling mud pools.  After seeing the Craters of the Moon we did not have high expectations, but were we wrong.  

We arrive at the facility where we watch a short video then board the small boat to cross the lake.  You can see the small boat in the top photo right side and the geothermal grounds are across the way by the trees.

Immediately we are hit with a very strong sulfur smell and higher temperatures.  But what surprised us the most were the absolutely stunning colors.

The Hochstefter Cauldron on the lower right corner was the first geyser we came to.  We then passed by the devil’s throat and a few other spectacular bubbling pools and smaller geysers.

Next we passed by the Golden Fleece White Paint Scrap which looks like a little snow mound.   The top right corner shows you the Artists Palette which really does fit its name. As we continue down the trail we pass by several boiling mud pools and lots of quiet steam baths.

The Path around the Geothermal Pools

We climb 90 stairs to see the Ruatapu Cave which had steam shooting all the way to the top of the roof of the cave.  It is amazing to me to see the vast fields of hot springs and then you turn the corner and are in beautiful forests and gardens.  

As you can probably tell, we were all captivated by the Orakei Korako Geothermal pools.  The cost was $45NZD which includes the boat ride and it is well worth the money!

I sat and watched this one geyser for 15 minutes hoping for the wind to blow the steam sideways to expose the vent and I finally got it!

Really impressed by the beauty of these geothermal pools.  So much more color, vibrancy, and activity than the Craters of the Moon.  Truly awe inspiring.

Events from this blog post occurred in mid-March.  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind live events.  We visit the spectacular Huka Falls in our last blog post so be sure to check it out.