WANDERING WITH WILLIAM
  • Home
  • Blog

Waimangu Volcanic Valley

2/7/2017

0 Comments

 
Waimangu Volcanic Valley is located 30 minutes from Rotorua and sounds like a perfect spot to spend an early Sunday afternoon.  It has a 2 hour walk from the visitor's center down through the valley to Lake Rotomahana.  Buses then pick you up and return to the visitor's center.  A gentle downhill walk sounds very doable with my tender knee.
Picture
The landscape leading to the valley is beautiful.  After arriving at visitor's center the the panorama with Tarawera Mountain in the background is impressive. We learn that the Waimangu Valley was formed by a violent volcanic eruption on June 10, 1886.  Amazing how this all evolved in ~130 years.  We normally think of such a lush valley being here for centuries.
Picture
We walk through the wooded path down into the Southern Crater, working our way to the cold water Emerald Pool.  Another ten minutes down the path we see steam rising and evidence of small bubbling pools, soon coming to Echo Crater and Frying Pan Lake.  The steam rises from the lake, which has an average temperature of 55C (131F).
Picture
We pass Cathedral Rocks and farther along there seems to be hot springs and creeks at every turn.  The algae growing in some of the hot pools is an amazing bright green.  The walk up a series of stairs rewards us with a view of Inferno Crater Lake, a pale blue jewel and at 80C (170F) it is even hotter than Frying Pan Lake.
Picture
Portions of the trail are under trees while others are in the hot sun.  We walk between small cliffs and come to the Marble Terrace which was formed by silica rich water.  20 minutes later we are walking along a cool stream and see Lake Rotomahana in the distance.  When we arrive at the lake it is ideally set in front of Tarawera Mountain and there are black swans swimming with their young.  Beautiful!  We enjoy the scene before taking the shuttle bus back up the hill.  This has been a great afternoon.
Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Hi.  I'm Anne.  I wander around the world with William.


    Enjoy Some of our Favorite Links below
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014


    Categories

    All
    9138
    Albuferia
    Alicante
    Ambato
    Antarctica
    Argentina
    Armenia
    Atlantic And Islands
    Barcelona
    Cambodia
    Cartegena
    Chile
    Colombia
    Costal Rica
    Cuenca
    Easter Island
    Faro
    Hungary
    Iceland
    Jaco
    Jakarta
    Kuala Lumpur
    Lisbon
    Loule'
    Malta
    Medellin
    New Zealand
    Olon
    Panama
    Porto
    Portugal
    Santiago
    Scotland
    Seville
    Singapore
    Slovakia
    SouthEast USA
    Spain
    Taipei Taiwan
    Tavira
    Thailand Bangkok
    Thailand Chiang Mai
    Uruguay
    Usa
    Valparaiso
    Vancouver
    Vienna
    Vietnam Halong
    Vietnam Hanoi
    Vietnam Ho Chi Minh
    Vietnam Hoi An
    Vietnam Hue

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from A Vahanvaty