Wairakei Thermal Valley — Attraction in North Island

Decided it would be nice to go for a thermal walk on our way out of Taupo yesterday so when we found wairakei thermal valley we were excited. That excitement was short lived after going up a long old forestry track we pulled into a small camp ground and a cafe. We were greeted by a very cute chick and hen however this is where the fun stopped. The sign said enquire inside about the walk however there was nothing at any point that said you have to pay. When we met the owner we felt a weird vibe from him he was direct and borderline rude with us he made us pay $10 each to go on the walk (price not advertised anywhere) there was pictures of the thermal valley at the entrance and we thought it look very cool but when we began the walk it became clear to us that we paid money to walk in someone’s back yard. Track was over grown we saw steam come out of 2 places marked on the map and that was it. We felt very ripped off especially when we could have just paid an extra $6 each to go to craters of the moon. If the walk was free or required a koha and owner was friendly I wouldn’t have felt so ripped off but $20 for us to do that walk was a crime. To top it off when we went back to the car there was a number of patched gang members hanging around. Please don’t go here I’m sure you can spend your money in better places...

Wairakei Thermal Valley has a lot of good reviews on google and trip advisor, so I had high expectations, but they didnt live up to then. The place is off the road in the trees next to a quiet campground (which would be good to stay at) and theres heaps of animals around for the kids to interact with. That was all good until the Thermal Valley walk. The 30 min walk went through the valley behind the cafe, and did showcase a bit of the wonder of the thermal world. But the tracks needed better up keep and a refresh. At places the track went over broken boards, next to fences that needed repair (with sharp bits of iron sticking out), and under overgrown vines and BlackBerry (?). There was an almost classic Kiwi take to health and safety. If you have older kids, it's okay. Young kids (under 4) shouldnt go - it's too easy to wonder off the poorly marked track and into some trouble. It was good to see a more home grown tourist attraction in Taupo however, and it would be a sweet and quiet place to camp. But maybe...

Nice little out of the way place. We were the only ones there late in the afternoon on a weekday and the kids had a great time - mostly with the vast array of animals: peacocks and peahens, chickens and a rooster, cat and a lovely friendly dog. Oh, and rabbits, alpacas, sheep and more.

They have a self-guided walk through a geothermally active area. They give you a guide map and a handheld infrared temperature gun - great idea, btw - to help you explore. The track is a little overgrown, muddy in the wet weather and needs a little maintenance in places, but it's interesting nonetheless. In many places the ground you walk on is warm, 30-40°C, with hot steam vents all over the place. The first few minutes were the most interesting, the whole walk takes around 30 minutes to complete. $10/adult, $5/child, no family passes.

There's also a coffee shop with cakes and biscuits and a nice warm fireplace, plus plenty of interesting photos and wallhangings. Worth a...