We visited the Mud Pools near Wai-O-Tapu first and they were both free and amazing! If you want to see the Lady Knox Geysir, it erupts (with help) at 10:15, but go early to get parking and a good viewing spot. The Wonderland itself was worth the price of admission. Definitely visit on non-rainy weather to appreciate all the walk has to offer. We had sunny weather ourselves. And just down the road are the free hot and cold pools where a hot geothermal stream meets a cold stream -- an interesting experience but be advised not to immerse one's head under water due to a potentially harmful amoeba.

Wai-O-Tapu is a good thermal choice in that it has a lot of dramatic features concentrated in one small walk. Out of all the geothermal attractions in the Rotorua area, I felt this one had the most that it delivered on. Yes, it is a little touristy, but it's popular for a reason. The walk has three different lengths you can choose from. I recommend doing the longest one or the shortest one. The middle one doesn't really add much to the short walk, but the longer has some interesting features not part of the shortest. The thing you have to factor in with your walk is if you are going to the geyser presentation or not. I arrived at 8:30a and did the long walk and made it over to the geyser by 10:15, but it was quite rushed. I recommend either starting with the geyser then doing the walk or doing the short walk followed by the geyser. As for the geyser, it's kind of a ridiculous attraction. They put soap in it to make it erupt. When it does erupt, it also spits out soap bubbles. As a lover of roadside attractions, I appreciated how ridiculous this was, but this is anything but a natural wonder. Note that there is also a mud feature that is free and comes before the geyser. This is worth stopping at as you are coming or going. Overall, this is worth seeing despite the touristy nature. It packs a lot of sights into a short walk, which is why it is such a popular destination.

Absolutely lovely park and one we wish we could've explored in full. We could've but were time constrained and, frankly, it was hot as _ in the sun with no shade, so plan accordingly. Did not do the timed geyser explosion that they induce via chemical solution in the morning, once a day - not something we care for. There are enough natural geysers in Rotorua to see for yourself. If you want to see a chemically induced one, then spend a day with your child in chemistry class on a lab day. The first loop walking pathway is fully accessible while the second one is manageable with a stroller (many stairs to carry up/down, mostly down though, when doing it in counter-clockwise fashion (as per the signed arrows). Did not do the last trail due to exhaustion and time constraints around park closure hours. The cafe on site is excellent, restrooms are clean. Plenty of parking as well.

This was my 3rd visit, and certainly the best experience. The absolutely stunning scenery, all natural product of the active geothermal activity, is a must for anyone unfamiliar with volcanic activity. The paths are well laid out allowing for excellent views of the pools. What also contributed to my rating is the hospitality of the staff. Never before have I been treated so well in what is after all a tourist attraction. All staff members made me feel like a special guest, to be valued and appreciated. Ngā mihi! Ngā mihi! Ngā mihi! A note to those going for the Lady Knox geyser: it is made very clear that this is a temperamental geyser, erupting at irregular times. This is why it is seeded with sodium bicarbonate. So when you show up you're guaranteed an eruption, and a great eruption it is too!

Unmissable place where we feel our beautiful planet live, boil, giggle under our feet. Admission is cheaper through BookMeNZ or Get Your Guide. Go there at 10am when all the tourists rush to the geyser lady Knox and leave you free to explore the park alone. (This geyser is a real tourist catch, because it is triggered artificially by a chemical). The park is beautiful, and Champagne Pool, the huge boiling natural pool is the highlight of the show. Don't miss the Mud Pools (free), after the exit: you could meditate for hours in front of the resting gurgle of the Earth!

Great place to see geothermal activity. Very interesting and cool. The staff were all super friendly. The walkways have been well maintained and the facilities are great. I wish the cafe had a bit more choice. Annoyingly it seemed a coach trip showed up right after us so it felt really busy and rushed at times, but we kept holding back a little to get pictures. There’s no time limit so that worked out ok!

make sure your visit includes the 10.15am viewing of the geyser!!! A fascinating place that you stroll around at your own pace, viewing the various thermal,pools and scenery. Very surreal environment that was well worth a look. walking trails are very easy / own pace. There are a few stairs but very easy going. About 30 minutes drive from Rotorua with plenty of parking.

This is definitely a place that you would like to see. Or at least one of these two in the area. I personally visited this one only, as I have heard that they are very similar. The place itself is a walk for few hours. I recommend to bring a lot of water with you, or at least empty bottles, as it's possible to refill them at the entrance to the thermal area. The toilets are at the entrance to the thermal area only, so keep this in mind. Not all the places are that colorful that the main picture - it's actually just a few of them. The geyser demonstration was extremely crowded and not so wow, as I had expected. Unless you are too much into it, I recommend to only visit the main part of the thermal area. What I didn't like were the queues at the cash desks. For some reason, the desk for the online orders was even slower than the desk where the visitor could have bought the tickets on the spot. I waited about 30 minutes just to get my online ticket validated. Parking at the place is very nicely organized and the staff working at the place is in general very nice.

The park was very interesting. We visited on a day when it was raining but it was still worth visiting. The paths were well marked and the geothermal formations were great to see. Champagne Pool did not disappoint. The Lady Knox geyser was worth seeing!

This was fun. The champagne pool is beautiful. I read a review that said it’s disappointing if you have been to Yellowstone. I understand this in terms of scale of Yellowstone being bigger and more colors. But honestly we both loved it and have been to Yellowstone. The signs are very informative. We power walked between features and got in our morning exercise/hike while seeing some beautiful sites. The green lake and water fall at the end of track 3 is worth it. Lady Knox geyser was not old faithful. It’s induced with soap which makes it spout. But it was nice nevertheless. And the commentator was very entertaining.