Skip to content
Adventure

Hell's Gate Geothermal Walk, Mud Bath and Sulphur Spa, Rotorua

Walk the geothermal reserve, then lie in the mud and soak in a sulphur spa.

Three hours at Hell's Gate in Rotorua: a guided or self-guided geothermal walk, a mud bath, sulphur spa and cool plunge pool, plus Māori carving. A free shuttle runs from central Rotorua.

📍 New Zealand ⏱ 3 Hours 🔥 Active

More New Zealand trips

Compare all 109 New Zealand trips

From

$89 AUD

per person

Booked with Wanderlust, an Australian travel business based in Byron Bay (ABN 34 636 612 523). We handle your booking ourselves, before and after you travel.

Choose a date Got a question first? Ask our team →

Booking guarantee Price Match Promise Secure payment via Square

  • Instant confirmation

    Booked instantly · confirmation and ticket by email within 30 minutes.

  • No change fees from us

    Need to move? Just message us and we'll arrange it for you.

  • Licensed local operator

    An established operator with public reviews.

Pick your start date

Pick an available date. Your confirmation and ticket arrive together in one email within 30 minutes.

SuMoTuWeThFrSa

Available, pick any date Instant booking, confirmed in minutes

From

$89 AUD pp

Choose a start date →

Travellers
1
Pick a date to book
Secure payment via Square · you don't pay for a spot we can't confirm

Overview

Hell's Gate is a working geothermal reserve on the eastern side of Rotorua, and the mud spa sits inside it. Māori have used the mud and waters here for healing for over 800 years, and George Bernard Shaw gave it its English name in 1934. This package covers the lot: the walk, the mud bath and the sulphur spa, with the plunge pool and carving thrown in.

Start with the geothermal walk, which takes one to one and a half hours. Free guided tours run daily at 10:30am and 2:30pm, subject to availability, or you follow the self-guided map past cooking pools, steaming cliffs, land coral, an active mud volcano and Kakahi Falls, the largest hot waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere, with native bush, silver fern and rare mosses in between. Carvers show you how to carve a piece of your own story. Then it's into the mud bath, limited to 20 minutes per person per day, followed by the sulphur spa and the cool plunge pool.

Mud baths are for ages 2.5 and up, the sulphur spa from 6 months and carving from 12 years; under 15s need a caregiver with them. Bring old swimwear and a towel, since the sulphur smell lingers, and take off jewellery, because the minerals tarnish silver. Towels and swimwear can be hired at reception, there are showers, and belongings go in a secure hut. Open daily 10am to 9pm. A complimentary shuttle runs from central Rotorua with morning, early afternoon and late afternoon pick-ups; booking it is essential.

Why you'll love it

  1. 1

    Kakahi Falls, largest hot waterfall in Southern Hemisphere

  2. 2

    Active mud volcano, steaming cliffs and land coral

  3. 3

    Geothermal walk, one to one and a half hours

  4. 4

    Mud bath, sulphur spa and cool plunge pool

  5. 5

    Māori carving with the reserve's carvers

  6. 6

    Complimentary shuttle from central Rotorua

  7. 7

    Open daily 10am to 9pm

More photos

Itinerary at a glance

1 Arrival · Reception at Tikitere

Arrive by shuttle or your own wheels at the reserve on State Highway 30, check in and collect your map. Hire a towel or swimwear at reception if you forgot.

1 Stop 1 · Geothermal walk, 1 to 1.5 hours

Join the free guided tour at 10:30am or 2:30pm, subject to availability, or walk it yourself: cooking pools, steaming cliffs, land coral, the mud volcano and Kakahi Falls, with native bush and silver fern between.

1 Stop 2 · Māori carving

The reserve's carvers guide you through carving a piece of your own story. Ages 12 and over.

1 Stop 3 · Mud bath, 20 minutes

Shower, then into the geothermal mud bath. Twenty minutes per person per day is the limit for health and safety. Jewellery off first.

1 Stop 4 · Sulphur spa and cool plunge pool

Rinse the mud off, soak in the sulphur spa, then cool down in the plunge pool before showering and heading back to Rotorua on the shuttle.

What's included

✓ What's included

  • Geothermal walk, guided or self-guided
  • Mud bath (20 minutes per person per day)
  • Sulphur spa
  • Cool plunge pool
  • Māori carving
  • Complimentary shuttle from central Rotorua (booking essential)
  • Showers, body wash and secure storage for belongings

✕ Not included

  • ✕Towel and swimwear hire (paid on the day)
  • ✕Food and drink
  • ✕Transfers from outside the central Rotorua shuttle area

Common questions about this trip

  • How do I get there from central Rotorua?
    The reserve runs a complimentary shuttle from the central Rotorua area, with morning, early afternoon and late afternoon pick-ups and a return a few hours later. Booking the shuttle is essential, so arrange it when you book. If you drive, it's on State Highway 30 at Tikitere.

  • What should I bring?
    Old swimwear and a towel, because both will smell of sulphur afterwards and need a thorough wash. Swimsuits, shorts and towels can be hired at reception if you'd rather not sacrifice your own. Take off jewellery before you bathe: the minerals tarnish most metals, particularly silver, and the operator recommends waiting 24 to 48 hours before putting it back on.

  • How long does it take?
    The geothermal walk takes one to one and a half hours, the mud bath is capped at 20 minutes, and the spa and plunge pool are at your own pace. Allow around three hours for the full package.

  • Are there age limits?
    Yes. The mud bath is for ages 2.5 and over, the sulphur spa from 6 months, and carving from 12 years. All children under 15 must be supervised by a caregiver at all times.

  • Can I bathe if I'm pregnant?
    The operator does not recommend it and treats it as an individual's choice. If you're unsure, talk to your health professional before you go.

  • Where do I leave my stuff and can I shower?
    You're given a portable container for your belongings, stored in a specially designed secure hut. The bathing areas have changing facilities with showers and body wash, which you will want after the mud.

  • What costs extra?
    Towel and swimwear hire at reception, paid on the day, and any food or drink. The walk, carving, mud bath, spa, plunge pool and the shuttle from central Rotorua are all in the ticket.

  • What happens in bad weather?
    The baths are outdoors and geothermal, so rain is no reason to skip them. The walk is weather dependent at the operator's discretion, and the reserve is open daily from 10am to 9pm.

  • What's the cancellation policy?
    Cancellation terms for this trip are set by the operator and confirmed on your booking voucher. Refunds mirror the operator's policy, if they can refund, so can we. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 (including if the operator cancels) and we chase it on your behalf. Message us for the exact day-by-day terms before you book.

Got a question that's not here? Ask us or hit the chat, instant AI reply with a follow-up from the Wanderlust crew.

What travellers say

Reviews from real travellers

Public reviews of the operator who runs this tour on the ground.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"The mud bath was a great experience Our skin feels amazing afterwards We loved trying out all the pools after the mud bath"
S

Stacey B

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"The mud pool and thermal spa were great after a long day of a walking tour. Our skin felt rejuvenated and was glowing after."
K

Karan S

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"Fantastic geothermal experience. Guided walk was informative and interesting. Mud spa was also very enjoyable"
R

Rhona S

Tripadvisor review

Traveller reviews, source shown on each · shown as excerpts.

Read before you book

You might also like

Secure checkout · you don't pay for a spot we can't confirm

From

$89

Choose a date