Waimangu Volcanic Valley - The World's Youngest Geothermal Area

This valley is located 14km south of Rotorua, on the North Island. Waimangu is the only hydrothermal system in the world, the commencement of whose surface activity can be pinned down to an exact day, namely June 10 1886. On that day a violent volcanic eruption punctured the country in this locality with a series of craters, and allowed geothermal fluid already present underground direct passage to the surface. The area looked like this just after the 1886 eruption.

This area is very important botanically because it is the only area in New Zealand where there has been the opportunity to record the re-establishment of a native forest following complete destruction of all plant life. This is what it looks like today; the photo is taken from the same spot.

We started our walk at the Frying Pan Lake, which is one of the world's largest hot springs covering 38,000 sq.m. It has an average depth of 6m and the water temperature is about 55C/131F, so a very appropriate name!

The sulphur smell was strong, the lake was bubbling, and the air was warm. 

We followed the trail along a steaming hot stream with beautiful colourings; we were not tempted to go off trail, as that could mean an instant third degree burn on the foot!

We reached the pale blue Inferno Crater Lake. Officially it was named 'Gateway to the Inferno' by the first surveyors, as the 1986 eruption started here, and it is the portal to the underworld. When full the lake is 30m deep, and the water temperature is 80C/176F.

These multi-coloured terraces are formed by the hot geothermal fluids cooling as the run across the surface of the ground.

We followed the Mt. Haszard Hiking Trail and reached the lake, where we were met by hundreds of black swans and other birds.

Then we boarded a boat on Lake Rotomahana, which has many hot springs discharging into the bottom of the lake. The lake emits about 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide gas every day, which indicates that the lake is more of an active volcanic crater than just a hydrothermal system. Interesting place to be sailing.

We a small geyser erupt,

and steaming cliffs created by hot water springs and steaming vents,

It was a fascinating visit, and we could almost feel the ground burn under our feet.