Waimangu is mea whakamiharo

Translation from Maori to English, the Waimangu volcanic valley is phenomenal. It has to be one of the very best walks worldwide.

The valley and its lakes were created in 1886 by a massive volcanic explosion. The surrounding area was covered in up to 40m of ash. So initially, this was like a moonscape, but now it's a wonderful biotope of outstanding natural beauty .

Like much of NZ, it's green, and the main type of plants are ferns, but here there are ferns and plants not found elsewhere. That is because there is a lot of geothermal water coming to the surface, and the heat from that allows plants to survive that would otherwise perish in the frost. There are also exotic algae and plants thar can live in water at up to 55C. (The water comes out at 35 to 100C depending on the location)

The beauty is enhanced by beautiful lakes formed by the hot water, and a large lake formed by rainwater filling a huge hole formed by the explosion. One of the lakes is a beautiful blue colour.

I also salute the management of the area, the path, and explanations are 1st class. You have to pay to enter the valley, but it's worth every penny.Read more