Must-Visit Places and Attractions in Rotorua District, New Zealand 2025

Q: What is Rotorua Best Known For?

Rotorua is known for its active geothermal spots, cultural destinations, and must-visit places like Waimangu Volcanic Valley, the buried village of Te Wairoa, and the Skyline Rotorua. Some of the exciting events in Rotorua are the Blue Lake Rowing Regatta, Tarawera Ultramarathon, and the National Alpaca Farm Days.

Q: When is the Best Time to Visit Rotorua?

The weather is relatively warm and sunny from December to February in Rotorua. Summer is the warmest time in Rotorua with temperatures ranging from 21°C to 29°C. With long days and sunlight hours, summer is the best time to explore the outdoors

Q: Where is the Best Location for Tourists to Stay in Rotorua?

Rotorua’s city center is a charming and compact district that offers a lot of hotels for seasoned and first-time travelers. From your hotel, the city’s best restaurants, cafes, and attractions are just a few minutes or an hour drive away.

Rotorua is a town set on Lake Rotorua, best known for its rich Maori culture and geothermal activity. Uncover the fascinating history of the indigenous Maori people at Te Puia by visiting the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. Pair your cultural immersion with scenic explorations around geysers, mud pools, thermal streams, and the famous Pohutu Geyser with spurts reaching a height of 30 meters daily!

Journey next to Lake Rotorua to enjoy fishing and boating trips amidst a scenic backdrop. Afterwards, treat yourself with revitalizing mud baths and spas at Hell's Gate. Finally, explore the Waitomo Glowworm Caves where glowworms endemic to New Zealand can be found.

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Top things to do in Rotorua District

See 69 things to do in Rotorua District

Tours • From Hamilton

Hobbiton and Lord of the Rings Movie Set Tour

Hotel pick-up

Private tour

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.7 (3,152) • 70K+ booked

From € 59.55

Parks & gardens • Rotorua District

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

Book now for tomorrow

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.6 (388) • 9K+ booked

€ 22.35

Events & shows • Rotorua District

Agrodome Farm Show and Tour Ticket in Rotorua

Book now for today

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.7 (371) • 8K+ booked

€ 32.25

Parks & gardens • Rotorua District

Te Puia Ticket

Book now for today

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.6 (336) • 9K+ booked

From € 24.30

Historical sites • Rotorua District

Mitai Maori Village Experience

Book now for tomorrow

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.6 (258) • 7K+ booked

From € 83.89

Massages • Rotorua District

Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve & Mud Spa Experiences

Book now for today

English guided

Up to 3 hrs

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.5 (274) • 10K+ booked

From € 22.35

Attraction passes • Paraparaumu

Klook Pass New Zealand

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.5 (186) • 5K+ booked

From € 136.39

€ 187.49

Tours • From Rotorua District

Whakarewarewa Village Guided Tour

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.7 (182) • 4K+ booked

From € 17.35

Water activities • Rotorua District

White Water Rafting on the Kaituna River

Book now for today

English guided

Up to 3 hrs

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 5.0 (18) • 600+ booked

€ 66.95

Tours • From Rotorua District

Te Pā Tū - Māori Cultural Experience

Book now for today

English guided

Evening departure

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.8 (23) • 800+ booked

€ 138.89

Klook's choice

Massages • Rotorua District

Secret Spot Hot Tubs Rotorua

Book now for today

English guided

Up to 3 hrs

Private group

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.7 (41) • 600+ booked

€ 22.35

ZORB Inflatable Ball Adventure in Rotorua

Klook's choice

Outdoor & sports activities • From Rotorua District

ZORB Inflatable Ball Adventure in Rotorua

Book now for today

English guided

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.9 (47) • 700+ booked

€ 49.10

Hotels in Rotorua District

See 108 hotels in Rotorua District

Hotels • Rotorua District

JetPark Hotel Rotorua

Instant confirmation

★ 4.3 (963)

From € 76.60

Hotels • Rotorua District

Rydges Rotorua

Instant confirmation

★ 4.1 (878)

From € 91.07

Hotels • Rotorua District

Thermal Oak Motel

Instant confirmation

★ 4.6 (147)

From € 90.93

Hotels • Rotorua District

Tasman Holiday Parks- Rotorua

Instant confirmation

★ 4.5 (200)

From € 99.47

Hotels • Rotorua District

Marsden Stay Rotorua

Instant confirmation

★ 3.5 (108)

From € 56.80

Hotels • Rotorua District

Silver Fern Rotorua Suites & Spa

Instant confirmation

★ 4.6 (913)

From € 87.39

Hotels • Rotorua District

Aura Accommodation

Instant confirmation

★ 4.6 (298)

From € 114.18

Hotels • Rotorua District

ibis Rotorua

Instant confirmation

★ 4.0 (953)

From € 78.14

Hotels • Rotorua District

Pullman Rotorua

Instant confirmation

★ 4.2 (403)

From € 169.54

Hotels • Rotorua District

AWA Hotel

Instant confirmation

★ 3.9 (204)

From € 58.18

Hotels • Rotorua District

Haka House Rotorua

Instant confirmation

★ 3.9 (46)

From € 51.03

Hotels • Rotorua District

Distinction Rotorua Hotel and Conference Centre

Instant confirmation

★ 4.0 (691)

From € 134.78

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Xin *******

2025-11-03 18:36:45

Fantastic 5.0

the rapids were rapid but the guides were very detailed and reassuring in their instructions during the brief. wasn't cold too because they provided layers and booties. really have to just bring along swimwear to wear inside and a towel to dry off after.

White Water Rafting on the Kaituna River

Marion ******************

2025-06-19 05:22:51

Fantastic 5.0

My family and I enjoyed this activity so much (and I was the only one with kayaking experience) 🤍 Wasn’t able to take any photos tho because they recommended to leave all of our important stuff in the van. Our guide, Ellen, was so nice and patient with us, and the view was breathtaking! I definitely recommend!

Glow Worm Kayak Tour

Cecelia ***

2025-11-21 05:43:46

Fantastic 5.0

It was safe, professional and so much fun. They knew what they were absolutely doing at all times and we never doubted that they would take absolute good care of us. Highly recommend this activity!

Kaituna Whitewater Rafting Experience

Evangel ***

2025-11-29 01:36:41

Fantastic 5.0

our guide Malcom made us feel at ease and safe at all times. we had a few first timers and this grade 5 activity was quite manageable.

Rangitaiki River Rafting

Hans ******

2025-12-07 02:26:41

Fantastic 5.0

My family and I love the tour in overall. our tour guide, she was so professional and friendly (8:10 am 7/12). we are blessed with the good nice weather. i recommend to go in the morning, as it’s not that hot during summer.

Hobbiton and Lord of the Rings Movie Set Tour

클룩 회원

2025-10-12 21:59:58

Fantastic 5.0

I ended up booking a small group tour, which allowed me to explore very comfortably. Since there weren't many people, I was able to take landscape photos without people blocking the view, and I enjoyed the detailed explanations provided for each scene. There was a Korean translation of the guide, which helped me understand some parts that I couldn't quite grasp at first. I really enjoyed it.

Whakarewarewa Village Guided Tour

Klook User

2025-07-28 09:48:10

Fantastic 5.0

attractions on the way: There are fun activities in the village, very well presented the Maori culture group size: Not too many people but enough to have fun together

Te Pā Tū - Māori Cultural Experience

Tracy **

2025-11-08 03:01:41

Fantastic 5.0

Hanoz was our guide. He made the 8 in the group introduced ourselves. I enjoyed the caves mostly. My son loves the geysers. Anyway, I love that they were generous with their bottled drinking water and snacks. Their transport allows you to charge your phones. The ostrich feeding experience was fun.

Waitomo and Rotorua Day Tour with Te Puia

Precious ********

2025-08-23 08:26:46

Fantastic 5.0

We joined the Rotorua tour with CheekyKiwi Tours and had Jeoff as our driver/guide. He was professional, friendly, and made the journey enjoyable with his humor and stories. Wai-O-Tapu’s geothermal wonders were breathtaking, the Polynesian Spa was the perfect place to relax, and the Rotorua city tour gave great local flavor. Jeoff’s care, attentiveness, and knowledge made the day unforgettable. Highly recommend both CheekyKiwi Tours and Jeoff!

Rotorua Highlights with optional activities from Auckland

Local weather

℉℃

DEC - FEB
23°15°
MAR - MAY
22°11°
JUN - AUG
15°8°
SEP - NOV
19°10°

General info

Time zone
GMT +12:00
No time difference
Currency
New Zealand Dollar
1EUR = 2.02NZD
Official languages
English
Best time to visit
MAR
Rotorua Walking Festival
MAY
National Alpaca Farm Days
Recommended trip duration
3 days
Flight time
0.5 hours
When departing from Auckland

Rotorua District

Top things to do in Rotorua District

Hotels in Rotorua District

Rotorua District travel guide

Reviews of Rotorua District activities

Quick facts about Rotorua District

Local weather

Time zone

Currency

Official languages

Best time to visit

Recommended trip duration

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FAQs about Rotorua District

What is Rotorua Best Known For?

When is the Best Time to Visit Rotorua?

Where is the Best Location for Tourists to Stay in Rotorua?

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