After experiencing the bizarre dig-your-own-spa at Hot Water Beach New Zealand, we became increasingly intrigued with New Zealand’s geothermal activity. Many of the best geothermal parks are located in Rotorua, a city where we spent several days. Each of the geothermal parks is a little different. We went to four and found that Hells Gate provided the best mix of Maori culture, geothermal activity, and relaxation (thanks to their mud baths and sulphur pools).
To imagine what a place called “Hells Gate” looks like, consider this quote from George Bernard Shaw which lead to the name “Hells Gate”
“It reminds me too vividly of the fate theologians have promised me.”
We received a spectacular guided tour of the grounds which began with some amazing Maori carvings at the park enterance. (For visitor reference: there is no extra cost for the guided tours, but the tour only leaves at certain times. I would highly recommend a guided tour; it enhances the overall experience and you learn fascinating facts you would have no other way of knowing.)
Maori Art at Hells Gate Entrance
Hot Pools
These hot pools can literally be boiling temperature.
Mud Pool
The local hospital uses mud from the Hells Gate mud pools for medical conditions from arthritis to acne.
Kimberly tasting mud at Sulphur Lake.
This is one of the few pools in the park you can touch (without worrying that your hand will melt off.) Our guide told us that the mud in the lake has great mineral properties and that eating it is like a vitamin – so we gave it a try.
White Mud
Because of the layers of water and mud, when you rub the mud together it becomes liquid like – like cornstarch. While it’s great for mud masks it can actually be quite dangerous as if you step on it acts like quick sand.
The Kakahi Falls and Sulphur colored trees.
The Kakahi Falls is the largest hot water waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere. Maori warriors used to bathe in the waterfall for it’s medicinal properties. The full name of the falls is “O Te Mimi O Te Kakahi” which is means “the urine of Kakahi”. It’s named this because the Maori warriors would use the waterfalls in place of the salving properties of urine that they would sometimes use if they weren’t near the falls.
Steam coming from hot pools in the park
Fire Spot
See the black spot in the forefront of the picture? They’re caused by spontaneous sulphur fires, which can burn for 2-3 days at 360 degrees Celsius. The rocks get so hot they become magma and flow underground.
Wai Ora Spa
Besides enjoying the magnificent landscape of park, the Wai Ora Spa made Hells Gate one of my favorite experiences in New Zealand. The Wai Ora/Hells Gate Spa includes a mud bath and suphur pool experience. First, the mud bath is about 20 minutes long and makes your skin feel exceptionally smooth. It’s difficult to describe what sitting in a large pool of mud feels like, but it’s both relaxing and extremely fun. Because your core body temperature heats up slightly in the mud bath you then are required to rinse off in a terrifyingly cold shower for just a moment to help bring your core temperature back down. Lastly, you get to relax in the hot sulphur pool for as long as you want. It wasn’t very crowded at the spa since we visited in the off season, so the spa was a pleasant way to end the day at Hells Gate. I would highly recommend getting a combination spa and park package if you get a chance to visit Hells Gate.
Hells Gate is a little expensive for a day excursion, but I would say that of all the tours we went on it was one of my favorites. If you’re in Rotorua, Hells Gate is a wonderful place to gain a broad perspective of the the Moari culture, geothermal activity, and mud baths/spa activities.
Full Disclosure: Air New Zealand provided free flights from LA to Auckland; Tourism New Zealand provided media discount passes; and Hell’s Gate gave us free admission to the reserve, spa and mud baths.
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this is SOOOO cool! i really, really want to go there. bucket list!
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