Hire a vehicle in Rotorua and enjoy
Rotorua is a must-see place to visit in the North Island. It offers two outstanding things that make this place unique. On the one hand, it is a renowned center for Māori culture, with fantastic performances that exhibit traditional Māori culture and introduce you to the rich heritage of the local tribes. On the other hand, it is one of the few places in New Zealand to witness an active geothermal landscape, allowing you to see steaming mud pools and might geysers. Rotorua is formally located in the Bay of Plenty region but is further inland than other towns. It is truly beautiful, as it is situated on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, one of the lakes in the Rotorua Lakes District. It is the most significant city in the Bay of Plenty behind Tauranga.
Rotorua Climate
The Rotorua region enjoys a mild temperate climate (Cfb). Rotorua is situated inland from the coast and is sheltered by high country to the south and east of the city, resulting in less wind than many other places in New Zealand. During the winter months June - August temperatures can drop below 0 °C. Frost is common in Rotorua during its winter months, with an average of 57 ground frosts annually, and 20 nights per year below 0 °C. Snowfall in Rotorua is rare and since the 1970s has only been recorded twice. On 15 August 2011 and 13 July 2017 snowflakes fell in the town centre.
12.7°C / 59.4°F
Average annual temperatures
1341.8mm / 52.83inches
Average annual precipitation
117 days
Average annual precipitation days
Rotorua recommended destinations
- Rotorua Museum
- Te Puia: Pohutu Geyser
Rotorua Museum
The museum is housed in the former Bath House building which was opened in 1908 and is noted as the first major investment in the New Zealand tourism industry by the government. The Bath House is a half-timbered building that has been called the most impressive Elizabethan Revival building in New Zealand. It has collections covering fine arts, photography, social history, and Taonga objects from the Māori culture.
Te Puia: Pohutu Geyser
Experience New Zealand's geothermal wonderland. Walk alongside a beautiful landscape of uncovered natural bush, mud pools and the majestic Pōhutu Geyser, the largest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere. Experience the pure adrenalin rush of standing next to one of Mother Nature's true natural wonders, feeling it reverberating beneath your feet and hearing the roar of an eruption even before you're seeing it.