Hell’s Gate in Rotorua, New Zealand

Hell’s Gate is Rotorua’s most active geothermal reserve. It is a Taonga (treasure) of Ngati Rangiteaorere (the local Maori people).

Hell’s Gate is set in 50 acres with a large variety of geothermal features.

You can walk past steaming fumaroles and pools of boiling mud. There are remarkable formations, colors, “land coral”, and even the largest hot waterfalls in the southern hemisphere.

You’ll also see the pool where the Maori Princess Hurutini lost her life to save her people.

Hell’s Gate was so named by playwright George Bernard Shaw on his visit there.

He also named many of the pools inside the park.

I enjoyed our few hours walking around Hell’s Gate Thermal Park.

But, if we’d have had to pay the $30 each entrance fee (instead of having it included in our Maori experience), I don’t think it would have been worth it.

Hell’s Gate is a very interesting area and a fun walk, but not one worth $30 per person in my opinion.

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TAGS: attraction, geothermal, hells gate, hot pools, hot springs, New Zealand, rotorua, thermal, thermal park, Travel