Rotorua Kayaking & Paddleboarding Tours

In New Zealand, the earth is most alive in Rotorua. Feel its power on a Rotorua kayaking or paddleboarding tour to a hot water stream and soak in the natural spa to your heart's content.

Or venture beneath the surface and marvel at the constellation of tiny twinkling critters that illuminate the caves like stars on a dark night. The area around Rotorua beckons intrepid adventurers to its spellbinding underground world where glow worms cast a magical spell on anyone who braves gliding beneath cavernous roofs and tight spaces to get up close to this glittering attraction.

Close by, rural Waikato is known not only for its rich farmland and abundant pastoral areas, but also for the river it was named after. Here you have an opportunity to paddle on the Waikato River on your way to a hot water stream, admire the scenic gorge you pass through, and squeeze your way through a narrow canyon to get to the natural spa where you can enjoy a relaxing soak before heading back out to your waiting vehicle.

Half an hour's drive east of Rotorua, Lake Rotoiti boasts a hot spring accessible only by boat. Linked to Lake Rotorua by a narrow channel, Lake Rotoiti entices visitors with an opportunity to swim, explore its shorelines, or simply capture its beauty on the way to its steamy shores. Before arriving at your destination, pass by Okere Falls popular as a rafting destination and for its rich Maori history.

If you're more comfortable exploring your watery playground on a standup paddleboard, several tours are also available for those wishing to get a closer encounter with the glow worms and experience one of the area's iconic lakes. Depending on the day's weather conditions, your tour will either take you to Lake Tarawera, Lake Tikitapu or Lake Okareka. From Lake Tarawera, you'll have a fantastic view of Mt. Tarawera, which in 1886 exploded with a force that buried several settlements. One of the largest lakes in New Zealand, Lake Tarawera charms visitors with its picturesque setting today.

Lake Tikitapu, otherwise called "Blue Lake" by the locals for its striking colour, makes swimming in its famed waters all the more enchanting as you admire the water's colors and the surrounding tree fern scenery. Legend has it that a high-born chief's daughter went swimming in the lake one day and lost her 'tiki' (sacred neck ornament made from greenstone), which is believed to still lie somewhere in the lake. For those who want to discover the hidden attractions of Lake Okareka, the area around it beckons with hidden cave and rock formations that will make exploring it worthwhile.

And if you're keen to experience Rotorua's 'Redwoods' forest of different layers of tree ferns, combine a paddling tour with a mountain bike adventure through one of New Zealand's amazing trails for a truly unforgettable trip of a lifetime.