• Pink And White Terraces

    The 8th Wonder of the World

Pink and White Terraces

Once a dominant feature on the shores of Lake Rotomahana, the Pink and White Terraces were considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World.

What are the
Pink and White Terraces?

The pink and white terraces were reportedly the largest silica sinter deposits on earth. They were once a dominant feature on the shores of Lake Rotomahana.

Considered the 8th Wonder of the World, the Pink and White Terraces were the original New Zealand tourism destination, until they were buried in the 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera.

Read more about the Pink and White Terraces

The Round Trip –
Pink and White Terraces Legacy Tour

Follow in the footsteps of New Zealand’s first tourists, and uncover the stories of the Pink and White Terraces and the Tarawera eruption.

The Round Trip is a full day comprehensive guided tour of the Tarawera region including Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Lake Rotomahana (home of the Pink and White Terraces), Lake Tarawera and the Buried Village of Te Wairoa.

A must-do for any history lovers out there, looking to get fully immersed in the stories of this very special place.

Find out more about the Round Trip

Discover more about the Pink and White terraces

  • Where are the Pink and White Terraces now?

    During the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886, the Pink and White Terraces were thought to be destroyed. Since then, there has been many studies and claims made about their current location and state.

    Learn about the hunt for the Pink and White Terraces

  • Visit the site of the Pink and White Terraces

    At the base of Mount Tarawera lies Lake Rotomahana, otherwise known as the final resting place of the Pink and White Terraces. At Waimangu Volcanic Valley, you can take a boat cruise across the fabled lake, just like many people did to see the Terraces in the 1800’s. The lake is unlike any other, full of geothermal wonders only accessible by boat.

    Learn more about the Lake Rotomahana Boat Cruise

  • Rediscover the Pink and White Terraces with the Waimangu App

    The Waimangu App allows you to get the most out of your visit to the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Rediscover the Pink and White Terraces and other hidden content with augmented reality. The Waimangu App is completely free and includes information and features on both the self-guided walk/hike and the Lake Rotomahana boat cruise.

    Find out about the Waimangu App

  • Guides of the Pink and White Terraces

    Te Paea Hinerangi, known simply as Guide Sophia, was one of New Zealand’s first tourist guides, taking European visitors to across Lake Tarawera and Rotomahana to visit the Pink and White Terraces.

    Read more about Guide Sophia’s story

  • Tourism after the Pink and White Terraces – the Waimangu Geyser

    In 1900 the Waimangu Geyser started playing near Rotorua, attracting the first visitors back to the area since the destruction of the famous Pink & White Terraces in the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886.

    Waimangu Geyser was the world’s largest, erupting to heights of up to 450m.

    Find out about the Waimangu Geyser

  • We stopped in for a quick coffee having seen the sign on the highway. The coffee was great and the quiche and muffin were fantastic. While eating we read the details of the Valley walk and decided to stay and see what it had to offer. Leave plenty of time, don’t rush it, we left at just after 10am and just caught the 1:10pm boat trip around the lake. What an unbelievable walk, really good information on both the brochure and on boards at…

    Andy
    Hatherleigh, United Kingdom

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  • We had a great trip here - very organised walk with lots of information and fascinating views of the craters. The boat trip on the lake was very relaxing and timed to allow us to catch the bus back up. We had a good lunch back at the…

    Penny
    Brisbane, Australia

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  • I hiked the whole of Waimangu Volcanic Valley down and back up again. It's located near Rotorua-where I didn't go because it's too touristy and overcrowded- and that place is just so impressive and wonderful to tramp through...fantastic vapor whirls on the magnificent colorful lakes...great ferns with thousands of different shades of green.....amazing viewpoints to look down into the valley...awesome hues of ever changing volcanic terraces in…

    Thomas Rhöse
    Google Review

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  • A must-go in Rotorua, where you'll explore a stunning scenery of ferns and volcanic rocks and…

    Simone
    Brasillia

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  • A peaceful quiet walk in the rain. We came here on a rainy day, as there wasn’t much else to do outside when in rains in Rotorua. Staff was nice and walked us through the bus stops and how everything worked there. We paid the additional $5 to rent a heat thermometer gun (not sure was the actual name of it is). It was cool to see how hot the water was getting with the temperature gauge. This was a good place to go when it rains. The walkway is…

    Spring
    Texas

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  • We were fortunate to visit when there were no crowds and walked the valley in almost complete isolation which added to the mysterious and prehistoric feel. Everywhere we turned was a feast for the eyes. Our teenage son only wished we could have spent more time there. If you appreciate nature, enjoy an easy hike, want to see something unique Waimangu is for…

    Dianna
    Tokyo, Japan

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