Volcanic and geothermal activity

Geological wonders

New Zealand is located just above an active fault line where two tectonic plates meet. The South Island was formed by the shock of the Southern Alps plates, while underground volcanic activity has developed on the North Island. Today, this forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 400 volcanoes. Geological activity on the North Island is so intense that it has shaped and coloured the unique volcanic landscape of the country, dotted with yellow, green and ocher red earth and lakes.

Aboard your motorhome you can travel ​​the Central Plateau dotted with active, dormant and extinct volcanoes and enjoy the benefits of the natural geothermal activity exploited for decades by the Maori and Kiwis. The regions of Rotorua, Lake Taupo, Tongariro National Park and Wairakei National Park are the most spectacular. There are 3 active volcanic cones, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu, which were used by Peter Jackson to create Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Leave your motorhome at the foot of the volcanoes and explore the bubbling mud pools, the hot water geysers and the steamy lunar landscapes. Explore the Wai-O-Pu Thermal Reserve with its geysers and extraordinary colours. Near Te Puia you can see Pohutu geyser that can shoot up to 30 metres high and the famous Lady Knox Geyser.

Take the Maori route by boat or kayak on Lake Taupo to Rock Carving or fish for rainbow and brown trout. There are 14 lakes in the area, some of which are former explosion craters that have gradually filled with water and have exceptional colours like the Emerald Lakes or the Blue Lake. Yellow corresponds to the reaction of sulfur, purple to manganese and brown-red to iron oxidation. Hiking fans can follow trails that lead to volcanoes, such as the Tongariro Northern Circuit passing through Mount Ngauruhoe with its craters, explosions and traces of lava. You can also enjoy the mud pools and other natural, hot springs to relax in before exploring a protected Maori site on the banks of the Pnarenga River in Whakarewarewa.