{"id":12145,"date":"2024-05-10T17:50:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T05:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myblogary.com\/?p=12145"},"modified":"2024-05-14T21:40:40","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T09:40:40","slug":"a-thermal-wonderland-from-another-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myblogary.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/10\/a-thermal-wonderland-from-another-world\/","title":{"rendered":"A Thermal Wonderland From Another World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

May 10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With the car all packed up, we headed to Lake Taupo<\/a> with a side trip to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland<\/a>, a place of stunning thermal activity. It was other worldly, a similar thing we\u2019ve felt about so many other places in NZ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Champagne Pool<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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This steamy spectacular showcase was an artist\u2019s palette of color and unique elements sculpted by thousands of years of geothermal activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sinter Terraces<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Wai-O-Tapu (M\u0101ori for “sacred waters”) is an active geothermal<\/a> area at the southern end of the Okataina Volcanic Centre<\/a> in NZ\u2019s Taupo Volcanic Zone<\/a>. It is 16 miles south of Rotorua, so the drive was only 30 minutes away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dramatic geothermal conditions beneath the earth have created many hot springs to form here and they are known for their rich colors. The park has a lot to see, including Lady Knox Geyser<\/a>, Champagne Pool<\/a>, Artist’s Palette<\/a>, Primrose Terrace and many boiling mud pools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The entire area is massive \u2014 more than 7,000 acres. Prior to European occupation, the area was the homeland of the Ngati Whaoa tribe<\/a> who descended from those on the Arawa waka<\/a> (canoe).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We combined three walking trails into a single two-hour tour we did on our own so that we could see the entire park and take it all in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When we entered the park, we first saw the M\u00e3hanga Rua or Natural Double Layer crater as well as the Te Rua Whaitiri crater. These were the first examples of collapsed craters where the acidic steam coming from underground has caused the ground to collapse. The rough sides and yellow-greenish colours of these twin craters emitted cooling volcanic vapors displaying tarnished burnt walls from the heat and elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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