Wairakei Terraces are a manmade creation of cascading silica terraces in blues, pinks and whites, fed by the steaming multi-hued waters of the Alum lakes that in turn have been created by a spectacular manmade geyser of superheated waters.

These Wairakei Terraces are attributed to the original ones that once existed here at Wairakei, and are reminiscent of the magnificent pink and white terraces that were destroyed in 1886 when Mt Tarawera suddenly erupted splitting the mountain in two and covering what surely was one of the great wonders of the world.

A guided or self-governed walk through the Wairakei Terraces Walkway will entertain, educate and leave the visitor in awe of natures capacity to be manipulated yet still retain a naturalness and beauty that is pleasing to the eye as well as the senses. Overlaying natures work is the cultural mantle of Ngati Tuwharetoa, which bring to life the stories of creation and discovery.

Click here for the Self Guided Tour Map

Our Guides are local Maori who have inherited from their ancestors, the stories and Whakapapa (geneology) of Wairakei, Ngatoroirangi and Tuwharetoa. Knowledgeable, hospitable and happy to share the legacies that have been handed down to them, our guides hope that the information and stories they convey to you will be remembered and passed on to someone else.

We are able to provide an exclusive guide for your tour group for the Wairakei Terraces Walkway. Bookings for guides are essential.

Click here to make a booking enquiry

This guided tour begins at the Visitor Centre with a video about one of the worlds most extraordinary engineering feats, the generation of electricity using ‘local geothermal energy’.

After this, Visitors board coaches and travel a short distance to the borefield viewing point which overlooks the Waiora Valley, the geothermal field and 70 kilometres of thermal fluid pipeline. The geothermal field is entered at Bore 80 where visitors get a closer look at the wellheads, separators and flashplants.

The tour follows the steam pipeline to the Power Station where 192.6 mw’s of electricity is despatched to the national grid. Power is purchased from the national grid to service New Zealand. Throughout the tour there will be commentary about Wairakei and how Maori relate to and value the geothermal resource for its healing properties and as bathing spas.

Bookings for tours of the Geothermal Field are essential. Click here to make a booking enquiry

As part of our commitment to ensuring our visitors every need is catered for, the team at the Terraces Cafe offer a range of fabulous kiwi food, good ole home baking and beverages that reflect the special nature of New Zealand’s freshest produce.