Adventure

Rotorua is an adventure-lover's paradise, offering a perfect blend of excitement, innovation and natural beauty!
 
Our region is home to some of the country’s most inventive minds who’ve created world-first attractions and activities right here in Rotorua. Experience the exhilarating ZORB, where you can roll downhill in a giant inflatable ball, or race down five thrilling Luge tracks at Skyline Rotorua. For those seeking an adrenaline rush like no other, take the plunge with Vertigo at Velocity Valley, New Zealand's first 43-meter (141-foot) freefall, guaranteed to get your heart racing.
 
Rotorua is also world-famous for the mighty Kaituna River, where you can embark on a whitewater adventure over Tutea Falls, the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall at 7 meters (23 feet). Several local rafting companies will help you take the plunge in guided 7-seater rafts, and New Zealand Whitewater Academy will send you and their guide in a tandem kayak. If dropping over a two-storey waterfall is a bit much for you, you’ll love a Kaitiaki Adventures sledging tour on the grade 3 section on the lower part of the river. You’ll enjoy a super-fun mix of tackling eddies and rapids, along with some gentle drifting while surrounded by pristine native scenery.
 
Passionate about continually providing world-class adventure tourism experiences in Rotorua, Kaitiaki Adventures also hosts guided tours along the summit of our most famous maunga. Mt Tarawera Crater Walks combine a stunning environment and 360-degree views, with the incredible history, stories and Māori culture relevant to this historic area. You can arrive at the summit on Kaitiaki’s 4WD bus, or you can meet your Kaitiaki guides via a faster, more scenic route with a heli drop operated by Volcanic Air.
 
While many more adventures await, another must-do activity is ziplining. Both Rotorua Ziplines and Rotorua Canopy Tours offer incredible tours through beautiful native forests and a portion of your ticket sales go directly back to the land to protect and preserve these areas for centuries to come.
 
From mild adventurers to the most hard-core adrenaline junkies, Rotorua offers something for everyone.