Vores guide til at cykle på den episke vulkanske sti i Rotorua

The Te Ara Ahi aka ‘thermal by bike’ bike trail er en unik cykeloplevelse i Rotorua. Stien er 51 km lang og tager typisk to dage at fuldføre og fører dig gennem nogle af regionens mest berømte geotermiske seværdigheder. Beginning from the city centre, and passing by five geotermiske attractions, the trail ends at Waitike Valley where you can finish your ride with a dip in the Waitike Hot Pools. Although the cycling time on each day should only take a few hours, allow a full day if you intend to visit a geotermisk attraction which will require an extra couple of hours. Day 1: Den første dag er en 30 km lang tur, der bør tage mellem 3 og 4 timer. Fra den ikoniske i-SITE-bygning i byens centrum videre til Queen Street, cykler du et par hundrede meter til det officielle startpunkt for stien ved Princess Gate Archway. Herfra vil stien føre dig forbi byens mest unikke seværdigheder. Først Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village, som bruges af Maori som en bosættelse og er hjemsted for folket fra Tuhourangi / Ngati Wahiao. Landsbyen er omgivet af naturlige varme kilder og termiske kilder og gejser, som alle kan ses under et besøg. Lige ved siden af er Te Puia, et spektakulært geotermisk dal og hjemsted for New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. Fra begge seværdigheder kan du se Pohutu Geyser, den største aktive geyser på den sydlige halvkugle, som bryder ud op til 20 gange om dagen og skyder vand op til 30 meter op i luften. Moving alongside State Highway 5, you'll soon ride past the Redwoods Mountain Bike Park which features more than 150 km of inter-connecting trails in the Whakarewarewa Forest. If you turn off onto Waipa State Mill Road, you can take a break for coffee and snacks at the cafe. The trail then continues until you reach Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Waimangu begraver besøgende i historierne om Mt Tarawera-udbruddet, dets folk og den resulterende dramatiske landskabsændring, der skabte verdens yngste geotermiske dal. Day 2: Den anden dag er en 21 km lang tur, der bør tage cirka 2 - 3 timer. Fra Waimangu Volcanic Valley fortsætter Te Ara Ahi-stien langs Waimangu Road, forbi Lake Okaro picknickområde, som også har campingfaciliteter, og derefter til State Highway 38. Here after crossing over the highway, the trail winds around Rainbow Mountain and a smouldering landscape with brown, orange and red soils, and native vegetation that's regenerating. It's then past a roadside picnic area, before crossing over Old Waiotapu Road. At this point, you've the option of continuing or, making a small detour left to cycle to Kerosene Creek, a thermally heated stream. The natural hot springs features a two-metre waterfall that flows into a tranquil hot pool - a perfect retreat for those wanting to enjoy a free and natural hot dip. Once you head back (to the point you turned left to Kerosene Creek) continue straight ahead on an off-road path that continues all the way to Waiotapu. There are some tricky steep sections which may need you to push your bike. At Waiotapu, there is a motel, petrol station, and a honey factory with a cafe and shop. Cycle another 2 km and you'll reach the most photographed attraction that is Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. This attraction features brilliantly colored waters, steaming lakes and bubbling mud pools. From Waiotapu, it's a 6 km ride along Waikite Valley Road to reach the endpoint of the Waikite Valley Thermal Pools. Your final destination is a chance to give your legs a treat with a soak in a relaxing outside hot pool and reflect on completing the Thermal By Bike Trail Useful Info: The trail is well signposted and often close to state highways. E-bikes are ok for most of the time but a mountain bike is better suited to the off-road sections The trail is easy to intermediate (grade 2 - 3) and features concrete paths, gravel and tarmac roads and off-road bike tracks. All the attractions have toilets and cafes. Pre-book a shuttle in advance to take you back to Rotorua or Taupo. More Info: For the latest trail information and status updates visit Ride Rotorua. For more information on what to see and do in Rotorua, check our 'Things To Do' section. Rotorua Experience Deals: To see more experiences and get the best deals on activities in Rotorua check our Rotorua Experiences and save some money.