On our way to Sam’s aunt and uncle, Lindsey and Tom, in Wellington we passed a tourist sign for Orakei Korako.  After a quick flick through our tourist bible we decided to take a visit.  The Lonely Planet said ‘…it is possibly the best thermal area left in NZ and one of the finest in the world’ so we couldn’t miss it.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Ohakuri was the ‘hidden valley’ or Orakei Korako Geyersland and Cave.  A boat ride across the lake we wandered through the valley for about an hour and couldn’t believe the beauty of the area; unbelievable colour, bubbling hot springs, gushing geysers and a ‘secret’ cave. Having taken so many photos and videos in Te Whakarewarewa and not bring a spare memory card, we were caught short and ran out of space, so our photos are limited.

Apparently, scenes from the BBCs Natural History Series ‘Walking with Dinosaurs’ were filmed in Orakei Korako, so it was a lucky hit or a great find. See what you think!