Experience the magic of this geothermal landscape on a self-guided walk along the trail at Craters of the Moon.
Take in the incredible sights of the bubbling mud pools and steaming craters as you walk through this other-worldly landscape.
Our well-maintained tracks are easy to follow and suitable for most people, the main walkway will take you on a 40-minute leisurely stroll through the valley and the optional 20-minute upper walkway will take you up the steps for fantastic views from the lookout.
Take your time, stop for photos and enjoy at your own pace.
Loop Track - Suitable for pushchairs. Wheelchairs are permitted but some areas of the path are more difficult to navigate than others. The path is mostly boardwalk but it is recommended that you have a person to assist in areas where there is a gravel path.
Upper Walkway - A moderate walk with multiple steps (totally worth it), not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs.
We enjoyed the walk even with our 3 kids did. The lady who welcomed us gave us relevant & helpful info, also had great customer service!
Thanks Stacey, glad you enjoyed your visit.
At first I was a little underwhelmed by this walk but then the more striking plumes of steam became visible and it was all worthwhile. We had a glorious sunny, but not hot, day. There is no shelter from the sun at all so if it is a hot day you need to dress accordingly. The pockets of steam actually got our creative juices flowing as we imagined they were the smoke from little miniature villages that were secretly hiding in the greenery 😀 The bigger craters are breathtaking although some views are obscured by overgrown plants. There was no smell which made this a very pleasant walk.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Great to read about what you thought of while visiting us.
A very special place, well maintained and great information along the way
Thank you for visiting, glad you enjoyed it.
This is a stunning place to visit. The area definitely feels out of this world. The walk is easy, suited to all abilities. Give yourself an hour to enjoy it so that you can really take in all the scenery. The optional 15min extra lookout walk is worth doing too. The hill isn't too steep to walk up and gives even better views over the area.
Thank you Bronte for your great review. Appreciate you sharing your experience.
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alitziar from Germany wrote on 08 July 2023
Worth a visit
Super freundliches Personal und ein kleiner bequemer Spaziergang durch das geothermale Gelände. Den Souvenirshop mochte ich persönlich auch sehr. Lediglich gibt es keine Möglichkeit für Reisende ohne Auto zum Park zu kommen außer zu Fuß (was doch relativ weit ist) oder per Taxi. Das ist jedoch kein Minuspunkt für craters of the moon sondern für Taupo.