The Smoking Earth of New Zealand

New Zealand lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a belt of intense seismic activity that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. This is the cause for the high level of geo thermal activity in New Zealand resulting in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, interesting boiling mud pools, smoking land and steaming lakes. Rotorua in New Zealand's North Island, is one such city with high geo thermal activity.

Lake Rotorua enjoying an early morning smoke thanks to the  Geo thermal activity in the earth beneath!

We chose the Waimangu Volcanic Valley in Rotorua to explore the geothermal wonders of New Zealand.  Waimangu Volcanic Forest is the youngest Geo thermal system in the world and holds within its forests, an amazing variety of flora and fauna and stunning crater lakes formed during volcanic eruptions.

Rare Ferns of various types and in various hues peep out from the beautiful trees that line the forest path

The Smoking Valley! 

The Crater Lake formed ages back when the volcano erupted

The Frying Pan Lake 

Is that water or oil?

The Inferno Lake, another crater lake that changes colours many times in a day. It was a beautiful translucent blue for us.

Lake Rotomahana inside the Waimangu Valley was a small body of water till the eruption of the volcano, Mount Tarawera. in 1886. The eruption created a crater several times larger. Water filled this crater forming Lake Rotomahana, the deepest lake in the North Island of New Zealand. A cruise on the idyllic lake enabled us to see small active geothermal spots on the surrounding mountains and spluttering geysers that sent spirals of smoke up into the air.