Bus tour to Rotorua from Auckland with excursion in Waimoto
August 17, 2011

The New Zealand's north island offers the chance to explore many areas interesting for nature and landscape. I get a two days bus trip from Auckland to Rotorua, offering the opportunity to see much of the attractions in a short time.

(Click on a picture to see an enlarged version)

I leave Auckland early in the morning aboard a Gray Line bus bound for Rotorua. This excursion from Auckland allows you to quickly visit the main attractions of the New Zealand's north island, for those who have little time available or do not want to rent a car. The first hours of driving are through the green New Zealand countryside.

The first excursion during this tour in New Zealand, after a couple of hours drive from Auckland, is to Waitomo Caves, famous for the presence of millions of bioluminescent worms ( glowworm ).

	The Waitomo Caves, where you can observe the phenomenon of bioluminescence, are entirely in clay and host the so-called " Glow worm " whose scientific name is Arachnocampa luminosa.

Glow worms pictures. In the inner part of the caves, the phenomenon of bioluminescence is visible in all its splendour, with the walls and ceiling of these caves completely carpeted by millions of bioluminescent glowworms.

The tour in New Zealand continues with a visit to a farm where various animals, including ostriches, can be seen.

The bus tour from Auckland reaches the intended final destination for the first day: Rotorua. This town is known for the great geothermal activity in the ground, witnessed by large columns of steam visible almost everywhere in the city.

The first excursion in Rotorua is at the geothermal area of ​​Te Puia, where there are geysers, boiling mud pools and the famous geyser Pohutu erupting every few minutes.

	From a protected boardwalk, I observe a huge pond containing boiling mud.

	All around, there are numerous fumaroles that emit clouds of steam, thus showing the great geothermal activity present underground.

Then I stop to watch the Pohutu geyser, waiting for an eruption that usually does not take long to happen.

	While I wait for the geyser eruption, I have a look at the soil colored by various minerals derived directly from the depth of the Earth.

Suddenly the geyser erupts, releasing clouds of vapor in the air surrounding the water column.

The eruption of the geyser continues with a huge column of water that obscure the setting sun.

I enjoy observing the droplets of water that separates from the edge of the water column, during the geyser eruption.

The eruption of the geyser lasts several minutes, during which an impressive amount of water and steam is released.

Then, suddenly, the geyser eruption stops, leaving only clouds of steam emitted from the fumaroles placed all around.

	The tour to Rotorua ends with a visit to a beautiful lake of boiling mud surrounded by lush vegetation.

Boiling dramatically, the pond releases strange pieces of hot mud, having curious shapes.

NEW ZEALAND PICTURES

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