We came for the popular geothermal landscapes, changed our plans, and somehow ended up finding one of our favourite places so far. ????

We leave McLaren Falls Park and head towards Rotorua, where we make our first stop at Kuirau Park — a free geothermal park right in the middle of the city, with boiling pools, bubbling mud and colourful trees.

Our original plan was to visit some of Rotorua's more famous geothermal attractions, including Te Puia and Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. But after seeing the entrance prices — more than NZ$100 per person for each — we decide they're outside our preferred budget.

It's not only the price, though. After spending time exploring Iceland, we've already experienced some incredible geothermal landscapes, so we're conscious of choosing the experiences that genuinely excite us rather than simply ticking off the most famous attractions.

So we keep driving. And, once again, Google Maps leads us somewhere we had never heard of: Ōrākei Kōrako Geothermal Park & Cave.

As soon as we arrive, we know we've made the right decision. The staff are incredibly welcoming, we cross the lake to reach the geothermal area, and the landscape on the other side completely blows our minds!

Then comes another unexpected surprise — we're offered the chance to camp in their parking area, with access to a restroom, Wi-Fi and outdoor facilities, all while enjoying an incredible view. Obviously, that's a very easy yes from us.

The following day takes us to Huka Falls and the Aratiatia Rapids, where we watch the dam release and see that unreal blue Waikato River water. In between we take advantage of the small pauses without rain to take care of some DIY projects on our campervan Hygge. Who wouldn't want a DIY project taking place on a random parking lot? Haha.

Before settling down for another night, we treat ourselves to a geothermal walk at Wairakei Terraces followed by some much-needed warmth in their thermal spa. With temperatures dropping below freezing at night, we're starting to feel the cold in Hygge!

Then we head towards Tongariro National Park, hoping to make the most of the mountains. Unfortunately, the conditions mean the Tongariro Alpine Crossing isn't a good option, so we change plans and explore some shorter walks and waterfalls instead.

We get glimpses of the volcanoes through the clouds, watch snow falling around us and eventually take the Forgotten World Highway towards Mount Taranaki. We end the day at a campsite completely covered in snow and the mountain nowhere to be seen.

But next week… the weather finally clears up.

In this episode:
00:00 Intro
00:43 First geothermal area, Kuirau Downtown in Rotorua
02:01 Quick stop outside Te Puia and Waimangu Volcanic Valley
02:20 Outside our price range
03:00 Surprise stop at Orakei Korako Geothermal Park & Cave
03:15 Short boat trip
03:35 All alone in the geothermal park
06:02 Boiling Mud
06:59 Enjoying life and waiting for geyser to erupt
07:53 Even got permission to stay the night
08:43 Turquoise blue water
09:05 Arriving at Aratiatia just in time to see dam opening
09:57 Another small van project in a parking lot
11:09 Last minute decision to visit Wairakei geothermal park and spa
13:07 Moving on to Tongariro National Park and the alpine volcanos
14:59 The forgotten world highway
16:10 Arriving in snow at base of mountain
16:38 Next Time
16:49 Thank you for watching.

This is another chapter of building our life abroad — this time, from the road.

▶ Follow our journey from the beginning:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSPiRaLCFsY2nbwiX9XNBO2V9typap742

New videos from our life abroad every Thursday.

???? About Chasing Endless Horizons
We document our journey of living abroad, long-distance hiking and building a location-independent life — blending cinematic travel films with weekly real-life storytelling.

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???? Filmed in the Waitākere Ranges & Piha, New Zealand

???? Gear used:
DJI Osmo Pocket 3
Sony A7 IV
Tamron 28–75mm f/2.8 G2
Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 G2
DJI Neo 2

???? Licensed music via Audiio
- Sunray, Trooper Music
- Slow Down, Tedious Brief
- Own Way Out, Atlas Gray
- Never Going Home, Scarle Parke
- Singing in the rain, Juniper Vale
- Into The Wilderness, Early Hours

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