Craters of the Moon

You get to witness beautiful scenery at budget friendly price. The walk it about 45 minutes take you through steaming vent and resilience biodiversity. Features catch your attention are bubbling crater, hissing fumaroles and steaming vent. Stroller friendly walk. Surely feels like you are on another planet.

Wow! What a natural sight that I have ever seen. For only NZ$10 you get to walk about 45 minutes or more of this incredible sight of nature. Fantastic!!!

Very well maintained site with friendly staff and cute little souvenir store. The main loop takes about 45mins. You could do the look out loop which will take you another 15min - this part is quite steep though. Definitely worth the visit. Entry is just $10 per adult.

It's slightly off the beaten path but it's really worth the journey. Besides seeing the steam rise out of the ground against a stunning backdrop, the information available at this site is unparalleled; this was by far my most informative visit in New Zealand. Expect to spend around 45min to 1hr to explore the site as you follow the clearly demarcated visiting route. Don't be afraid if you're not a fan of walking though --- the path is really flat and gentle so you can just treat it as a leisurely stroll.

Cool place. Not too busy on a Tuesday morning which meant a nice leisurely 40 mins wander round. Best bit is that they’ve kept the entrance price at a decent $10pp and not priced people out of wanting to see it as so many others do! Bravo.

Went here today was amazing friendly staff! Took photo of map which I’ll share, was a lovely walk the steam coming out of the craters/ gaps of earth and the mud bubbling was exciting. Price is great also, a family pass for two adults and up to 4 children is $25 that’s a huge bargain! If you’re wanting to do a cheap and fun activity this is it! It’s pretty warm so no jacket needed learnt the hard way lol. Go toilet before entering as toilet is o my at the beginning. Still definitely amazing. Also there is a shop inside to buy lots a cute things! The paths are well maintained as well and it’s a lovely activity it’s a ten out of ten activity to do! Reminder stay on the path for safety reasons also heaps of signs reminding you.

Craters of the Moon is a fascinating geothermal experience, perfect for first-time visitors to Taupo! Walk among steaming vents and bubbling mud, a truly unique landscape. The very well maintained tracks make it an easy walk and great for families. *make sure the kids stick to the path! Allow for a good 1.5 hours (photos and ogling at the wonders) however you can knock this out in 45 mins easily. Facilities include toilets and a gift shop. It's advisable to check the official website for the most current opening hours and ticket prices. Free parking is available. Note that this can get busy during peak times i.e. sunny days or holidays. This is a must-see for experiencing New Zealand's geothermal wonders!

LOVED this unique experience! The entire walk is about one hour and the entrance fee is soooo worth it 🥰

Steam holes, and one bubbling mud steam pool... Yes and a very nice nature stop Visitor will encounter other similar locations, and we recommend a visit here

Get back in your car and go to Wai-O-Tapo Thermal Park near Rotorua instead. Seriously, this place was such a disappointment. There's a gravel path, sometimes a wooden path, and some steam vents. A "mud pool" that is as dry as a bone. There is absolutely no shade, and it takes about 45 minutes to walk around the short loop. I wish we'd turned back after 10 minutes cos it didn't get any better. Wai-O-Tapu has spectacular vents, mud pools, incredibly colored water. Just so much better than this. It's only $8 to get in this place, but in my opinion it's just not even worth that. Don't say I didn't warn you!

A worthwhile stop in the Taupo Tourist Park area. Are there flashier geothermal parks? Sure. Do they cost a lot more? Yep. We came on a blustery winter afternoon and had the place largely to ourselves. We saw other parties from a distance but encountered nobody on the path. 8NZD entry fee for grownups and our 2yo was free. The packed gravel path changes to boardwalk and back again, and with exception of a few loose places or puddles, this was definitely stroller/pram friendly. Lots of steam vents and fumaroles. It's a good long walk (1 hour according to signage) and the path takes you through steam fields, to a couple overlook platforms, a pool of mud with steam vents hissing, an area with boiling mud (vigorously boiling, I might add), and craters, with gentle ups and downs (though the uphill portions gave us a bit of a workout with pushing our son, but not too bad). Some signposts explaining what there is to see, but we ignored them since we are familiar with geothermal and volcanic features. It would be nice to see more, perhaps. Some fleeting sulfur smells but overall not bad. We've been to Wai-o-Tapu and that has a lot more to see with more varied landscapes, but again, this is only $8 and you don't have to drive up to Rotorua. It's an interesting introduction to the thermal features, especially if you plan to see others later. If you are in the area, it's worth a stop and you can let the kids burn off some energy. Gift shop had friendly staff and very reasonably priced souvenirs.

Just outside Taupo, this is a refreshing little walk across a wood / dirt path in a small valley of brush, steam holes, and one bubbling mud steam pool. Took us 45 minutes and was an easy walk with many different views of steaming holes and pits. The third lookout with lots of steam and bubbling mud was the most exciting. Path is easy to walk and very well maintained. Entry fee is $8 per person and worth it for a quick view - especially if you don't get to see Rotorua or other active bubbling mud and steam pits.

Hands down, best part of taupo. I would highly recommend putting this on your list of things to do on your road trip, especially in the winter. Upon arrival, you are greeted by a lovely employee and you pay a very very reasonable price for your entry. The walk is accessible to ALL and is a peaceful oasis. I felt like I was walking on the moon and in another world. I would recommend on a cold day for the full steamy affect. This is the closest you will get to being on the moon- take that chance.