Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Park

The Champagne Pool at Waiotapu.

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It seems we just can't get enough of the geothermal activity in the area.  This day we all decided to head over to the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Park.  Wai-O-Tapu is Maori for "Sacred Waters".

This geothermal area is associated with volcanic activity dating back about 160,000 years and is located right on the edge of the largest volcanic caldera within the active Taupo Volcanic Zone.  This is where the  Indian–Australian Plate rises and overlaps with the Pacific Plate, causing a fault line which enables the earth's heat to break through the surface and form geothermal features. The magma-heated streams draw minerals out of the soil creating the beautiful colors of the area. 

Wai-O-Tapu was just amazing, and we were fortunate to get a sunny day that really brought out the beautiful oranges, yellows, lime greens and ochre reds of the landscape.  We were nervous at first with Avani going around all of the boiling hot pools, but she is cautious by nature and was well-behaved and tired that day (she even started trying to nap by the side of a steaming pool), so we calmed down and were able to really enjoy the beauty of the area.  Highlights for us were the bright orange-tinged Champagne Pool, the almost fluorescent yellow-green Devil's Bath, and the largest silica terrace in the southern hemisphere, the Primrose Terrace.  It was great having Pam and her dad there too.  Pam is always so enthusiastic about natural beauty and it was wonderful to rave about something as goofy as the color of moss together!  This was Jim's last stop with us though, so after he did a quick tour, we said goodbye and he headed back to Auckland for his flight.