Te Ara Ahi ... 'Go Thermal by Bike'

New Zealand Cycle Trail

Rotorua, North Island

Te Ara Ahi will be a two day Great Ride that will extend 74 kms from Rotorua to the thermal area of Orakei Korako on the Waikato River. This Grade 2 trail will take in the best of Rotorua's thermal activitity and be suitable for all levels of cyclists.

The Great Ride will take riders through four of the world's most unique geothermal areas. Cyclists will first pass Whakarewarewa - a Maori village and an area of hot thermal springs and bubbling mud pools. After passing the Whakarewarew Forest with its towering Californian Coastal Redwoods, cyclists will pass Green Lake and Waimangu and continue on to Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland where they will spend the first night.

The second day on the Great Ride will take cyclists into the Waikite Valley, home of the Waikite Hot Pools and the Te Manaroa Spring, the largest single source of 100% pure boiling water in New Zealand.

From here Te Ara Ahi will continue on past the Paeroa Range with its 1,000 metre high summits covered in forest included in the Te Kopia scenic reserve.

Te Ara Ahi will then follow the Te Kopia Road before finishing at Lake Ohakuri; from here, riders can take a shuttle back to Rotorua or take a short boat trip to complete the journey.

This Great Ride will be one of four excellent multi-day rides in the Rotorua region.