A panorama taken from the southern end of Champagne Pool at Wai O Tapu. The park had been quite quiet until shortly after 10:15, which is when Lady Knox Geyser is artificially primed to set off for tourists. Thereafter, these visitors flock to the park and the walkways suddenly become much busier.

Wai-O-Tapu Champagne Pool - Rotorua visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Wai-O-Tapu Champagne Pool' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Bay of Plenty.

Champagne Pool fills a 700 year old explosion crater. Greenish, mineral rich water the colour of champagne in a bottle wells to the surface and then flows out along a route to Lake Ngakoro in Wai-O-Tapu Thremal Wonderland. It is the most famous feature of Wai-O-Tapu, distinct by the antimony rich orange deposits that line the rim. Dissolved carbon dioxide bubbles up through the water adding to the effect. The surface water is 74°C and also full of other minerals like gold, silver, thallium and mercury.

Water from the Champagne Pool flows out over Artist's Palette and then down Primrose Sinister Cascade where it trickles over Bridal Veil Falls From here the water passes over a small geyser pool and past the Alum Cliffs entering Frying Pan Flats. More water wells up here through Oyster Pool fumerole and then it flows out south down a short gully cascading over a small waterfall into Lake Ngakoro at the southernmost end of Wai-O-Tapu Thremal Wonderland. A walkway thorough the park passes all of these formations.

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland
PO BOX 1992,
Rotorua,
New Zealand

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland is on Waiotapu Loop Road. This comes off Highway 5 at Waiotapu about 27km south of Rotarura and 55km north of Taupo.