Steam under the stars
The geysers that shine in the darkness
In darkness, we stand in a primordial landscape. The only sounds are the swish of geysers and the plop of mud pools, doing what they’ve done for hundreds of thousands of years. We are in Te Puia’s geothermal valley in Rotorua and among the first people in the world to take a guided tour by night. Many Kiwis are familiar with this iconic tourism venue and the night tour is designed to attract both new and return visitors.
A carved figure sparks our guide’s first story and it’s a spooky one about Hatupatu, who is captured, south of Rotorua by Kurungaituku, who is half-woman, half-bird. After a time, Hatupatu escapes her lair and flees, but Kurungaituku finds out and chases him.
At Te Puia geothermal valley, Kurungaituku dies in a boiling pool. The story makes me feel like I’m in a scene from a Ma¯ ori version of a Grimm’s fairy tale.
We are near a warm lake where warriors bathed after battle and the sulphur cleansed and healed their wounds. With healing waters and geothermal energy, this area was much sought after and fought over.
Constant hot water increased a village’s chances of survival many-fold, because it provided year-round warmth and the ability to cook food. At a cooking pool, our guide draws a kete from the water and treats us to dessert, a Ma¯ ori version of steamed pudding. Served with warm custard, under the stars, it is delicious.
We are in the southern end of the Rotorua volcanic caldera, formed by a massive eruption about 240,000 years ago. It is an active area, so GNS science monitors it and guides check the track before each night tour begins.
Te Puia is the winter home for rare, endangered whio (blue duck), who come down from the hills for the warmth of a geothermal getaway. It also hosts a Kiwi Conservation Centre, currently home to five birds – and within minutes, we get a first-hand look at why Kiwi conservation is so important. An opossum startles us when it jumps onto the track just behind us. Opossums, along with rats, stoats, weasels, cats and dogs, are among the biggest threats to kiwi.
The 90-minute guided tour is carefully timed so that we arrive at the famous Po¯ hutu geyser as she erupts, which she does every 45 minutes to an hour. A scout goes ahead to watch for the tell-tale signs. Just before Po¯ hutu plays, two other geysers, Kereru¯ and Te Tohu play first. A quick phone call ensures we don’t miss the star attraction. This is nature’s timetable and we must fit in.
At night, the sounds seem amplified without the noise pollution of the day. The experience is heightened, more personal, and the pools and geysers take on their own personality.
Night visitors enter an area closed off by day. These days, this field is geothermally quiet, but it once held almost 20 geysers. The largest, Waikite, erupted up to 100 metres once or twice a day. It was visible from the Information Centre in town and, when it erupted, someone would ring a bell so people could step outside and watch. Waikite last played in 1969, but scientists see positive signs she might play again, in 50 to 100 years’ time.
Our three-kilometre tour winds up at Te Puia’s beautiful carved meeting house and we pass by the outdoor carved pou, to return to the car park.
A night tour offers a personal encounter with this ancient, natural world, without the distractions of the day.