The Hell's Gate Experience

Name: The Hell's Gate Experience
Brand: Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve & Mud Spa
SKU: 27395P7
Price: 63.85 USD
Rating: 4.5 (173 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceRotorua, New Zealand

2 to 3 hours
Offered in: English

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Overview

Learn more about Rotorua’s culture and natural history when you visit the Hell’s Gate geothermal park. Simplify your visit by pre-purchasing your entry ticket. Take advantage of the included guided tours, which includes a self-guided option if you’d prefer to go at your own pace. Try Maori carving in the carving house and soak in the geothermal waters, if you like.

Includes the carving activity, guided tours, and mud foot pools
Bring your bathing suit to use the mud baths and sulfur spas
A must-visit attraction in the central North Island
Plan to spend between one and three hours here

What's Included

Guided or Self-Guided Geothermal Walk
Bathe in Mud Bath & Sulphur Spas
Complimentary Māori carving

Food & Drink
Towels & Swimwear

Meeting and Pickup

Departure Point

Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve & Mud Spa, 351 State Highway 30, Tikitere 3074 New Zealand

What To Expect

Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve & Mud Spa

Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Most travelers can participate
We recommend that women do not use our bathing facilities whilst pregnant. However, it is an individual’s choice and we recommend that you seek advice from your health professional if you are wanting to bathe.
Not recommended for travellers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions
The minimum age for the Mud Bath is 2.5 years, and for the Sulphur Spa is 6 months.
Children are considered those aged 5 -15. Under 4s are free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

173 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 173 reviews

Beautiful!

Erin_S, Apr 2024

Leon was an excellent guide with an incredible wealth of knowledge and jokes. The pools were also a fun, pretty streamlined experience

Mudding Out

Francine_L, Apr 2024

The Mud bath, it was my first time and an experience I desired for s long time. The rising cloud like steam emanating from the geysers was also fascinating to witness.

Fabulous, amazing, relaxing and good for all the family!

Hannah_H, Apr 2024

This was a fascinating experience. Loved walking around the park felt out of this world! The spa experience was a great , fun and relaxed experience and the staff could not have been more lovely , funny and friendly! Word of warning though, wear old bathers as they will smell of egg for a while after 😂😂

Healing mud

Philomena_M, Apr 2024

Mud baths and pools, I had taken some skin off the top of my foot quite sore and nasty almost healed the next day after coating in mud

A must do

Martin_R, Mar 2024

The activity is great, seeing the active giesers. If you do the mud baths, take an old pair of bathers and prepare to have the mud smell on you for a couple of days afterwards.

First class experience at Hell’s Gate

Richard_G, Mar 2024

Everything was enjoyable, informative and good fun. The Guided Walk was especially good, as the guide knew his stuff and told some terrific tales.

Excellent experience

Catherine_E, Mar 2024

Very enjoyable experience although the sulphur smell takes a while to get used to. We hired swimwear which was a good recommendation. The pools were lovely and warm. The mud bath was alot of fun.

Great Spa Experience

Payton_R, Mar 2024

We went as a group of 3 and enjoyed the self-guided walk around the geothermal hot springs. We were provided an information brochure that gave great information for the springs. The mud spa was also a great experience! We were in the mud spa for 20 minutes then relaxed in the other hot springs after for the rest of the afternoon. Would recommend!

Excellent trip!

Loraine_H, Feb 2024

Ngatiroirangi was our guide for the tour of Hells Gate - he was just brilliant, very knowledgeable & had some great stories & was really fun to be around. The mud bath experience was really good fun too & relax I need in the hot spas!

Ok not worth cost

Margaret_S, Feb 2024

It was just ok. Hells gate is just looking at pools of mud on rocky surfaces. Not really worth it. The spa was well organized into small mud pools. You sit in pools of muddy water and scoop mud out of pails to spread on body. Not the immersive experience of sitting in a pool of thick mud I expected. The smell does stick for 24 hours on your skin. Healing properties do didn’t want to soap off until then however others around you will smell it.

Super fun

Lianna_R, Feb 2024

We had an excellent tour guide Nagti who was absolutely terrific. He is such a bubbly person full of great knowledge and input. The mud baths were super fun too

Great excursion

John_T, Feb 2024

Guide was great but hard to hear at times because it was a large group. Facilities are excellent. Really interesting to learn about the geology of the island

Must do in Rotorua

Yiwen_Z, Feb 2024

A must do in Rotorua! Had a great time at the Hells’s gate. Staff members are friendly, and the receptionist is extremely nice! Got my body and mind relaxed by having the spa. The geothermal walk was exciting and unforgettable! The hells gate is one of the most wonderful experiences I had at Rotorua.

Great family experience

Sally_T, Dec 2023

The guided tour through Hells Gate was great for hearing some amazing Māori spiritual stories. Mud baths and Sulfur pools were fun.

Gotta try this one for the hell of it! 😀

Kristi_S, Dec 2023

What an awesome experience to see the geothermal grounds, The path was well marked and well explained as we walked on our own and took our time enjoying the sights. The mud spa was once in a lifetime experience not to be missed! Only issue was freezing cold showers in ladies room.

Great

Tania_M, Nov 2023

Very educational visit and we learnt a lot. The mud bath was amazing and a great experience. The young guy looking after us was very friendly.

Relaxing & interesting

Kathryn_F, Nov 2023

The mud bath was extremely relaxing- I really could have stayed in all day. The walk around the Hot Springs was very interesting

Geothermal walk was good

Justin_D, Nov 2023

The walk around was the highlight. The pools and mud were ok but liked seeing the geothermal pools on the walk the most. Your skin does absorb the smell so make sure you don’t wear new costumes/shorts. We threw our old pair away after.

Well worth a visit!

Yasmin_N, Oct 2023

Thought we would have trouble finding a lot to do there and be done in about an hour but by the time we experienced everything and had a good look around we had been there for 4 hours and thoroughly enjoyed our day.

Hells Gate Experience.

Debi_B, Aug 2023

Finally got to go to Hells Gate, my husband and I did the Hells Gate Experience, $105 per person. We walked around the mudpools and water ourselves as we arrived too early for the guided tour, but that was good as we stopped to take lots of photos. In that package was a lesson in wood carving which was lots of fun, the guided even sanded and varnished our creation!! The mudpools were fabulous, there were plenty of staff and if possible they try to give you a pool to yourselves. We hired bathers and towels, at $5 each I thought that was reasonable. Staying at a hotel I didn't want to take the white hotel towels. Check what time they close as it's lovely to be there as the sun is setting. 20 mins is the time allowed in the mudpools and after showering, as long as you like in the mineral pools. So glad we did it!!