Around Lake Rotorua
Approx: 43.77km 27.2miles
Time: 2 hours 12 minutes
About this ride: This is on sealed roads, off road paths sealed and unsealed, and wooden board walk. Circumnavigating Lake Rotorua - because you can ! At the Hamurana end of the lake, wonderful views of the lake towards Rotorua city, a little narrow in places and one hill. You can choose the off road path from Ngongotaha or follow the instructions below. You need to be a competent road rider as some of the areas have busy traffic flows with a good road verge.
Area: Rotorua
Bike Type: Road or thicker tyres
Park and Start: We parked outside the Ramada Resort but you can start anywhere and pick up the instructions from there.
Continuing past the Ramada Resort on Hamurana Rd in an anti clock wise direction around the lake. One hill to start, then flat with a couple of very minor hills. Many of Rotorua’s attractions and activities are around this side of the lake.
Ramada Resort to Ngongotaha 15.2km 54 mins. Ngongotaha to Rotorua Lake front Reserve 7.6km
Continue along Hamurana Rd to Ngongotaha. The first 2km of this very scenic route is narrow so take care. There are many shops in the little village of Ngongotaha also Dynasty Café on your right 125 Ngongotaha Rd with plenty of space to park your bikes and excellent food.
Optional side trip : To visit the Agrodome ( show times 9.30am, 11.00am & 2.30pm) & Agroventures ride to the end of the Ngongotaha village and turn right down Western Rd, riding 1.7km, then retrace your peddles. *
And / or
Optional Side trip: For Paradise Valley Springs, continue through Ngongotaha right at the roundabout in-to SHW 5 then left into Paradise Valley Rd (Western Rd turn off to Paradise Valley Springs Rd turn off is 2km). Riding up Paradise Valley Rd for 8.8km until you come to the Park. Exit the park by turning right onto Paradise Valley Rd, left onto Clayton Rd, straight ahead into Lake Rd at a big intersection, left at the roundabout into Lakefront Rd, you will come to the lake front reserve ( 10.1km from Paradise Valley Springs to Lake front) Ibis or Novotel Hotel are very close to the Lake Front Reserve
And / or
Continue on from the village of Ngongotaha, on Ngongotaha Rd, once you reach the roundabout the con-crete foot path on your left is also a shared walk / cycle way. ( be mindful of cars exiting drive ways ) Further on you will come across Adventure Playground and Dirt Bike Tours, Canopy Tours ( on your left ), Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife park and Skyline Rotorua Gondola on your right. At the second set of traffic lights, just past the Skyline Rotorua Gondola intersection turn left into Ka-waha Point Rd for 500m. Right on to the riding trail ( also on your left ) this is just before Mat-thew Place on your right. Follow the riding trail until you come out beside Railway Rd, * turning left at the roundabout onto Lake Rd on a very nice concrete bike /walk path. Mind the road /drive way exits as you ride along here.
And / or
If you do not wish to see any of the activites and want a direct route to Rotorua, Turn left down Taui Rd in Ngongotaha, right into a car park area, at the back of this is a walk/ ride path, veer left over a bridge, veer left onto Parawai Rd, the trail will come out at Railway Rd. * Left into Lake Rd at the round about.
Left at the traffic lights into Lake Front Rd, as you get to the top of this road, look down on your left into the car park for lake views and the Te Papaiouru Marae and Saint Faith’s Anglican Church. It is worth riding into the car park for a better view.
Left at the roundabout into Lakefront Rd, you will come to the beautiful Lake Front Reserve .We veered off at the second roundabout down Memorial Drive to have lunch at the Lime Caffeteria on the corner of Memorial Drive and Whakaue St. There are many eating establishments in the area also down Tutanekai St ( 1st roundabout )
A choice of two routes to follow from here:
Carrying on Lakefront Rd which flows into Oruawhata Drive ( an off road path will come up on your left, continue on the off road path keeping left along the lake edge coming out at the Polynesian Spa where you can go back and explore the Government Gardens.
Or
flowing into Oruawhata Drive which will take you into Queens Drive ( go back to this point when you have finished exploring the Government Gardens - and magnificent building that is the Rotorua Museum, formally the Bath House, & Café. (www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz ) Riding down *Queens Drive, towards the back of the Rotorua Museum, with the Energy Events Centre on your right, you will come to an intersection with Hatupatu Dr, directly behind this road sign and the Government Gardens sign is the path you want to take onto a boardwalk, - turning right onto it ( mind your tyres as you ride onto this board walk as the wooden slates are wide ) Keep on this path past the Polynesian Spa following along the lake side edge of the car park.
When you come out at the T intersection with Eurera St & Amohau St ( Accommodation facility Sudima Lake Rotorua will be in front of you ) left into a bike / walk path. Following the bike signs along this interesting path through Sulphur flats ( always stay on the path - this is a geothermal area ! ) you will come out onto SHW 30 ( at the traffic lights. ) 5.1km Left carefully onto the foot path and over the bridge for 750m ( from this point there is 15.8km to reach your car ) Left again into Vaughan Rd at the blue Tip Top dairy, ( to avoid the traffic and a busy roundabout) for 2.8km Right into Owhata Rd for 160m
Left at the round about into SHW30 ( Te Ngae Rd) Continue carefully on this wide verged busy road passing Rotorua Airport and 3D Maze and Whitewater Raft and Sledge on your left, riding through the little settlement of Mourea and carefully over the bridge of the Ohau Channel connecting Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti. Left into Hamurana Rd to the Ramada Resort where you have parked your car.
Click here to download the route description
Approx: 43.77km 27.2miles
Time: 2 hours 12 minutes
About this ride: This is on sealed roads, off road paths sealed and unsealed, and wooden board walk. Circumnavigating Lake Rotorua - because you can ! At the Hamurana end of the lake, wonderful views of the lake towards Rotorua city, a little narrow in places and one hill. You can choose the off road path from Ngongotaha or follow the instructions below. You need to be a competent road rider as some of the areas have busy traffic flows with a good road verge.
Area: Rotorua
Bike Type: Road or thicker tyres
Park and Start: We parked outside the Ramada Resort but you can start anywhere and pick up the instructions from there.
Continuing past the Ramada Resort on Hamurana Rd in an anti clock wise direction around the lake. One hill to start, then flat with a couple of very minor hills. Many of Rotorua’s attractions and activities are around this side of the lake.
Ramada Resort to Ngongotaha 15.2km 54 mins. Ngongotaha to Rotorua Lake front Reserve 7.6km
Continue along Hamurana Rd to Ngongotaha. The first 2km of this very scenic route is narrow so take care. There are many shops in the little village of Ngongotaha also Dynasty Café on your right 125 Ngongotaha Rd with plenty of space to park your bikes and excellent food.
Optional side trip : To visit the Agrodome ( show times 9.30am, 11.00am & 2.30pm) & Agroventures ride to the end of the Ngongotaha village and turn right down Western Rd, riding 1.7km, then retrace your peddles. *
And / or
Optional Side trip: For Paradise Valley Springs, continue through Ngongotaha right at the roundabout in-to SHW 5 then left into Paradise Valley Rd (Western Rd turn off to Paradise Valley Springs Rd turn off is 2km). Riding up Paradise Valley Rd for 8.8km until you come to the Park. Exit the park by turning right onto Paradise Valley Rd, left onto Clayton Rd, straight ahead into Lake Rd at a big intersection, left at the roundabout into Lakefront Rd, you will come to the lake front reserve ( 10.1km from Paradise Valley Springs to Lake front) Ibis or Novotel Hotel are very close to the Lake Front Reserve
And / or
Continue on from the village of Ngongotaha, on Ngongotaha Rd, once you reach the roundabout the con-crete foot path on your left is also a shared walk / cycle way. ( be mindful of cars exiting drive ways ) Further on you will come across Adventure Playground and Dirt Bike Tours, Canopy Tours ( on your left ), Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife park and Skyline Rotorua Gondola on your right. At the second set of traffic lights, just past the Skyline Rotorua Gondola intersection turn left into Ka-waha Point Rd for 500m. Right on to the riding trail ( also on your left ) this is just before Mat-thew Place on your right. Follow the riding trail until you come out beside Railway Rd, * turning left at the roundabout onto Lake Rd on a very nice concrete bike /walk path. Mind the road /drive way exits as you ride along here.
And / or
If you do not wish to see any of the activites and want a direct route to Rotorua, Turn left down Taui Rd in Ngongotaha, right into a car park area, at the back of this is a walk/ ride path, veer left over a bridge, veer left onto Parawai Rd, the trail will come out at Railway Rd. * Left into Lake Rd at the round about.
Left at the traffic lights into Lake Front Rd, as you get to the top of this road, look down on your left into the car park for lake views and the Te Papaiouru Marae and Saint Faith’s Anglican Church. It is worth riding into the car park for a better view.
Left at the roundabout into Lakefront Rd, you will come to the beautiful Lake Front Reserve .We veered off at the second roundabout down Memorial Drive to have lunch at the Lime Caffeteria on the corner of Memorial Drive and Whakaue St. There are many eating establishments in the area also down Tutanekai St ( 1st roundabout )
A choice of two routes to follow from here:
Carrying on Lakefront Rd which flows into Oruawhata Drive ( an off road path will come up on your left, continue on the off road path keeping left along the lake edge coming out at the Polynesian Spa where you can go back and explore the Government Gardens.
Or
flowing into Oruawhata Drive which will take you into Queens Drive ( go back to this point when you have finished exploring the Government Gardens - and magnificent building that is the Rotorua Museum, formally the Bath House, & Café. (www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz ) Riding down *Queens Drive, towards the back of the Rotorua Museum, with the Energy Events Centre on your right, you will come to an intersection with Hatupatu Dr, directly behind this road sign and the Government Gardens sign is the path you want to take onto a boardwalk, - turning right onto it ( mind your tyres as you ride onto this board walk as the wooden slates are wide ) Keep on this path past the Polynesian Spa following along the lake side edge of the car park.
When you come out at the T intersection with Eurera St & Amohau St ( Accommodation facility Sudima Lake Rotorua will be in front of you ) left into a bike / walk path. Following the bike signs along this interesting path through Sulphur flats ( always stay on the path - this is a geothermal area ! ) you will come out onto SHW 30 ( at the traffic lights. ) 5.1km Left carefully onto the foot path and over the bridge for 750m ( from this point there is 15.8km to reach your car ) Left again into Vaughan Rd at the blue Tip Top dairy, ( to avoid the traffic and a busy roundabout) for 2.8km Right into Owhata Rd for 160m
Left at the round about into SHW30 ( Te Ngae Rd) Continue carefully on this wide verged busy road passing Rotorua Airport and 3D Maze and Whitewater Raft and Sledge on your left, riding through the little settlement of Mourea and carefully over the bridge of the Ohau Channel connecting Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti. Left into Hamurana Rd to the Ramada Resort where you have parked your car.
Click here to download the route description