Redwoods are some of my favourite trees in the world and a walk amongst them is almost guaranteed to leave you feeling peaceful. There are a few different spots you can see them in Rotorua, but the majority are located in the Whakarewarewa Forest. There are a number of free walking trails as well as the tree top walkway which is a paid experience. The tree top walkway also operates at night which makes it unique.
We decided to do all three options to bring you this guide on which is the best way to explore Rotorua’s famous redwoods.
Rotorua Redwoods: paid vs free experience
The Tree Top Walk by day
The Rotorua Tree Top Walk spans 700m and the track is connected by a series of bridges. It takes you through a mature redwood grove and allows you to experience the trees from a higher perspective.
The redwood grove is just beautiful and the walkways are really well done. I can imagine kids would have a fantastic time running along all the swaying swing bridges and peeking down to the forest floor.
In my personal opinion a couple of things were a little disappointing though. You aren’t that high up and the walkway never strays too far from the car park, so you never really get that properly into the forest feeling. I guess that keeps it accessible to people as you don’t need to walk far into the forest and can access the walk way directly from the car park - so some would consider this a pro.
We were lucky enough to visit when it was incredibly quiet, but it can see a lot of visitors, and you are told not to backtrack over sections and that you have to choose the high or a low bridge route, but not both, which seems a little restrictive (although I can see why it’s done this way for practicality reasons).
The forest is sensational, but for me this wasn’t as good as other tree tops walks I’ve done when you are truly high up and fully immersed in the forest. I feel that for these reasons the price tag is a little high.
Having said that, I am sure kids would love it, especially the jangly swing bridges and little glass section over one of the platforms. I would say if you’re looking for peace and tranquility this probably isn’t it, but if you’re looking for a little more adventure then you’ll find it here.
The Tree Top Walk by night
At night it was a whole different story - this I really did enjoy! Even though you are doing the exact same walkway, there’s just something different about being in the forest at night. It feels special.
The lighting is also done really beautifully.
It’s all quite low lit and subtle, and I loved it. The lanterns are stunning and the fact it’s not too bright allows you to properly experience the captivating nature of the forest at night.
At the beginning and end there are also lots of tiny lights glittering through the trees, which gives the impression you’re surrounded by thousands of fireflies!
This was my favourite bit of the whole walk and felt quite magical.
My top tip would be to make sure you visit when it’s fully dark, not directly after sunset, when it will still be too light to properly appreciate both the lighting and also the darkness of the forest.
The night walk was much busier than the day walk, so I would recommend trying to come mid-week if you possibly can. Allow more time than you think you’ll need.
We spent 30 minutes at the Redwoods tree top walk in the day and left 40 minutes for the evening. The uniqueness of the experience meant that I was lingering longer at each point and wished I had more time. I could easily have spent an hour and still not wanted to leave!
Snagging a deal
The best way to get a cheap ticket for the Redwoods at night is currently through BookMe.
We managed to get 50% off through BookMe, scroll through the calendar to get the best price. You can check the latest prices on the button below:
Is the Rotorua tree top walk worth it?
If you are visiting with kids who love this kind of thing then 100% yes. If you are able to get the day walk free with the night walk then of course that’s a no brainer too. Otherwise for me personally I would pay for the night walk but visit the free redwoods walk for my day time experience.
The night walk is something totally different and offers the chance to experience the forest after dark which not many people ever get to do.
However, in saying that the day walk is nice enough, but just not worth the price tag (for me) and not as good as the free redwoods walk, which brings me onto part two!
The free Rotorua redwoods walk
There are several different tracks you can do in the area, but we’ll focus on the Redwood Memorial Grove Track which is around the main redwood grove and is easy and accessible even for pushchairs (although it’s not paved).
We’ve visited a few different redwood groves around New Zealand and Australia and this particular walk is the best of all of them. It is absolutely breathtaking and the easy 2km loop takes you deep into the forest where you will be completely surrounded by the giant trees.
The mix of redwoods and native tree ferns is really striking and there’s even a turquoise blue spring early on in the trail.
When it comes to feeling immersed in the redwoods, this walk is hard to beat. We did it on the last day of our trip and had we done it earlier I know I would have been back to do it again and again, it’s easily one of the most wonderful things to do in Rotorua.
It’s really peaceful and relaxing and the excellent pathway means that you never have to watch your feet and can fully take in the beauty of the forest.
If you don’t want to walk the whole trail, even going just a few hundred metres in will give you the full redwoods experience.
If you want to extend the trail a little I’d highly recommend adding on the Waitawa Walk, which is an additional 1.4km and whilst there are not many more redwoods, you’ll pass through a spectacular douglas fir forest.
Both walks are almost flat and when there are small inclines they are very gentle.
The paid vs free experience: which is better?
When it comes to the day walks I preferred the free walk and that has nothing to do with the fact it is free. There are more redwoods, you are more immersed in the forest and it’s more peaceful.
However, if you’re visiting as a family, then the tree top walkway in the day will likely go down a storm. Kids will love the adventure of the raised walkways and the fact everything sways.
When it comes to the night walk it’s more difficult to compare to the free walk through the forest, as they are obviously very different. I would recommend walking the free trail in the day and then doing the night experience.
However, if you get the day time tree top walk for free then add it in too and see what you think!
Getting to the Rotorua Redwoods
Both the tree top walkway and free walking trails are located in the Whakarewarewa Forest, 5km and a 10 minute drive from central Rotorua. The main car park is shared and there is plenty of additional parking nearby if it’s full. Parking is free and unlimited.
There are toilets at the car park and an I-site selling the walkway tickets (but I would recommend looking for a discount online).
Where to stay in Rotorua
Best Western Braeside Rotorua & Conference Centre
The Best Western is a great combination of a hotel with facilities like a pool and spa, yet rooms still have kitchenettes so you don’t have to eat out for every meal. It’s set in lovely grounds, close to the gondola.
Six On Union Motel
If you are looking for something cheap and cheerful, the Six on Union Motel has well reviewed rooms, with kitchenettes or bigger kitchens depending on whether you opt for a studio or apartment. It’s in a great location and there’s access to a guest laundry.
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