Orakei Korako (Hidden Valley)

To reach the thermal field it is necessary to take a boat across the Waikato River. Part of the area was flooded by the damming of the river in 1961, but this does not interfere with the walkway round the geysers, sinter terraces, mud pools and hot springs. The finest feature is the Great Golden Fleece, a range of sinter terraces 38m long and over 4m high.