Redwood Treewalk, Rotorua Overview

A range of diverse forests, the Whakarewarewa forest, also known as the Redwoods Forest in Rotorua, is one of the greatest natural treasures that offer a variety of recreational opportunities, panoramic views and exotic species. It is located only 5 minutes away from Downtown Rotorua and is an award-winning attraction. So if you’re waiting for an outing in one of nature’s best creations, this 55,000-hectare forest awaits you.

This forest is unique for its routes and walkways, including storyboards containing forestry information along with Redwoods i-Site centre that is the starting point for many walks, especially the Redwoods Treewalk. What’s more, the Redwoods Forest, a part of the Whakarewarewa trails, is considered one of the top eight in the world claimed by the Australian Mountain Bike Magazine. The range of biking and hiking trails is well-maintained with signposts and has cool names such as North Face, Gunna Gotta and Check it out. In addition, redwoods are the best way to get a good view of Rotorua, making it one of the leading natural attractions in New Zealand.

Entry Fees and Opening Hours

Opening Hours:

9:00 AM - 10:30 PM (last entry allowed at 10:00 PM)
Redwoods Nightlights are turned on at dusk.
Remains closed on Christmas Day.

For Redwood Treewalk:

Adults: NZD 29
Children(from 5-15 years): NZD 19
Under 5: free

For Redwoods Nightlights:

Adults: NZD 29
Children(from 5-15 years): NZD 19
Under 5: free

For Combo deal:

Adults: NZD 39
Children(from 5-15 years) : NZD 29
Under 5: Free

Tickets can be purchased offline for at least 30 minutes prior to the walking session or can be purchased and booked beforehand through online by bowsing into their official site.

Things to Keep in Mind

Redwoods Treewalk is physically disabled friendly and the walking track is wheelchair accessible.
Children below the age of 5 must be able to walk unaided.
There are baby trolleys available that can carry weight upto 10 kgs.
The Redwoods Treewalk remains open even during monsoons and rainy days, in fact they are more scenic during rains.
The walk is 553m long, with 28 bridge sections connecting 27 walking platforms or decks.

Best Time to Visit

Tourists mostly visit Redwood Forest during the summer, that is, July. the park sees around 75000 visitors during this time due to the pleasant dry weather as opposed to December when the cold weather causes around only one-fifth of the turnout. The summer season in Rotorua is from mid-May to October. Therefore, it is ideal to visit Redwood Forest in July in order to have the best experience. However, peak season also causes a lot of traffic. As opposed to that, the weather is mostly humid and wet from October through April.

Experiences

There are a number of things that people can do this forest but the Redwoods Treewalk is one of the must-do activities for visitors. This is a 700-metre long walk which includes 22 suspension bridges across 100-year old trees. Visitors can also indulge in regular hiking and walking in the forest considering there are an endless number of interesting trails to explore. What’s more, mountain biking is a huge sport in this area, Mountain Bike Rotorua and Planet Bike offering a range of bike hires.

History

This forest was established in 1910 as a project that focused on experimental planting to test the suitability of native and exotic forest species for commercial purposes. The forest was initially a part of the lives of the Maori tribe in New Zealand and was protected by them.

In the late 1900s, however, the restructuring of the Forest Service led to the “Forest Park” designation being removed, making it an unprotected territory prone to endangerment. Nevertheless, the Rotorua community was soon restored and its recreational access was retained. Today, the Redwoods Forest is known for being one of the top walking, biking and horse riding destinations.

Biodiversity

The Redwoods forest has a variety of flora and fauna. One can majorly find a number of ferns such as eucalyptus, canopies of redwoods, larch trees, Radiata, Palm Leaf fern or Kiokio, Wheki or Rough tree fern, ponga or silver tree fern, Mamaku or black tree fern, pittosporum, spleenwort, coprosmas and other native regrowths can also be found here.

In terms of wildlife, you may find a number of animals, birds and insects that help in maintaining the ecological balance of the forest. These include “devil’s darning needle” or “Uropetala carovei”, Ruru or Morepork, Tui, Kereru (native pigeons), Bellbird, Cuckoo, Harrier Hawk, deer, wild pigs, possums and many more.

Eating Options

There are a few eateries near Redwood Forest for visitors to enjoy after a day at the forest. Options range from breakfast foods such as eggs, bacon and sausages to desserts, beverages, coffees and bakery products. What’s more, you will also find cuisines such as Italian, Thai, Mexican, Meditteranean, Japanese, Latin, South American, Indian, European, Turkish, and many more.

Apart from that, you will also be able to choose from a range of bistros, fast food joints, cafes that also offer vegetarian as well as vegan options.

How To Reach Redwood Treewalk

Redwoods Forest is located in Rotorua. The closest airport to this attraction is Rotorua Regional Airport which is around 11 minutes away by car and around 28 minutes away by bus.
If you’re taking a car, you will see a sign that says “The Redwoods” on Long Mile Road which is the visitor’s centre.
For those who are walking or cycling, they can use the shortcut from the forest research tree trials and can get to the parking centre.
Visitors can also take the Cityride bus service from Pukuatua Street from the city centre and can get down at Tarawera Road and can locate the “The Redwoods” sign.