Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve and Mud Spa

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Reviews

1. Andrina Thind ★★★★★

   We visited Hell’s Gate to celebrate our wedding anniversary and absolutely loved every moment of it. We joined the guided tour on 14/12/2025 at 10:30am, and it truly made the experience unforgettable. Our guide was incredibly informative, energetic, and entertaining, we were engaged the entire time. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch his name, but he mentioned that his grandfather works at Te Puia ☺️ We actually did the Te Puia guided tour the day before, which was amazing as well. Our guide shared so much knowledge about Māori culture, history, and the fascinating backstories behind each geothermal feature, bringing the landscape to life in a way we never could have experienced on our own. Every staff member we encountered was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely helpful. While you can explore the walk without a guide, I highly recommend doing the guided tour as it adds so much depth and understanding, and you truly won’t regret it. We were a little disappointed that we couldn’t stay for the final geothermal stop as we had to head back to Auckland, but that just gives us a reason to return! I’m already recommending Hell’s Gate to friends and family. A huge thank you to our amazing guide for making our anniversary so special, and to the entire Hell’s Gate team for delivering such an enriching, educational, and memorable experience. This is a place that leaves a lasting impression long after you’ve left!

   almost 3 months ago
2. Possibly Ghani ★★★★★

   Absolutely amazing!! I loved the guided walk and learned so much about Māori culture!! However, the only thing that made this trip worth it was our tour guide, Ngati (NA • tsi). He was so kind and knowledgeable. He even knew the Māori cultural meaning of every object. He also walked us through the Māori prayers for safety before and after the walk. If the New Zealand weather catches you by surprise, don’t worry, because Ngati will hand you anything he has to help.Strongly recommend requesting him for your Hell’s Gate guided walk.

   almost 3 months ago
3. Fred D ★★★★★

   So interesting to see and learn all about the geothermal pools and activity. Good closed in shoes are best for the walk and take the time to do the guided tour. So much information and knowledge (with a touch of humour)passed onto us. Loved the mud pools, loved the sulphur spas, warning…remove all jewellery that is not pure gold and don’t wear again for 24-48 hours. Includes smart watches. Thank you Hells Gate team, so thankful to each one of you that was part of our time there. Especially loved our wood carving momentum that will remind us of our time with you. Professional and courteous staff which meant we had the best visitor experience possible.

   almost 4 months ago

1. Arabella Gunawan ★★★★★

   Had an awesome time at Hell’s Gate! The geothermal walk was super interesting – bubbling mud, steam vents, and some seriously cool scenery. Big shout out to our guide who, even though it was only her second tour, absolutely nailed it. She explained everything in a really fun and easy-to-understand way, which made it even more enjoyable. The mud bath was such a relaxing experience. The only downside was that we didn’t have enough time to really soak it all in because of other plans – would’ve loved to stay longer! We also got to try wood carving, which was a fun and creative add-on. All the staff were so cheerful and helpful, which made the whole vibe feel really welcoming. Highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the area – it’s a great mix of nature, culture, and chill time!

   almost 5 months ago
2. Erin Garmezy ★★★★★

   Such a cool place! We did both the walk and the mud bath. Definitely recommend doing the walk first, don’t skip it because the views are like being on another planet! The waterfall is so beautiful as well. At the end of the walk an artist teaches you how to do traditional wood carving. The artist was so helpful! He gave us so much information about the area and recommendations on things to do. Plus the wood carving experience really helps you appreciate good wood carvings. After that we did the alkaline baths and the mud bath. From reading the reviews I had prepared myself for it to smell terrible but it really wasn’t that bad. I didn’t notice a sulphur smell when we were in the tubs. It does linger on your skin a little bit, but I showered again that day and I didn’t notice it on my skin again. I washed my bathing suit as soon as I got back and the smell didn’t stick to it. Had to wash the towels twice. You can rent a bathing suit and towel from them if you need to. The front desk was so helpful too, gave us recommendations for dinner in the area.

   almost 2 years ago
3. Ca Mrs P ★★★★★

   Absolutely highly recommended! A must do when you are in the area. The mud pools are just amazing! Don't forget to NOT wear your silver till a couple of days after you've been there! There are change rooms and nice showers.

   almost 2 years ago

1. Matt Russell ★★★★☆

   We probably felt this was a little over-hyped. The walkthrough was interesting, and the history and mechanics of the pool was genuinely fascinating; the forest-walk was a pleasant reprieve from the hot mud and steam; and our tour guide was decent and interesting enough with the history and answering of our questions… but ultimately the tour went on for a bit too long, and was a bit too “same same” from beginning to middle to end. A nice time out and worth visiting once.

   almost 2 years ago
2. April ★★★★★

   A beautiful, other-worldly place! Steam from vents can be seen from the road. Walk through the gates to onto the path and you'll think you've gone back in time. I don't want to give the entire, incredible experience away, but I highly recommend you visit the mud and mineral baths at the end of your visit. Just be sure to wear a swimsuit you don't mind smelling like sulphur. It's all part of the amazing experience!

   almost 2 years ago
3. satinder preet Singh ★★★★★

   I recommend going for the combined experience, which includes the bath and spas plus the walk (usually, the foot bath is included, but it was closed due to geothermal activity, it is not required if you have taken the mud bath and spa). Carry your own bathers, but because the smell takes ages to go away, be prepared to wash them plenty of times. Overall, the experience is one of a kind and not worth missing.

   almost 2 years ago

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