Treetops Activities - Helicopter Options

White Island / Mount Tarawera Helicopter Safari

Featuring the active volcano of White Island, Mt Tarawera and the coastal Bay of Plenty. Step foot on New Zealand’s most active marine volcano, a once in a life-time experience.

Fly with us to Whakaari (White Island) and land for a guided walk around this volcanically active island, once home to factory workers who mined for sulphur. Ruined remains of this hard life still exist today. During your flight be on the lookout for - dolphins and school fish which are a common sight in the Pacific Ocean. On return, your flight will fly over the stunning Lake of Tarawera and showcase the massive volcanic crater rift borne out of the 1886 eruption, continue over geothermal valleys boasting vibrant colourful pools and hot mineral water with healing qualities which are unsurpassed anywhere in New Zealand, maybe even the world! Judge for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

Wilderness Helicopter Fly Fishing

Guests will be collected accompanied by the guide from the lodge & escorted to one of our many secluded rivers or streams.

Trout fishing
New Zealand is one of the world’s premiere trout-fishing locations so it comes as a surprise (even to some New Zealanders) to learn that the trout was introduced to this country.

New Zealand did have a native freshwater sports fish – the Grayling, regarded as good angling and excellent eating – but it became extinct soon after the introduction of the Brown Trout.

Brown and Rainbow Trout were introduced from Europe and North America respectively in the late 1800s. Having left most of their diseases and all their predators behind, they have thrived in this country wherever conditions are suitable, while trout hatcheries ensure that even more marginal habitats remain stocked to capacity.

Brown Trout are the major trout of the rivers and streams of this country, while Rainbow Trout dominate all the lakes of the region with the exception of Rotorua and Rotoiti, both of which contain mixed populations.

The Treetops estate itself boasts a number of tranquil pools and gurgling streams containing trout. Alternatively our experienced guides can take you further afield, by 4-wheel-drive or helicopter, for a day or for several days, to lakes and streams set deep in the wilderness that are known only to them. See our dedicated trout-fishing brochure for further details.

And if you’ve ever wondered…
….how a top quality fishing rod is made? Then wonder no more.  Rotorua is home to one of the world’s top fishing rod brands, and a visit to their factory can be arranged to see how a modern fishing rod is made, assembled and tested.

Transportation Between Lodges & Airports

Do you want to see the beautiful landscapes of New Zealand by air?
Treetops have an exclusive flight package which transports you between lodges and airports.
Choose your destination and we will take you there.

1. Auckland to Treetops
2. Taupo to Treetops
3. Queenstown to Treetops
4. Wellington to Treetops
5. Rotorua International Airport to Treetops
6. Rotorua International Airport, Mt. Tarawera to Treetops

Lake Taupo
Approximately 30 km across,  Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake, and one of its deepest. Like most of the geographic features of this part of New Zealand, it is the result of volcanic activity, being composed of a number of vast overlapping craters (or, more accurately, ‘calderas’). Its crystal-clear waters provide excellent trout fishing, and the lake is also popular for swimming, and boating.

Hawke’s Bay and Napier
One of the premier wine-growing regions of New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay boasts almost forty of the country’s best wineries. Many of these are open to the public for wine tasting and meals.

Napier itself is a magnet for Art Deco enthusiasts from throughout the world. The original town was almost completely destroyed in 1931 by a massive earthquake and subsequent fire. Rebuilt in only a few years at the height of the Art Deco craze, the town today is a living showcase of the style, and hosts an annual Art Deco weekend every summer.

White Island
White Island is the most active volcano in New Zealand.  White Island (actually just the crater rim of a 700 meter high volcano) is in an almost constant state of mild eruption, and many believe (wrongly) that its name refers to the steam cloud that usually towers above it. In fact it seems Cook saw it during a quiescent phase, and the “white” moniker refers, perhaps, to the gannet colonies nesting on the island. With more violent eruptions every few years, the island is continuously monitored by volcanologists.

The waters around are renowned fishing and scuba diving localities. White Island is 35 minutes by helicopter from Treetops, or about 2 ½ hours by boat from Whakatane.

Tarawera
Lake Tarawera is one of the most beautiful lakes in the area, a Mecca for fishermen and boaties alike, its crystal-clear waters overshadowed by the imposing bulk of Mt. Tarawera. Fishing Lake Tarawera is a must for any serious fisherman, and the lake also offers boat cruises, water skiing, and kayaking. A special feature is Hot Water Beach (reachable only by boat or helicopter) in the shadow of the mountain, where a series of geothermal springs behind the beach and even beneath the sand ensure you can bathe in warm water, even in the depths of winter. For the energetic, the Vanishing River Walk is fascinating. Follow the crystal clear waters of the Tarawera River (be sure to take swimming costumes and towels if the weather is hot: the swimming holes of the river can be very tempting!) But slowly, over the 1 ½ hour walk, the river vanishes, only to emerge from a cavern in a cliff at the spectacular Tarawera Falls.
Mount Tarawera was the source of the most violent eruption in New Zealand in historical times when it erupted in 1886. Today it is dormant once more and guided 4-wheel vehicle drives to the summit are can be arranged.

Cape Kidnappers
The cape was named by Captain Cook when his Tahitian cabin boy was kidnapped by local Maori who thought him (wrongly as it turned out) to be in need of liberating. The cabin boy in turn liberated himself, and swam back to Cook’s ship! Cape Kidnappers is the site not only of the largest gannet colony in New Zealand, but also of one of the best golf courses in the world. The Cape Kidnappers Golf Course runs along the cliff tops, affording panoramic views over the Pacific Ocean and the bay. The golf and the gannets can be accessed by helicopter or car from Treetops, and a visit can be combined with one to the Hawke’s Bay vineyards.

Golfing
Golf is one of New Zealand’s most popular sports, and one in which we excel.  Indeed many of the country’s top golfers hale from Rotorua itself. It is not surprising, therefore that this country boasts some of the world’s best golf courses as well as hundreds of others that can provide a pleasant day’s activity. From Treetops both levels of course are easily accessible.

Whakarewarewa Golf Course, home of the Rotorua Golf Club, is the closest course to Treetops being only 15 minutes drive away on the outskirts of Rotorua town. The 18-hole course has a length of 5562 meters for men and 5170 for women. Situated within a long drive of the famous Pohutu Geyser, it is located on the same geothermal field, and several steaming lakes are among its more unusual hazards!

Wairakei International Golf Course was rated in the top 100 in the world outside of the USA by the US Golf Digest in 2005. This beautiful 18 hole, par 72 course is situated next to State Highway 1 about one hour’s drive south of Treetops, or 15 minutes by helicopter.  The course is 6444 meters long and lies on 450 acres of rolling countryside. Opened in 1970, it was designed by leading English golf course designers Commander John Harris and Michael Wolveridge, and Australian champion golfer, Peter Thomson.

Green fees vary from $100.00 for a New Zealand registered golfer, through $150.00 for other registered golfers, to $200.00 for a non-registered golfer.

Cape Kidnappers Golf Course is situated at the southern tip of Hawke’s Bay. From Treetops it can be accessed either by helicopter – a journey of about one hour – or by chauffeur-driven car – a drive of about 3 ½ hours. This stunning course is one of only two in New Zealand listed in the Golf Digest Top 50 in the World. The views from the course are breathtaking, for the links are situated above dramatic cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The course is par 71 and 6400 metres long. It was designed by American award-winning designer, Tom Doak, who has said of the Cape Kidnappers course, “enjoy your game and enjoy the setting… you may never play golf somewhere like this again.”

Green fees range from $180.00 for New Zealand residents during the winter to $400.00 for overseas visitors at all times of year.

Mount Ngauruhoe
Tongariro National Park is located in the central North Island of New Zealand.   Established in 1887, Tongariro was the first national park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. It is also a dual World Heritage area, a status which recognises the park's important Maori cultural and spiritual associations as well as its outstanding volcanic features. 

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing track passes over varied and spectacular volcanic terrain. In the presence of active volcanoes you can experience some of Tongariro National Park’s special gifts. A cold mountain spring, lava flows, an active crater, steam vents, emerald-coloured lakes and magnificent views combine to make this an enjoyable and memorable trip.  The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is described as one of the best one-day hikes in New Zealand. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing trek takes you from alpine meadows to mountain summit with stunning volcanic features along the way. On the Tongariro Alpine Crossing you will walk across a lunar landscape of craters, scattered pumice, active volcanoes, mountain springs, lava flows, emerald lakes, piles of scoria and statue-like mounds of volcanic desert. It will take about 8-9 hours to allow time for photos and any sidetracks.

Our Pilots can offer two options providing you with the opportunity to view from above this spectacular collection of mountains with an optional landing to tackle the Tongariro Crossing hike.

1) Treetops – Mt Ruapehu – Tongariro
2) Treetops – Mt Ruapehu – Tongariro – Tongariro crossing

Action Activities Around And About Rotorua (Domestic/ Local)

The secluded, half-moon valley of Treetops nestles on the very edge of the Mamaku Plateau, in the heart of one of the most picturesque and remarkable areas in New Zealand. Over a dozen lakes lay amongst rugged hills, cloaked in primeval forest, while less than an hour’s drive away is Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. At a somewhat greater distance is remote Lake Waikaremoana, best reached by helicopter for the drive is long and tortuous. Scattered throughout the region are not only some of the most spectacular geothermal features to be seen anywhere in the world, but also an impressive array of volcanoes – extinct and active!

As if all this were not enough, the area is also a centre for Maori, the original inhabitants of the land, who’s intricately carved marae (meeting house complexes) are frequently seen. Then there is the fishing, the hunting, the golf, the vineyards, the skiing, the walking… In fact the region probably offers more for the day-tripper than anywhere else in New Zealand; indeed quite possibly than anywhere else in the world!

Rotorua
Officially the name of a lake (Roto = lake, rua = basin, a reference to the approximately circular valley in which the lake lies. This lake, like most of the others in the area was named about 700 years ago by the first Maori chief to penetrate to the centre of the North Island), Rotorua is also the name of the major city in the area, and of the entire “lake district” region.

Lake Rotorua boasts the highest catch rate for rainbow trout in the world. Lakes Rotoiti, Okataina and Tarawera are not far behind. Several of the larger lakes are popular for boating, while some of the smaller ones, such as Blue Lake, are used chiefly for swimming and water sports. The Rotorua region is New Zealand’s Maori cultural centre, with many opportunities to experience the unique culture and buy authentic souvenirs. It is also the hub of the Volcanic Plateau, and as such is surrounded by a number of extraordinary geothermal features, including geysers, mud pools, crystal clear geothermal springs, and geothermal baths ranging from public pools to secret hot streams meandering through the forest.

Last but not least, the immediate vicinity of Rotorua Township boasts a quite extraordinary number of golf courses!

If you are up for some adrenalin action, then look no further.  Choose up to four of our fabulous local activities in the Rotorua region and make a day of it. Let the lodge pack one of their sumptuous lunch hampers and given your preference of destinations our experienced pilots will guide you on an unforgettable day.

Following are a selection of some of our most popular local activities:

• Rafting
• Waterskiing
• Jet Boat
• Off road racing
• Agrodome, sheep shows
• Kiwi Encounter
• Gondola

Please let us know up to four activities you would like to incorporate and we can customize an itinerary to suit!

Exclusive Scenic Flights

The selection of venues in the Rotorua area worth visiting is simply endless. The Treetops estate itself is your own private paradise, with its sparking streams, spectacular waterfall, and magnificent views. Further afield there are the numerous geothermal areas, where well-formed paths enable you to walk safely among steaming mud pools, boiling springs, bubbling geysers and silica terraces of extraordinary colour and variety. In complete contrast are the many beautiful, forest-girt lakes of the region.  Huka Falls, located about an hour’s drive away, squeezes the entire Waikato River – the largest river in New Zealand – through a narrow gorge before plunging over a 9-metre waterfall.

If wildlife is your passion, perhaps you’d like to go on a dolphin safari in the Bay of Plenty. Or visit the kiwi breeding facility at Kiwi Encounter; marvel at the ancient tuatara, the cheeky kaka and kea parrots at Rainbow Springs; or watch the rare New Zealand falcon in flight at the Wings Haven falconry centre.

Choose a variety of our fabulous local destinations and make a day of it. You will be provided with a spectacular lunch hamper and given your preference of destinations. Our experienced pilots will guide you on an unforgettable day through the wonderland of New Zealand.

Following are a few of our scenic highlights:

Please let us know which of these attractions you would like to incorporate and we can customize an itinerary to suit!