Based on the shores of Lake Rotorua, Volcanic Air offers the most comprehensive range of scenic flights and air tours in the region. Established in 1992, we carry over 10,000 satisfied customers per year to experience our local volcanoes, geothermal reserves and lakes district from both the air and the ground. Volcanic Air operate a mixed fleet of both helicopters and Rotorua’s only floatplanes. The versatility of these aircraft allows us to visit remote destinations that are hard to reach by other means. Our region is unique, and the diversity of its landscape is quite remarkable. We combine spectacular scenery with informative and interesting commentaries about an area that is considered as the cultural heart of New Zealand. Look no further than Volcanic Air for the best scenic flights Rotorua has to offer.
Our key scenic flights in Rotorua include Mount Tarawera, the site of the largest eruption in New Zealand’s living memory. Standing on Mount Tarawera offers a privileged view of spectacular craters and domes formed by the eruption. Further south, we also land at the hidden valley of Orakei Korako, to experience stunning scenery and fascinating geothermal activity. Other key highlights of our Rotorua scenic flights include aerial views of vibrant geothermal reserves like Waimangu and Wai-O-Tapu, as well as the area’s lakes district.
Exciting! Great pilot, professional and friendly. Knowledgeable about area. Felt safe and most spectacular views!
The sights of Rotorua were spectacular from the helicopter. Our pilot Suk was knowledgeable and shared information about the area and the geographical features. Our flight included views of... read more the crater lakes, the Tarawera Falls and the geothermal reserves. We landed onto Mount Tarawera and began the walk along the path to the top, the views were breathtaking. My husband suffered a moment of anxiety, however Suk calmly encouraged him to proceed and he was so glad he did. Thank you Suk for making our experience a memorable one!
Was more than I expected. Quite a thrill at age 75 to stand and look down at the volcano site. Loved flying over it with my son and... read more three grandchildren aged 11 to 14. We all enjoyed the experience., Staff were helpful and courteous. Pilot was engaging. Thank you.
A really amazing experience to land on the mountain and walk to the summit. The views from the mountain and during the helicopter ride were great despite less than ideal... read more weather. The pilot had excellent knowledge of the mountain and the surrounding area.
This was one of the most enjoyable tours we have done on a helicopter. We landed on Mt Tarawera on the most beautiful day and you could literally see for... read more miles. Our pilot was professional, caring, informative and fun. We then went over the beautiful countryside and saw waterfalls, thermal activity until landing at Orakei Korako. Such a beautiful area to enjoy. We never felt rushed on this tour and felt it was such good value for money. We shared seats so we all had an opportunity to enjoy the helicopter views. This is the only way to go and such a professional company.
An amazing experience seeing the Rotorua lakes region from the air, out-weighed only by the rare opportunity to set foot on the remarkable Mt Tarawera. Josh is an excellent... read more helicopter pilot and a wonderful tour guide. Many thanks also to Steve and his crew for going above and beyond to completely turn our day around - much appreciated. We will be back to experience a float plane ride next time!
EXCELLENT Based on 169 reviews Astrid Orij1 April 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing helicopter flight, beautiful scenic view over blue lake, green lake and lading in Mt Tarawera 💙 enjoyed every moment! Alison Kirkland31 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. An absolutely unforgettable experience flying with Volcanic Air and landing on the majestic, dormant Mount Tarawera! Standing atop this sleeping giant, taking in the breathtaking landscapes and explosive history, was nothing short of awe-inspiring. A huge thank you to Volcanic Air and our fantastic pilot and guide, Tracey, for her hospitality and storytelling. If you're in New Zealand, this bucket-list adventure is a must! Highly recommended! #VolcanicAir #MountTarawera #DormantVolcano #HelicopterAdventure #NewZealandViews #BucketList Tom Linnenbank20 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ondanks dat we niet de geplande route konden maken vanwege het weer. Was het een erg leuke vlucht! S Waller18 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. One of the highlights in Rotorua and of our holiday! Thanks to Ben! We had a fantastic floatplane flight with very helpful commentary about the volcano and lakes. Ben is clearly really enthusiastic about his work and this came across from the moment we met him. Very highly recommended to anyone who is considering a flight over the area. David McClay18 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brilliant scenic flight Great scenic flight with pilot Ben. Very smooth takeoff and landing. Window seats for all passengers. Scenery was absolutely magnificent. Ben assisted me into and out of the plane as I have Parkinson’s disease. Very thoughtful and patient. Would highly recommend this experience. John Coates16 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This experience was nothing short of a sensational adventure. From the ‘airport’ on a pontoon on the lake in central Rotorua where we saw first a helicopter then our plane and another come in to land on the lake, moor and get refueled (fuel filler cap top of wing, kerosene from a pump on the pontoon). All happening just feet away. To the plane - an agile six seater Cessna 206 floatplane, which required some contortions to get seated in. But mainly, thanks to our pilot, Ben, 24 years old I think and what a splendid, cheerful, informative, confident and competent chap he is. And he needs to be - we banked and turned over extinct volcanoes and bright coloured volcanic lakes to, 40 minutes later, land on a river where we visited a spectacular geothermal feature and had lunch on the decking of a very nice cafe overlooking the river before flying back. Every minute memorable. It’s expensive but so well worth it. Ursula Windmiller8 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had breathtaking flight to the volcano today. Tracey is a great, experienced pilot! She flew very safely and showed us the beauty of this landscape and of course this impressive volcano and explained a lot. We are very excited about the experience! The organization worked out excellently, the communication was friendly and professional. Thank you very much! We can only recommend the provider and the whole trip! Jonny Crombie7 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing float plane experience with incredible views of the lakes, volcanoes and forests. Thank you! kim loxham3 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic 2 hour flight enabled us to see White Island... a volcanic island out at sea off the coast of New Zealand. Amazing to be able to see a volcano that is still active (plume of white cloud visible) following its last eruption in 2019. This is a great flight company based on the edge of Lake Rotorua. The flights enable you to see the local terrain as well as White Island. Highly recommended.
Our aircraft are maintained to the highest standard and are flown by experienced pilots. All of our pilots also have an intimate knowledge of the local area. Volcanic Air is approved by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority and independently accessed via a stringent Quality Assurance Program. We are also Qualmark Gold accredited.