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.
Popular tours
something for everyone
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.
Testimonials
What our customers have to say
Amazing helicopter flight, beautiful scenic view over blue lake, green lake and lading in Mt Tarawera 💙 enjoyed every moment!
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
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
Even though we couldn't make the planned route due to the weather. It was a very nice flight!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
True professionals— we felt very comfortable with Captain Tracy at the helm, and everyone at Volcanic Air is friendly, responsive and welcoming. Our Tarawera landing & flight was stunning. My only complaint is that, while the helicopter is certified to carry 6 adults + pilot, it’s too cramped at full capacity and made it hard to fully enjoy the experience.
We had a awesome trip. Worth every penny spend. Steve was fantastic. Extremely knowledgeable and we got to know Rotorua a lot more. Things learned definitely not in Google. Mr. Google should learn from Steve 😀
The trek around Orakei Korako was extremely interesting. Our first time seeing geysers, hotspring and bubbling mud pools. We read about them in books and watched them on National Geographic but seeing them in real life is amazing and a real eye opener.
Thanks again for an amazing and unforgettable time. 😀
From,
Peter and Hong
28th November 2024 @ 11am
The trek around Orakei Korako was extremely interesting. Our first time seeing geysers, hotspring and bubbling mud pools. We read about them in books and watched them on National Geographic but seeing them in real life is amazing and a real eye opener.
Thanks again for an amazing and unforgettable time. 😀
From,
Peter and Hong
28th November 2024 @ 11am
Kate our pilot was amazing. Super friendly and accommodating to my two talkative boys. We picked the right day for it. But an amazing experience. Been wanting to do this since I was a kid. And it lived up to my expectations.
Been here a couple times over the years and it is a great service! It's also great they've let us land here when using Charter Companies from Auckland. Highly recommend!
An unforgettable experience, a super expert pilot and a helicopter with the latest technology.
Insuperable!
Insuperable!
This was an absolutely superb trip, everything I’d expected and more. The pilot was very professional, friendly and knowledgeable about the area pointing out points of interest as we flew over. I highly recommend this trip to any visitors to Rotorua.
What a wonderful experience! If you are on the fence about this I would highly recommend. We did the Mt. Tarawera helicopter tour with landing (out of Rotorua, NZ) and to be able to not only see the top of a volcano but walk around the summit was incredible and breathtaking. Our pilot Brian was very knowledgeable and an overall great guide. Thanks for an unforgettable experience!
Great experience with Volcanic Air. Strongly recommend if you are visiting Rotorua. We did the floatplane tour 5A and were very fortunate with the weather. Pilot was a gem too.
What a spectacular experience. My wife and I did the Mount Tarawera/Orakei Korako “Thermal Explorer” Dual Landing trip and it was the experience of a lifetime. The breathtaking views from the chopper is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. 10/10 recommend
Absolutely loved our experience. We went on trip 3B and our pilot was fantastic. The excursion on Mt Tarawera was breathtaking. Thank you so much also to the staff on the ground for answering all our questions. Would highly recommend!
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Spectacular - What a fantastic trip, absolutely loved it. Spectacular scenery and a great knowledgeable pilot. Would recommend for anyone to do this. 
Pioneer41665338669
July 11, 2025 Felt safe, had an awesome experience - It was such an awesome experience to see the nature from above. Floatplane was on my bucket list and I am happy I ended up with Volcanic Air. 
Chila C
March 30, 2025 Amazing helicopter ride to thermal walk and to the top of a volcano. Truly a once in a lifetime experience! - One of the best experiences of my life! Our pilot Ian was simply amazing and professional. It was truly a VIP and a spiritual experience. I simply don’t... read more 
Michael V
March 25, 2025
Quality Assured
Our certifications
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.
