The Festival has walks and activities programmed each day including the highly rated forest walks. The programme caters for a range of interests and abilities from beginners to experts.

Note that the 21km and 42km walks on Saturday and the 20km, 30km and 42km walks on Sunday are IML Association accredited walks. All walks are IVV accredited (except the short Friday Nocturnal walk, Saturday Family walk and Sunday Dog walk).

Walk No.	Day & Start time	Event
1	Friday 8pm	Rotorua Botanical Society Nocturnal Walk
2	Saturday 8am-5pm	Whakarewarewa Forest Marathon Walk (42km)
3	Saturday 9am-5pm	Whakarewarewa Forest Half- Marathon Walk (21km)
4	Saturday 10am-5pm	Barnardos Forest 10km Walk
5	Saturday 10:30am	2 - 3km Rotorua Plunket Family Walk
6	Sunday 7am-3pm	42km Marathon Walk
7	Saturday 8am-3pm	30km Challenge Walk
8	Sunday 9am-3pm	20km Town Walk
9	Sunday 10am-3pm	10km Barnardos Walk
10	Sunday 10:30am	Rotorua SPCA Dog Walk

Note: discounts available for walking two days and early bird entries.

IML and IVV Walks Programme Schedule - 21 to 22 March 2026.

FRIDAY

4.00pm - 8.00pm
Check-in or register and collect registration packs at the Registration Centre, Neil Hunt Park, Tarawera Road, Rotorua. Note: registration can occur on Saturday or Sunday mornings before the walk start (registration opens at 7am Saturday and 6am Sunday).

6.00pm at Neil Hunt Park
Celebrations for start of festival!
8pm Rotorua Botanical Society Nocturnal Walk.

SATURDAY Day ONE Walks

Registration opens at 7am.

START TIME : Saturday - 42km @ 8.00am, 21km @ 9.00am, 10km @ 10.00am, Rotorua Plunket @ 10.30am

42km marathon walk /21km and 10km walks. These walks will follow routes through the "Redwood" and "Whakarewarewa" Forests and include some of New Zealand's finest bush and forest scenery.

12 noon - 5pm
Live entertainment on stage at Walk HQ at Neil Hunt Park.

SUNDAY Day TWO Walks

Registration opens at 6:45am.

START TIME : Sunday - 42km @ 7.00am, 30km @ 8.00am, 20km @ 9.00am, 10km @ 10.00am, Dog Walk @ 10.30am.

42km, 30km, 20km, 10km walks . These walks will follow routes largely through the city, parks, thermal reserves, lakeshore, and points of historical interest throughout Rotorua city.

12 noon - 3pm
Live entertainment on stage at Walk HQ, Neil Hunt Park.

3pm - Closing Ceremony
A short closing function and farewell to participants. Presentation of significant IML and NZ awards, team trophies and spot prize presentations.

Note - Walks all start/finish at the Netherlands Society Clubrooms at Neil Hunt Park, Tarawera Road, Rotorua.

FINISH TIMES - Final checkpoint for the walks closes at:
Saturday - 5pm and Sunday - 4pm.