Velocity Valley is Rotorua's adventure park, with five unique rides in one place: Vertigo (a 43-metre freefall), Swoop (a 40-metre giant swing), Agrojet (a 100km/h jet sprint boat), Freefall Xtreme (New Zealand's only outdoor wind tunnel) and Shweeb Racer (the world's only pedal-powered monorail). It's been running since 1998, holds Qualmark Gold, and has rides for every thrill level, from kids aged 3 to adrenaline junkies.

Velocity Valley is at 1335 Paradise Valley Road, Ngongotahā, Rotorua, about a 10-minute drive from Rotorua city centre.

Velocity Valley is open 9am–4pm Monday to Friday and 9am–5pm Saturday and Sunday, and until 5pm every day during school holidays. The park is open 7 days a week, all year round, and only closed on Christmas Day.

Velocity Valley has five rides:

• Vertigo: a 43-metre freefall into a safety net, with no cords (age 10+)
• Swoop: a 40-metre giant swing for 1–3 people that reaches 130km/h
• Agrojet: a jet sprint boat that hits 100km/h with 360° spins (age 3+)
• Freefall Xtreme: New Zealand's only outdoor wind tunnel (age 5+)
• Shweeb Racer: the world's only pedal-powered monorail racetrack

All five rides are in one park, so you can try several in a single visit.

Velocity Valley is rated 4.7 out of 5 from more than 2,800 Google and TripAdvisor reviews. Visitors like having five very different rides in one place, the friendly crew, and the fact that you only pay for the rides you do: entry is free and passes are shared across your group. Most visits take 1–2 hours, so it's easy to fit around other Rotorua activities.

There are two easy options:

• Grey Cheetah Rotorua Shuttle Bus: stops right at Velocity Valley (the "Velocity / aMAZEme" stop) several times a day, and links to the Rotorua i-SITE, the main hotel hubs and other attractions. One pass gives unlimited rides. See the Grey Cheetah shuttle timetable (PDF) for times.
• The number 1 city bus: get off at the Agrodome, then it's a 5-minute walk to Velocity Valley. Just follow the signs.

Allow about 1–2 hours at Velocity Valley. Each ride is quick: Freefall Xtreme, for example, takes about 15 minutes including training, and you fly for 1 minute 30 seconds. So the time depends on how many rides your group does.

Booking online and choosing an arrival time is recommended, especially in summer and school holidays. You choose which rides to do on the day. Walk-ins are welcome too, but wait times may vary if you haven't prepaid.

Yes. Velocity Valley is open in all weather, and unless conditions are extreme, all rides operate in the rain. Ponchos are available for Agrojet on wet days.

No. Entry to Velocity Valley is free. You only pay for rides, so non-riders can come along and watch.

Yes. Velocity Valley has free on-site parking, coffee and snacks, toilets and bag storage, plus a free BBQ area. Please call us on 0800 949 888 to reserve it ahead of time.

We recommend covered shoes and comfortable clothing with long sleeves and legs. Please don't take loose items, phones or jewellery on the rides; you can leave them in our bag storage. (Securely mounted GoPros are OK on most rides; see below.) For Freefall Xtreme we provide a special flying suit, and please tie long hair up.

A GoPro is allowed on most rides at Velocity Valley if it's securely mounted. Please check with the operator of each ride first, and note that Velocity Valley takes no responsibility for lost or damaged cameras. GoPros aren't allowed on Vertigo. Prefer to keep your hands free? The crew film and photograph most rides, and you can buy the footage after your visit.

Velocity Valley is on the Ngongotahā side of Rotorua, close to several other attractions:

• aMAZEme: right next door, at the same address
• Agrodome: farm show and tractor tour, a 5-minute walk away
• Paradise Valley Springs: wildlife park, also on Paradise Valley Road
• Polynesian Spa: hot pools on the lakefront in town, perfect after a day of rides

Velocity Valley has combo deals with Polynesian Spa (Ride & Relax), aMAZEme (Ride & Seek) and Agrodome (Farm & Adventure), so you can save by booking them together.

Yes. Velocity Valley is fully accessible to people with physical disabilities, our activities cater for a wide range of abilities, and staff are available to help. If you'd like to talk through specific needs before your visit, call 0800 949 888.

There's no entry fee. Rides at Velocity Valley are bought with shareable Velocity Passes, from $65 for one ride (prices in NZD):

Each standard ride (Swoop, Agrojet, Freefall Xtreme, Shweeb Racer) uses 1 pass per person. Vertigo is our premium ride and uses 3 passes per person. You can mix and match, or do your favourite ride more than once, as long as you stay within the number of rides on your pass.

Yes. Velocity 2 Pass and above can be shared between up to 6 people, so a family can buy one pass and split the rides however they like. The Velocity 1 Pass is for one person only.

No. You choose your rides on the day, and you can change your mind once you've seen them.

Vertigo costs $175 per person, or 3 passes from any Velocity Pass. Riders must be at least 10 years old and weigh 45–110kg, and under-15s need parental consent.

Yes. Any Velocity Pass with 3 or more rides left can be used for Vertigo (it uses 3 rides per person), or you can buy a Vertigo pass for $175.

Ride passes are for personal, family and casual friend groups. For 10 or more people, including corporate, school, Christmas, hens and stag groups, please ask us for a group quote.

Yes. Gift vouchers are available for every Velocity Pass and are valid for 12 months from purchase. Discount codes can't be used on gift vouchers.

Velocity Valley bookings can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours before your booking. Date changes are also free.

Yes. The Velocity Valley crew film and photograph your rides, and you can buy your photos and videos at the kiosk after your visit. Photos and videos are available for every ride except Shweeb Racer.

Yes. Kids can ride Agrojet from age 3 and Freefall Xtreme from age 5. Shweeb Racer and Swoop suit kids who meet the height requirement, and Swoop lets a parent ride with them. Older kids and teens can step up to Vertigo from age 10. The Velocity 6 Pass ($299) is our most popular family option, and it's shareable between up to 6 people.

Yes. Kids can ride Agrojet, the jet sprint boat, from age 3 (sitting next to a professional driver, as long as they fit the safety harness), and Freefall Xtreme from age 5. Children who are at least 1.15m tall can ride Swoop with a parent. Entry is free, so younger siblings can come along and watch.

Shweeb Racer (you control the speed with your pedalling) or Agrojet (you're strapped in next to a professional driver). Freefall Xtreme is a good next step, because there's no height involved.

Vertigo. You hang 43 metres above the ground and drop into a safety net with no cords, the longest 4 seconds of your life. Swoop is a close second: you pull the ripcord yourself and go from 0 to 130km/h.

If you're pregnant, or have a heart condition, neck or back problems, epilepsy or a neurological disorder, you shouldn't take part in the rides. Please get medical advice first. For anything else, call us on 0800 949 888 and we'll check with our operations team.

Yes. Safety is Velocity Valley's top priority. The park holds Qualmark Gold, Tourism New Zealand's official quality mark, and is assessed on site every year. Velocity Valley complies with New Zealand amusement device legislation and Maritime New Zealand rules, the park carries NZ$10 million public liability insurance, and every activity has its own crew training programme.