Thames — The Gold Rush Conspiracy
Uncover the buried secrets of Thames' rival mining families—decode hidden ledgers, decipher coded messages, and expose the conspiracy that shaped the gold rush.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
Thames was once New Zealand's wildest frontier, where fortune seekers clashed and fortunes vanished overnight
Thames — The Gold Rush Conspiracy
You are a descendant of a family wronged by the gold rush, arriving in Thames, New Zealand, in autumn 1889, seeking answers.
Thames was New Zealand's wildest
A Challenge from the Southern Goldfields
« "They say Coromandel holds gold, but Otago held the true spirit of the rush, a wealth not easily matched." »— An anonymous Otago miner, 1868
The Duel of the Gold Fevers
The Otago gold rush, initiated in 1861 with Gabriel Read's discovery at Gabriel's Gully, had transformed the southern province of New Zealand. Tens of thousands flocked, creating ephemeral towns and generating colossal wealth. When the Coromandel rush erupted in 1867, it was perceived with a mix of curiosity and challenge by Otago veterans, some seeing it as a distraction, others as a new frontier to conquer with proven methods.
The competition between the two regions was not just about gold yield, but also about prestige and innovation. Otago had its 'dredges' and alluvial extraction techniques; Coromandel developed its own methods for extracting gold from quartz veins. The arrival of Otago miners in Thames symbolizes this emulation, each bringing their expertise and secrets to a new and unforgiving landscape where fortunes could be made and lost in a blink of an eye.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
The game downloads to your phone on start. Once the "✓ Downloaded" indicator appears, everything works without data — narration, AR, GPS and puzzles. Perfect abroad without a data plan.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
The Legendary Rivalry
Explore the fierce competition between the Otago and Coromandel gold rushes.
The Coded Message
Decipher clues left by an Otago miner to prove his supremacy.
The Southern Odyssey
Follow the journey of a traveler from the south, carrying a secret challenge.
Unveil the challenge of the gold giants.
Otago's past haunts the streets of Thames.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01What's the difference with a regular indoor escape room?
Outdoor escape game format: no physical locks, no actor, no fixed time slot. You start when you want, progress through Thames, Coromandel Peninsula with your phone, and the city itself is the set. More immersive on local history, more flexible in pace.
Q02Can we take a break mid-trail?
Of course. Stop at a café, have lunch, resume later: your progress is saved. Many players bake a meal break into the trail, especially with families.
Q03Do we need to be several people to enjoy it?
No, solo works very well. The outdoor escape game format in self-guided mode leaves room for introspection: read the story at your pace, hunt clues like a detective. 2-6 players is more social, solo is more contemplative.
Q04Best season to explore Thames, Coromandel Peninsula like this?
Spring and autumn are the best seasons: mild temperatures, fewer tourists, gorgeous light. Summer is also great but go for early morning before 11 or late afternoon. Winter is perfectly playable, especially in southern cities — Thames, Coromandel Peninsula often feels more authentic then.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Did you play l heritage des rivaux de l otago thames? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
Untangle the clues left by rivals and piece together a daring plan that could have changed the face of the Coromandel gold rush.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
Other escape games in Thames, Coromandel Peninsula
See all games in Thames, Coromandel Peninsula→More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city
Other escape games in Nouvelle-Zélande
View Nouvelle-Zélande→More destinations, tours & urban treasure hunts across the country
Explore other cities in Nouvelle-Zélande
Ngaruawahia
Where sacred Maori rivers converge
Auckland
The City of Sails, between volcanoes and ocean
Cambridge
New Zealand's equine capital and garden town
Rotorua
Land of geysers, Maori legends, and adventure
Taupo
Volcanic adventure on New Zealand's largest lake
Opotiki
Where wild rivers meet golden Pacific shores