Lake Taupo – Guide for Backpackers

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Taupo

The largest town in the Lake Taupo region, Taupo, not only provides great shopping and restaurants but is a great base for adventure. No wonder so many Kiwis come here for their summer holidays!

Being situated on the northern shores of Lake Taupo, there are some fun water activities to get involved in Taupo. Sail or kayak to the Maori carvings that are on a vertical rock face. Do a spot of trout fishing on the lake. (Find out more in Fishing in New Zealand). Try your golf skills at the mini-golf course or hit a golf ball into the lake in the Lake Taupo Hole in One Challenge.

Check out what else you can do in our list of cheap or free things to Taupo.

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Huka Falls

These extreme rapids have become the most-visited New Zealand attraction!

At Huka Falls, the mighty Waikato River is suddenly squeezed down a narrow chasm passing 200,000 litres of water per second! What’s more, this marvel is free to visit.

You can either drive to the falls, 5km (3 miles) north of Taupo on the Huka Falls Road, or it is part of an hour’s walk from Taupo from Spa Park. (Find out more in 10 Wonderful Walks Around Lake Taupo).

Other options to get up close to Huka Falls is on a jet boat with the Hukafalls Jet or a river cruise. Find out more about the jet boat tour on Viator and Tripadvisor.

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Adrenaline Activities in Lake Taupo

Taupo is the home of the pink-plane and yellow-plane skydive. As the best value skydives in New Zealand with views from one side of the country to the other (and that’s in the thickest part of the North Island), skydiving in Taupo is a strong contender when thinking about where to do a skydive in New Zealand! Find out more in 12 Places to Tandem Skydive in New Zealand.

Want to start your fall a little closer to the ground? The Taupo Bungy and Cliffhanger hangs above the impressive Waikato River. The bungy is NZ’s highest water touch. Find out more in 7 Epic Places to Bungy Jump in New Zealand.

Keep on dry land by racing down the many mountain bike trails in the region such as Craters MTB Park and Waikato River Trail. More epic bike rides are listed on 10 Awesome Bike Trails Around Lake Taupo.

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Turangi

Yet another town in New Zealand claiming to be the capital of the world for something! For Turangi, it is the “Trout Fishing Capital of the World”. Undoubtedly, the Tongariro National Trout Centre is a must-do giving you the chance to get up-close to trout and native wildlife in their aquariums, trout pools and the New Zealand blue duck enclosure!

For recreational fishing in Turangi, remember you need a fishing licence before you take advantage of the fantastic fishing here. Find out more about it in our guide to in Fishing in New Zealand).

Turangi is situated at the southern end of Lake Taupo and along the Tongariro River. Apart for fishing, the town’s other claim to fame is that its the home of the “KA MATE” haka a Maori war dance dating back 200 years that is now performed by the All Blacks rugby team before each game.

For more things to do in Turangi, check out 10 Turangi Must-Dos and 10 Amazing Things to Do in Turangi.

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Geothermal Wonderland

In the shadow of the active volcanoes in the Ruapehu region, it comes to no surprise that there are several geothermal attractions in the Lake Taupo area too.

Orakei Korako, a.k.a the Hidden Valley, has the most active geysers in NZ. See the weird and wonderful colours of the silica terraces and the rare sight of a geothermal cave. Find out more about Orakei Korako on Viator and Tripadvisor.

The combination of the natural geothermal activity and manmade design can be found at Wairakei Terraces. You can really treat yourself to the health spa and Maori experience onsite.

Alternatively, treat yourself for free at the natural hot spring at Spa Park. The hot water meets the Waikato River to give you a perfect temperature for a relaxing soak. Remember to keep an eye on your belongings.