Taupō

Nearby

Hamilton Coromandel Tauranga Rotorua Napier Tongariro National Park Taranaki

Taupō: Understand

Population ~ 33,000

Taupō is set on New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupō! It’s a prime spot for fishing, geothermal activity and to visit the mighty Huka Falls.

Taupō: See & Do

With the town set right on the lake, there’s a bunch of activities right there! Take a cruise on the lake, go swimming, or hire kayaks and get to the Māori Rock Carvings at Mine Bay. The carvings are 10-meters tall and only accessible by water.

If you’re a fishing fan (or love trout!), the rivers coming off Lake Taupō are a great spot for fishing Rainbow Trout.

Wairakei Park is a 10-minute drive north of Taupō, and it’s most well known for it’s active geothermal area and the Huka Falls!

The mighty Huka Falls are less than a 10-minute drive north from Taupō (or you can walk from town on the “Huka Falls to Spa Thermal Resort Park track”). The Waikato River is normally 100-meters wide, but at the Huka Falls it is forced through a 15-meter wide gorge with a 20-meter drop! There are 220,000 litres rushing through the gorge every second… as you can imagine, the noise is phenomenal! And the word “Huka” is the Māori word for foam!

“Huka” (translation: foam) in the Huka Falls

There are some awesome biking trails near the Huka Falls too! From Huka Falls, you can ride up to the Aratiatia Dam then loop back on the other side of the river – it’s 14km return, or from the loop track coming back jump off into Craters Mountain Bike Park to extend your ride!

Wairakei Park offers Jet Boat rides (or more leisurely cruises) to the Huka Falls, they have a mountain bike park, a wake park, and a high ropes course! Our top pick would be the Craters of the Moon geothermal walk. It’s at the end of Karapiti Road, 1.7km from Wairakei Drive, and the walk takes about 45-minutes. It’s pretty cool to see bubbling mud pools.

Geothermal activity at Craters of the Moon Walk

Taupō: Eat

Spoon & Paddle and Cafe Baku would be our top cafe picks for breakfast and lunch. Both open 7 days a week and located in Taupō township, serving good coffee!

Malabar Restaurant and Master of India are two great Indian restaurants in Taupō with mid-range prices.

The Bistro is also a great restaurant option in Taupō. Lots of local produce, and great food options to choose from. It does pay to book in here…

If you’re here on a Saturday, you can catch the weekly Taupō Market! It’s held on the Riverside Park Reserve, and rumour has it the brioche donuts should not be missed!

Acacia Bay on Lake Taupō, 7 minute drive from Taupō

Taupō: Sleep

For holiday parks in Taupō, Lake Taupō Holiday Resort ($) is a great option for families. They have a range of motels, cabins and sites for campervans/caravans. There’s also a heated swimming pool on site, plus tennis courts!

Moutere Bay Top 10 Holiday Park ($) is a great option 30 minutes along the Lake Taupō coast from Taupō itself. It’s a great spot for pitching a tent, parking a campervan or caravan and boat launch spot!

There are four spots you can freedom camp with a non-self contained campervan. Check out this link for more info.

YHA Finlay Jacks Backpackers ($) is a good value option – the atmosphere is good, the space is nice and it comes highly recommended from other travellers.

Haka Lodge ($$) is an up-market backpackers, walking distance to town and with a spa pool.

Pouakani Apartment Taupō ($$) is between Taupō and Huka Falls with a great view of the river. Lovely rooms, very homely feeling, and great breakfast included!

1-Day Trips Near Taupō

Mt Ruapehu & Tongariro National Park are a 1.5-hour drive from Taupō.

The Tongariro Crossing is one of our most highly rated day-walks in New Zealand. The views just keep getting better and better as you hike. It’s 19.4km, 765 meters elevation, and the recommended track time is between 6-8 hours. To learn more about the crossing, and read our top tips, head to our Tongariro National Park & Mt Ruapehu Destination page.