Taupo Tourism Operators: Accommodation | Attractions | Tours | Transport
Taupo, New Zealand
A great lake and an even greater choice of adventures. The powerful beauty of the volcanic landscape provides a dramatic backdrop to everything you do.
The Lake Taupo region has some of New Zealand's finest untouched, unspoilt, uncrowded country, and just about all of it is easy to get to.
Location
South of Rotorua, this region is centred on Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake (619 square kilometres), and the township of Taupo in the scenic heart of the North lsland.
General Facts
As of June 2005, Taupo's estimated population was 33,900.
The focus of the Taupo region is Lake Taupo. At 619 square kilometres, Lake Taupo is New Zealand's largest lake, and the heart of the North Island.
This region incorporates the southern part of the thermal belt that extends from White Island in the Bay of Plenty through Rotorua to Tongariro National Park. Hot springs appear in several places around Lake Taupo, which is actually a volcanic crater.
Just north of Taupo, near the Wairakei International Golf Course, underground steam has been harnessed for electricity generation.
One of the few outlets from Lake Taupo is the mighty Waikato River, New Zealand's longest river, which gushes through a narrow chasm at the Huka Falls.
A few minutes south of the Lake is Tongariro National Park, New Zealand's first national park and a World Heritage area. It was created in 1887 when its three magnificent volcanoes, Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe, were gifted to the people of New Zealand by the Ngati Tuwharetoa people.
Main Attractions and Activities
Lake Taupo, the Tongariro River and other inflowing streams have for a long time had an international reputation for their rainbow trout fishery. Many people, however, just enjoy cruising, participating in the many water activities, or simply relaxing in one of the North Island's beauty spots.
Turangi at the southern end of Lake Taupo, is also another renowned trout fishing spot and the base for whitewater rafting on the Tongariro River which flows into the lake.
For the more energetic there are horse treks, bungy jumping, rafting, golfing and walking.
The Wairakei International Golf Course is one of the country's premier courses and one of seven in the area.
Explore Orakei Korako Geyserland, 25 minutes north of Taupo, a valley of geysers, hot springs, mud volcanoes and silica terraces.
The Huka Falls is New Zealand's most visited natural attraction with more than 220,000 litres of water tumbling over the cliff face per second.
Don't Miss
- Wairakei Park and Huka Falls
- Cruise on Lake Taupo
- View Huka Falls
- Trout fishing
- Golfing
- Rafting on the Tongariro River
- Orakei Korako Geyserland
- Wairakei Geothermal Visitor Centre
Main Centres
- Taupo - a resort on New Zealand's largest lake
- Turangi - for fishing the Tongariro River and rafting
