This is the last of our three nights in Taupō and it has surpassed all expectations! To be honest, we didn’t have many; we just thought it would be similar to Rotorua due to its proximity. It is similar in terms of being a real adventure hotspot with no shortage of trips and activities on offer for all ages, but we think it’s much nicer on the eye and generally much more pleasant, mainly thanks to the gigantic lake the city takes its name from…
Lake Taupō
The city is built around the north of Lake Taupo, a gigantic lake which has rather interesting origins. It is basically the crater from the biggest volcanic eruption in the world’s recorded history, which plunged the entire world into complete darkness for 4 days, turned the sky red for the next 5 months and caused severe winters for the next 15 years. So it was quite the event. You can comfortably fit the whole of Singapore into the lake and the circumference is comparable to the M25 motorway that surrounds London; although, as our river cruise skipper put it, the difference being that you can still drive around Lake Taupo! He was a funny guy.
It’s so big that it even has small beaches and waves – if you didn’t know otherwise, you could easily think you were just in another coastal town!
The lake’s waters, and that of the Waikato River that flows out of it, is extremely clear and very fresh, making it perfectly safe to drink (after boiling). Subsequently, the lake and river is aesthetically perfect, taking on a stunning shades of blues and greens throughout.
Huka Falls
One of Taupo’s main draws is Huka Falls, quite a unique offering compared to the countless other waterfalls throughout New Zealand. It’s very accessible, just a 5 minute drive out of the city and just a few kilometres down the Waikato River. It’s really quite impressive; a long stretch of thunderous rapids which then crash down into the next stage of the river. If an Olympic sized swimming pool were at the base of the falls, it’d be full in less than five seconds. It’s an absolute must see and there’s no reason for not seeing it really as it’s so easy to get to.
Huka Falls River Cruise
An even better way to see and capture the falls is to go on the Huka Falls River Cruise, which we went on today! It starts from the Aratiatia Dam (which is also worth a look when the floodgates are opened) and takes you on a leisurely cruise along the river whilst filling you with knowledge that you can then regurgitate in a blog post!
It was enjoyable and the skipper/guide was extremely good and obviously very knowledgable about the river, the lake and all things Taupo. The cruise gets you right up close and personal with the falls and is definitely the best option available if you’re wanting the best position to capture the falls from.
We chose this trip because it was a very reasonable $37 each for a 1.5 hour trip, but the other option available was the jet boat ride which we saw zoom past our cruise a couple of times. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish I was on it, but at $109 each for 30 minutes, we decided the cruise would give us more for our buck! We were happy with our decision, but the jet boat did look fun! If your pockets are deep enough, do both!
Ernest Kemp Lake Cruise
Today was our second trip on the water as yesterday we had a cruise on the lake itself. The Ernest Kemp is a quirky little replica steamboat with another very good skipper/guide, which works its way across the lake to some very impressive Maori rock carvings. The carvings really do look the part and you initially fall into the trap of assuming they are ancient or at least over a century old. The reality couldn’t be more different though as they were actually done in 1980! Don’t let that put you off though – they are seriously good and definitely worth the attention they receive.
We are generally very impressed with Taupo and are even tempted to say it’s one of our favourite places in New Zealand so far. The coastal beauty of some of our previous destinations is obviously very different, but I do often think that the people who live there must get bored with the lack of things to do. Taupo on the other hand has just the right amount of things going on, with plenty of retail on offer, countless bars and restaurants, no shortage of events and all whilst sitting very pretty next to a beautiful lake. Although we’ve been to nicer places, Taupo is the one place we could definitely see ourselves living in comfortably, aside from the big cities of course.
Accommodation – Taupo De Bretts Spa Resort
Our holiday park in Taupo is on the edge of the city and is actually rated 5 stars! Despite this, the prices for a campervan site weren’t too bad, so here we are. It is very nice and well kept with very good/friendly staff. The only downside has been the amount of flies in the kitchen! Aside from this, it’s probably the nicest site we’ve stayed at. It also has a separate attraction which is the hot spa pools, which was half price for those of us staying at the holiday park! As you might expect, this was very nice and relaxing, but quite busy. There was even a fairly big water slide which we may have taken advantage of!
One last thing!
Although I am writing this on our last night in Taupo, we have one more activity to complete tomorrow morning before moving on! This area has quite the reputation for skydiving, offering some of the cheapest prices in the country – so we’re going for it! It was originally booked for this morning, but it was raining so we’ve rescheduled for tomorrow morning – and yes, Hannah is doing it too (at the time of writing)! We will update with some photos when we get the chance.
Then it will be onto our next destination, Tongariro, where I will be tackling New Zealand’s most celebrated one-day trek; a circa 7 hour walk across the volcanic landscapes that are more widely known as Mordor! I’m in no way prepared for this, but here’s hoping I can power through. Check back soon.