Lake Taupo Travel Guide

  The Great Lake & Shirley
by rabbit06
 
  • The Great Lake & Shirley
      The Great Lake & Shirley
    by rabbit06
  • Snow Capped Mt Ruapehu in the Backgound
      Snow Capped Mt Ruapehu in the Backgound
    by rabbit06
  • Great Day!
      Great Day!
    by rabbit06
  • Below a Boat & Chopper
      Below a Boat & Chopper
    by rabbit06
  • That's a lot of Water!
      That's a lot of Water!
    by rabbit06
 

Pro

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  Heaps of accommodation, restaurants, nice lake, nice parks 


Con

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  Very touristy 


In a nutshell

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  280 km southeast of Auckland by road 

 

Explore Lake Taupo

Things to Do  

Huka Honey Hive

Huka Honey Hive, Lake Taupo

 rabbit06 Says:  Everything you wanted to know about bees and honey, see them live and sample some of their delicious honey's from different regions of NZ, do take some back home! The enrance is free, so go on in and enjoy! 

Huka Prawn Park

Huka Prawn Park, Lake Taupo

 rabbit06 Says:  Bring the whole family for a great day out in the fresh air, fishing for prawns, feeding the trout, lounging in the sun, take the guided tour through the nursery, bring a picnic or enjoy lunch at their restaurant ( see my restaurant review ) Family of four NZ $60.00 

A short Drive to Huka Falls

A short Drive to Huka Falls, Lake Taupo

 cnango Says:  A short drive from Lake Taupo is Huka Falls.It is a beautiful drive through pristine nature with its lush green plants and the gushing Aqua blue water. There are well beaten paths to follow and a bridge so you can enjoy the view from both sides and directly over the rushing... 

Craters of the Moon

Craters of the Moon, Lake Taupo

 ATXtraveler Says:  Located just outside of Lake Taupo is another interesting thermal valley, that has been named for its resemblance to a different planet. Craters of the Moon is part of the Wairakei Tourist Park complex, and is just seconds away from Huka Falls. We took the track around the... 

New Zealand Fruit Wines - Free Entry & Tasting

New Zealand Fruit Wines - Free Entry & Tasting, Lake Taupo

 wkcsmt Says:  This is where you'll find NZ's largest collection of fruit wines and fruit liqueurs. You will be able to taste the unique NZ medal winning fruit wines including Kiwifruit, Boysenberry, Plum, Fejoa, Apricot, Passionfruit, Strawberry, Blueberry, Ederberry, and Honey Meads plus... 

Killer prawn golf

Killer prawn golf, Lake Taupo

 BurgerQueen Says:  Golf in New Zealand is definitely a very popular sport in all its varieties, but I have to admit that the killer prawn golf exceeded my expectations!Rent a golf club and throw at the floating rings to win interestig cash prizes.We had a go hoping to earn some money for an... 

Majestic Huka Falls

Majestic Huka Falls, Lake Taupo

 BurgerQueen Says:  Huka falls are the largest falls in Waikako river, and they are really impressive.The Huka Fall drop is only 20 metres, but the river flow is huge (20 metres wide) and the result is breathtaking! Just think that Huka Falls provide energy for most of NZ north island :)Water... 

Practise your swing

Practise your swing, Lake Taupo

 BurgerQueen Says:  While walking on lake Taupo waterfront in Taupo city, you cannot miss a "golf fun area" where you can hire a stick and practise your swing aiming at a floating green with 3 holes located IN the lake. You win a free ball each time one of you balls hits the floating platform... 

Pleasant Taupo city

Pleasant Taupo city, Lake Taupo

 BurgerQueen Says:  Taupo city is the biggest city on the shore of lake Taupo and, though there is not much to do, we appreciated it for its relaxed atmosphere. It looks like a nice place to stay to enjoy Taupo beach life and to visit the area.We stopped in Taupo for an afternoon only, we had... 

Lake Taupo: a volcano in disguise!

Lake Taupo: a volcano in disguise!, Lake Taupo

 BurgerQueen Says:  Lake Taupo is not only the largest lake in New Zealand, but also the biggest lake in Oceania!The lake is located in the centre of NZ North Island and lies in the caldera of one of the biggest volcanoes of the world, erupted several times when New Zealand was still non... 

Visit Nature's Spa of the South

Visit Nature's Spa of the South, Lake Taupo

 cnango Says:  Rotorua "Nature's Spa of the South Pacific" is about a 1 hour drive from Taupo. Rotorua has a lot of geothermal activity, including bubbling mud ,pools of natural mineral water and some of the largest geysers in the world. 

Whakapapa - a mean day on the mountain

Whakapapa - a mean day on the mountain, Lake Taupo

 iandsmith Says:  I wasn't sure which part of the mountain to ski, in the end I chose Whakapapa.What a place. In the words of a visiting American couple, "If this was in America they would close it down".It's not a mountain for the faint of heart. I've never skiied anything like it before in... 

Getting there

Getting there, Lake Taupo

 iandsmith Says:  Probably the highlight of my trip to Hidden Valley was getting there. First I had to turn back to fill up with petrol as we were uncertain if there were any garages en route. This turned out to be a wise move.After you take the turn off away from the main road on to the dead... 

Hotels  

Huka Lodge

 1 Review and 55 Opinions  This luxury lodge is very upscale, private and a favorite of World Leaders and Celebrities. In the... 

Restaurants  

Huka Prawn Park Restaurant: Prawns Galore!

Huka Prawn Park Restaurant: Prawns Galore!, Lake Taupo

 rabbit06 Says:  Some say too expensive and they are probably correct, but you must try while your here and the Prawn prices are cheaper than in Shanghai, so get stuck in! We chose two platters for lunch which was enjoyed by the four of us, no one went hungry...lol Prawns of course! 

An internationally famous hamburger chain: A standout in a street

An internationally famous hamburger chain: A standout in a street, Lake Taupo

 iandsmith Says:  I'm trying desperately not to name this place but, I have to hand it to them; putting an aeroplane at the front of your store is bound to attract attention!My opinion of their food is that it's average but they do have two things going for them. The toilets are usually clean... 

Shopping  

Jumpers: Shop for New Zealand Wool Knitwear

Jumpers: Shop for New Zealand Wool Knitwear, Lake Taupo

 cnango Says:  Jumpers is a shop at Lake Taupo that carries a unique collection of quality knitwear for men and women. A popular choice is the hand-spun, hand-dyed and hand-knitted pure wool jumpers (sweaters) or 'wooly jumpers' as the Kiwis say. Other favorites are the high quality Merino... 

What to Pack  

July Packing List

July Packing List, Lake Taupo

 ATXtraveler Says:   We visited Lake Taupo around the middle of winter, and yet it was still fairly temperate. I had a good sized windshielding jacket and a pair of jeans. I would also recommend a beanie or something to keep your ears warm. Readily available in this area. 

Sports & Outdoors  

Halfway there

Halfway there, Lake Taupo

 iandsmith Says:  There was quite a kerfuffel. People everywhere, some of them running. Actually, most of them were running; the occasion - the annual half marathon held in August each year.There were also others competing but, whatever their step, it bore little resemblence to what I've come... 

Favorites  

The Tongagriro experience

The Tongagriro experience, Lake Taupo

 iandsmith Says:  There's lots of drives to take when you're holidaying in Taupo and my trip to Whakapapa took me past the start of the famous Tongariro National Park walk. The sound of the melt-fed river thrashing itself on the rocks is unmistakeable and I couldn't ignore it when travelling... 

An emerging source

An emerging source, Lake Taupo

 iandsmith Says:  One of the things about Taupo that you never forget is the steam and pipes just to the north west of the town.I can understand how the pressure from beneath the ground can drive things but I just wonder about the sulphur and how they keep things from corroding. The steam is... 

The Place

Plan a Lake Taupo vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Lake Taupo locals

Experience Lake Taupo
  •   137 Tips and Reviews
  •  278 Photos
  Share your Travels  
Map of Lake Taupo
 

The People

7 Members Live Here
 
Advice from the Locals
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 Lake Taupo - A fisherman's paradise - There are many things to do in Taupo, that don't cost an arm and a leg. The beautiful Huka Falls, a popular tourist attraction, is situated along the Waikato River. Just down the loop road, the Honey... 

7 members live in Lake Taupo

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hi Im visiting NZ soon and am considering doing a Tamdem Skydive in Taupo. Can people give me an idea of their experiences... 

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A: hi did a tandem jump at the start of the year at home here in the uk and it was the most amazing thing i have ever done, so with the scenery and weather over there im... 

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Top Lake Taupo Writers

1

Lake Taupo, water, water and more water

iandsmith profile photo

 I had looked at the maps and had a vision. I had this vision of a snow clad mountain reflected in the water. It would be a photographer's dream. I also realised that said mountain was a long way away,... 

2

Lake Taupo

cnango profile photo

 The beautiful Lake Taupo, New Zealands largest lake is located lnland on the North Island. It is a great place for fishing,boating and other water sports. We had fun just walking, skipping stones&... 

3

Lake Taupo

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 Taupo (the town) rests at the northern end of Lake Taupo for which it is named. The lake is in fact a volcanic crater and the result of several volcanic eruptions many years ago. The area is a hot bed... 

4

Lake Taupo - Largest Lake in New Zealand

ATXtraveler profile photo

 Sarah and I were in the Taupo Region for a little less than a Day on our way from Rotorua to Tongariro National Park. The view was beautiful, and we wish we had more time in this area! 

5

Lake Taupo and its vicinties

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 Lake Taupo is the largest fresh water lake in Australasia with water so clean a few zillion trout call it home. The Lake is 616 square kilometres-that’s about the same size as Singapore! Water... 

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