During our recent trip to New Zealand, James and I travelled to Taupo! I had never been to the town in Taupo, but James always talked very highly of the area. We spent a day there, and I can see why he feels that way. It was one of those places that as soon as we drove down the main street by the lake, I felt at home. I fell in love with lake, the mountains in the distance and the beachfront cafes. There’s so much to do in this area that one day was definitely not enough! Today, I want to highlight 6 things to do and see in the great Taupo region.

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1. Huka Falls

We drove to Taupo from Rotorua. If you’re heading in that direction, before you get to Taupo you will pass by Huka Falls. It’s an 11 meter high waterfall that is just knock your-socks off turquoise. Seriously, the color is so, so blue. There is a parking lot for easy access (drive past the cafes, follow the signs). We arrived before 10am in the morning and the place was filling up fast! This is one of the major attractions in area so get there early if you can.

The actual walk to see the falls was only a few minutes. There are also several other walking and mountain biking trails in the area if you want to see more of the river, rapids, and falls. Typically, we would we have done this but we only had a day and had a few things on our list.

2. Lake Taupo

At a staggering nearly 240 square miles, and a whopping depth of about 520 feet, there’s plenty to see of Lake Taupo. There’s swimming spots right along the town edge, but I’m sure there are even better spots outside of town. The water is so blue, so clear, and to be honest a little cold – even in mid summer. But that didn’t stop us from taking a swim to cool off. 

At the beach that runs parallel to the town, you can rent kayaks, sail boats, SUP boards, and even go parasailing. There’s also plenty of excursions like tours of the famous Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings.

3. Eat and Drink by the Lake

Several bars, cafes, and restaurants (including my favorite fast food – Burgerful) line the lakes edge. There are so many places to chose from, all with prime time view of the lake.  We stopped at Burgerfuel for lunch and cruised down the lake in the afternoon, and found the cutest cafe literally ON TOP of the water.

Like the photos from Huka Falls and Lake Taupo? All were taken with our Go Pro Hero 5 Black, which we love! We love that it’s so versatile. Our first product review is coming soon… until then, check it out on Amazon here!

4. Tongariro Alpine Crossing

This famous day-walk will take you up over the range between Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro for about 20 kilometers. Let me tell you this is not for the faint of heart! The trail will lead you through volcanic ground, fields of green, and even a little forest. The views are dramatic, and it’s quite difficult to explain, really.  So I’ll just attach pictures from our trek. We have been told (and have seen pictures) that at the top there are breathtaking views of the Red Crater.

Unfortunately, when we got the top we were completely clouded-in! We sat on the top and ate our lunch in the freezing rain, praying the cloud would lift (once we made the summit, I was so tired I couldn’t bear to think about doing it again) but to our dismay the cloud did not lift. We did see the Emerald Lakes and Blue Lake on our way down.

We parked our car and booked a shuttle through a company that dropped us off at the start of the hike. At the end of the day (when you’re blistered and sore) they’ll pick you up on the other side of the crossing and deliver you back to your car at the start of the crossing. This is hands-down the most challenging hike I have ever done, and I highly recommend it! Bring a backpack with layers, food and water because the weather can change dramatically.

We didn’t have great weather for this trip, it wasn’t too cold but it was raining on and off. Thankfully, we had our lightweight Eddie Bauer backpacks to store our gear, which are perfect for day-hikes like this. They are easy to store (they zip up into themselves!) and have great, functional pockets. Check them out here!

5. Mt Ruapehu

James home mountain, and near and dear to our hearts. Mt Ruapehu is an active volcano, roughly an hour from Taupo. James has snowboarded all over the world when he was training for the Olympics, and this is his favorite spot to ride. I’ve skied in several places as well and this is best skiing I’ve ever done!

The snow is great and the slopes are long! There’s no trees on the mountain, which definitely threw this Michigan-girl for a loop. I was thankful to be on the mountain with James, who knows the mountain so well, to steer me away from cliffs and rock faces.

New Zealand’s largest ski field boasting over 60 trails and a cafe a the top, this place is not to be missed if you are a skier! I’ve never been in the summer, but you can still ride the chair lift to the top or do some hiking.

Related: Top 3 Places to Ski in New Zealand

6. New Zealand’s Adventure Playground

Mountain biking, river rafting, jet-boating, sky diving, hiking, skiing, camping, fishing, swimming, helicopter-ing… this is New Zealand’s “Adventure Playground” for a reason.  I feel like I can’t even begin to scratch the surface of this jaw-dropping, unique area. I haven’t spent enough time here yet! I know we will return to adventure here more.

If you want more information on what to do and see in Taupo, check out GreatLakeTaupo.com. Camping in the area? Check out my friend’s post on her time camping in her van in this area on her blog, TwoKiwisGoRoaming.com.

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Happy Adventure Seeking, 

*This post contains affiliate links. That means, I may receive a commission for some of the links in this post- at no cost to you. See our Disclaimer page for details*

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