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Lying on a volcanic plateau above a vast underground lake of magma, Taupo is alive with astonishing geothermal activity.
From steaming vents and bubbling mud lagoons, to rainbow-coloured silica terraces and rejuvenating hot springs and mineral pools, the ever-changing landscape can be both entrancing and formidable.
From the warm water crater lake atop Mt Ruapehu, to the steaming cliffs at Hipaua, and the thermal areas along the Thermal Explorer Highway - geothermal activity is obvious.
Throughout Taupo you’ll also spot steaming geothermal power stations generating sustainable energy by capturing the power of scalding water from deep underground.
Orakei Korako is a hidden gem around 30 minutes drive north of Taupo town. Its candy-coloured landscape is the closest you’ll come to seeing the legendary lost Pink and White Terraces, which were destroyed in an eruption in 1886.
At Craters of the Moon you can expect burping fumaroles, steamfields that constantly shift, collapse and regenerate, bubbling craters, colourful soils and heat-loving plants. It’s an easy, wheelchair and buggy friendly boardwalk trail.
There are numerous hot pools around Taupo town and Turangi. Several have health spas and water playgrounds for children on site.
If you’re on a budget, there’s free access to the natural Otumuheke Stream at Spa Thermal Park, and locals can even point you to spots around the lakefront where warm water bubbles up naturally.
Turangi’s Volcanic Activity Centre is a hands-on interactive educational tourist visitor attraction that makes understanding the earths volcanic forces easy and fun through a wide range of informative visual, electronic and interactive displays.
Flightseeing at its best! Discover NZ’s most scenic & spectacular vistas. Enjoy a unique flightseeing experience over Tongariro National Park, the Bay of Plenty and, of course, Great Lake Taupo! Scenic flights by seaplane are a magical way of gaining
Taupo Tours and Charters offer tours and transport in the Taupo and Rotorua plus Hawkes Bay region. We will custom fit the tour or transport to your needs so that your stay in the area is maximised. We have comfortable buses with tinted windows.
Helisika Helicopters are based in the foothill of the Kaimanawa Ranges offering itself to many scenic walks only accessible by helicopter, from open exposed mountain tops to dense bush valleys, there is a different hike for all abilities.
Craters of the Moon is a geothermal walkway with Lunar Landscapes - Hence its name. Craters of the Moon showcase the natural thermal activity of Taupo including bubbling craters, steam vents and colourful soils. 45+ minutes walk.
AC Baths is an all-weather, family-friendly, thermally heated pool complex that offers entertainment for visitors and the community.
Kayaking through geothermal features along the Waikato River, bathing under a hot springs waterfall or wandering through Orakei Korako Geothermal Park is without a doubt one of the best ways to experience the geothermal wonders of NZ.
Our guides are personable, qualified and ready to guide you on the Whanganui River. Adrift provides instruction, transport, equipment and gear hire. We guide every day. Explore rugged terrain and lush native forrest.
Explore Lake Taupō on an eco-friendly scenic cruise with Sail Barbary. Enjoy stunning views as you set sail to explore the Māori Rock Carvings at Mine Bay. Book and enjoy a must-do experience on New Zealand's only commercial electric sail boat.
Maximise your travel day to or from Tongariro National Park. Adrift provides professional guides and instruction, transport, equipment and gear hire. We guide every day and guarantee trip departures with wind rain snow and even shine.
At Huka Falls nearly a quarter of a million litres of water per second erupts from a natural gorge and thunders 11m into the Waikato River below.
More infoBorn on the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu, the longest river in New Zealand drains Lake Taupo through Taupo town, blasts through a narrow rock chasm to create the Huka Falls, then winds more peacefully northwards towards Port Waikato, south of Auckland.
More infoAt the heart of New Zealand’s central volcanic plateau sits the largest freshwater lake in Australasia, Lake Taupo.
More infoThe 78,000ha Pureora Forest Park is an ancient rainforest of giant native New Zealand trees, totara, rimu, matai, miro and kahikatea, and rich with rare native bird life.
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