Taupo Travel Guide

Lake Taupo Museum on Tongariro Street by the Taupo lakefront is the community museum for the region's natural and human history. Permanent galleries cover Maori culture, the lake's supervolcano geology and early settlement, with the famous 'The Last Waka' land-art installation by a local artist; compact but refined, it sits next to the Volcanic Activity Centre.

Huka Falls sits on the Waikato River near Taupō; the broad river suddenly narrows through a gorge and plunges into a deep pool, flinging up crystal spray. Among New Zealand's most voluminous falls, its blue-green torrent and roar are the most stirring natural note of this geothermal land. A footbridge above and a jetboat jetty below let you watch and ride the water.

Craters of the Moon lies in the Karapiti geothermal area near Taupō, named for the grey mud mounds puffed up by steam venting from underground fissures. Boardwalks wind among hissing fumaroles like a walk on an alien surface — the most accessible oddity of this geothermal land. With panels and a timber lookout, the loop takes about twenty minutes — a perfect mini classroom for kids to learn geothermal.

Huka Lodge, on the banks of the Waikato River by Huka Falls north of Taupo, is one of New Zealand's most celebrated luxury lodges, founded in the 1920s and ranked among the world's finest. With only 20 suites, it is known for immaculate French gardens, private trout fishing and superb service; non-guests can book dinner or afternoon tea to sample the ambience.

Mount Tauhara is a dormant volcano beside Lake Taupo, about 1,088 m, east of the town. The summit gives 360° views over the lake, town and plains — the classic high point of the Taupo region; the 3 km trail takes about 1.5 hours through native scrub, with sunrise and sunset lake views at their finest.

The Volcanic Activity Centre in Taupo is the place to learn about New Zealand's volcanic geology and monitoring. Interactive exhibits cover the eruption history of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, with an earthquake simulator, eruption films and real monitoring equipment; it is the public education window of GNS Science.