A great lake for adventure

Visitors come for the scenery and action-packed adventure, which are accompanied by a genuinely friendly local culture. The lakeside community is alive with great places to eat, drink and party.

Trout fishing should be on your menu of things to do, because this region is one of the last true wild trout fisheries in the world. Local guides will soon get you hooked, and there are plenty of restaurants happy to cook your catch.

Lake Taupo's geothermal attractions include geysers, steaming craters, boiling mud pools and some of the largest silica terraces in the world. Other special experiences include the walk to Huka Falls, a game of golf at Wairakei and kayaking to the Maori carvings at Mine Bay.

Australasia's largest lake
Lake Taupo was created by a gigantic volcanic eruption in 181AD. At 616 square kilometres, it is as big as Singapore Island. The lake's attractive pumice sand beaches give it the appearance of an inland ocean.

An intriguing geothermal landscape
Over thousands of years, volcanic action has created a landscape of simmering craters, boiling mud pools, fumaroles and steam vents. Maori mythology is richly interwoven with the geothermal features of the region.

Year-round trout fishing
Rainbow and brown trout were liberated in Lake Taupo more than 100 years ago. Open for fishing 12 months a year, the lake and its adjoining rivers represent one of the last true wild trout fisheries in the world.

Where adventure begins

The 800 square kilometre Tongariro National Park (a World Heritage Area) is the centre of attraction for this region. It was gifted to the country by the local Ngati Tuwharetoa people, who recognised that a treasure so precious needed to belong to all New Zealanders.

The park protects three of New Zealand's most dramatic natural assets - the active andesitic volcanoes Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe. On a clear day at any time of the year, the mountains are an awe-inspiring sight. Their cones and surrounding lava fields provide amazing opportunities for adventure and exploration.

The Whanganui National Park is a micro-world of diverse landscapes. It has fast and slow running rivers, crystal clear waterfalls, deep gorges, wide river flats and extensive wilderness areas that are rich in native flora and fauna.

The Whanganui River was once the main route into the North Island's interior. It has a fascinating history of wars, steamboats, water-driven flourmills and abandoned homes and farms. Forty generations of Maori have learned passion and patience from this mighty river.

Ruapehu's main settlements are the ski towns of National Park and Ohakune, the army town of Waiouru and the rural service centre of Taumarunui, nestled on the banks of the Whanganui and Ongarue rivers. Local knowledge and expert guides make it easy to discover the region's famous hiking trails, fishing spots, kayaking, canoeing, horse riding and mountain biking experiences.

Volcanic hiking
Gifted to the nation by the Ngati Tuwharetoa, Tongariro National Park enshrines three massive active volcanoes. Unforgettable hiking trails, including the famous Tongariro Crossing, run around and up the mountains.

Whanganui National Park
The Whanganui River winds its way through hills and valleys from the mountains of the central North Island to the Tasman Sea. To appreciate its beauty, kayak or journey down the river with local Maori guides.

Winter sports
Imagine skiing or snowboarding on an active volcano. On Mount Ruapehu, it's a reality. Turoa and Whakapapa ski areas will tempt you with world class facilities and a huge range of runs - from beginner to advanced.

Set on the shores of New Zealand's biggest lake, this scenic town is an adventure lovers paradise.

Taupo lies at the very centre of the North Island on the northern shores of New Zealand's biggest lake. The area is rich in thermal activity, the lake itself being the flooded crater of a huge volcano. To the south of the lake tower the North Island's tallest mountains, Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe.

Taupo is famous for its geothermal activity. There are public thermal pools in the town and many of the local hotels and motels have private pools. The town is a popular base for trout fishing on Lake Taupo. In the summer months the lake is excellent for swimming; there are also cruises that operate on the lake.

Taupo has a number of other attractions such as a museum, an art gallery and a botanic reserve. A short drive north of the town is the magnificent Huka Falls. Here the Waikato River thunders through a narrow gorge and plunges 11 metres to the river below. There are viewing platforms and walking tracks next to the river and the area is an excellent picnic spot.

The area that surrounds Taupo is a haven for adventure lovers. In the summer months there is climbing and walking on the extensive network of tracks and huts in Tongariro National Park, including the Tongariro Crossing, the best one day hike in New Zealand. In winter, Mt Ruapehu is the home of New Zealand's biggest ski fields: Whakapapa and Turoa.

The region abounds with examples of geothermal activity such as the bubbling mud pools and steaming vents of Wairakei Thermal Valley. A little further a field is the spectacular Orakei Korako, a geothermal valley of colourful silica terraces and spouting geysers.

Turangi located on State Highway 1 just south of Taupo is a small town nestled next to the mountains of Tongariro, Ngarahoe and Ruapehu and the world famous trout river, the Tongariro emerges from the Kaimanawa Mountains and runs right through the town.

Four hours drive from either Auckland or Wellington and only 40 minutes from Taupo, the Turangi √ Tongariro region is the natural centre of the North Island, world renowned as the Trout Fishing Capital of the World.

Built on the banks of the wonderful Tongariro River, Turangi and it≠s surrounding countryside offers challenging hunting, fishing, mountain biking, hiking or leisurely bush walks, white water rafting, kayaking, sight seeing and much more.

Turangi is the ideal base for excursions into the Tongariro National Park, Kaimanawa Forest Park, Pureroa Forest Park as well as being only a 40 minute drive to the Whakapapa ski area on Mt Ruapehu.

Several small picturesque settlements are close by. Kuratau, Omori, Pukawa and Whareroa are lakeside settlements a short drive off the Western Bays Highway, while other delightfully situated villages from Motuoapa to Hatepe are passed on State Highway 1 driving north from Turangi to Taupo. Well worth a visit is historic Tokaanu with it≠s thermal activity pools and power station.

Nearby are the central North Island Volcanoes and the famous Tongariro Mountain walk drawing thousands of visitors every year.

Turangi is the closest town to the Tongariro National Park and is an ideal base for skiing holidays, trout fishing or just relaxing in the regions thermal pools.