About Taupō

The Taupō Why

An alpine lake lifestyle, without the alpine lake prices

Lake Taupō is Australasia's largest freshwater lake, filling a volcanic crater roughly three times the size of Lake Wakatipu. The town wrapped around its northern shore is small enough to know your neighbours and big enough to have everything you need, an hour or so from ski season and a short flight or drive from Auckland, Wellington and Hamilton.

1 hour 40 min from Hamilton International Airport
1 hour 40 min to the skifields on Mt Ruapehu
1 hour to the geothermal wonderland of Rotorua
1 hour 50 min to the vineyards of Hawke's Bay

184,000-Acre Lake

Boating, kayaking and swimming on the doorstep, right at the end of the street.

World-Class Fishing

Trophy trout fishing rated among the best on earth, minutes from home.

Geothermal Wonders

Hot pools and steaming valleys close by, unique to this part of the country.

Huka Falls

Turquoise rapids and walking trails just minutes from your new front door.

Championship Golf

Multiple courses ranked among New Zealand's finest, all a short drive away.

Skifields, ~1 Hour

Whakapapa and Tūroa both an easy drive, ski by morning, lake by afternoon.

Taupō, As We See It

A few reasons people never quite leave

A quiet bay on Lake Taupō — One of the lake's quieter corners

Wake surfing on Lake Taupō — Wake surfing, right off the town waterfront

Swimming in Lake Taupō — A swim before lunch

Wake surfing behind a boat on Lake Taupō — Carving a wake on a Taupō afternoon

Otupoto Falls on Lake Taupō — One of the lake's hidden waterfalls, boat access only

Timber Trail cycleway tunnel — The Timber Trail, one of NZ's Great Rides

Cycling above Lake Taupō — The Great Lake Trail, cut into the cliffs above the water

Skipping stones on the lake shore — An evening on the shore

Aratiatia Rapids as the dam gates open — Aratiatia Rapids, the moment the gates open

The gorge walk in to Huka Falls — The walk in to Huka Falls

Skiing on Mt Ruapehu, about an hour from town

Riders crossing a bridge on the Great Lake Trail — Crossing one of the trail's bridges

Bike shuttle boat on Lake Taupō — The bike shuttle back, by boat

Riders stopped on the lake shore — A stop on the shore, halfway round

A child riding the Great Lake Trail — A trail the whole family can ride

A town built around the lake

Taupō's town centre sits directly on the water, so the lake isn't a weekend drive away, it's the view from the supermarket carpark. Cafes and restaurants line the foreshore, the domain and skate park sit a short walk from most central suburbs, and the region's schools, medical centre and shopping are all within a few minutes of Kokomea and Wharewaka. Morning lake walks are just a short stroll away.

Beyond the town, the wider district offers geothermal walkways at Craters of the Moon, the turquoise rapids of Huka Falls, and some of the best trout fishing in the world on the Tongariro and Waikato rivers. Whakapapa and Tūroa skifields on Mount Ruapehu are roughly an hour's drive, close enough for a day trip in ski season.

Plan a visit

For events, walking trails and everything else on offer in the region, Love Taupō (the official regional tourism site) is the best place to start.

Visit Love Taupō →

The Subdivision

Kokomea, Wharewaka: Check out the Vibe of this subdivision

Kokomea subdivision, Wharewaka — Lake views inside the Kokomea subdivision

Morning lake walk near Kokomea — Morning lake walks, just a short stroll away

An alpine lake lifestyle, without the alpine lake prices

A few reasons people never quite leave

A town built around the lake

Plan a visit

Kokomea, Wharewaka: Check out the Vibe of this subdivision

Thinking about making the move?