Lake Taupo Offers Waterfalls, Mountain Treks
The new zealand lake taupo area which includes the town of taupo is a tourist destination that offers attractions and activities for both adventurous explorers and families. The area’s natural beauty comes from the lake itself, which was created as the result of a great volcanic explosion tens of thousands of years ago, as well as from the “spine” of mountains that extend through the center of the island, encompassing the Lake Taupo area.
One of the most spectacular places to visit is the Huka Falls, located in the Waikarei Tourist Park just a few miles north of Taupo. The falls get their name from the Maori word for “foam”, which aptly describes their appearance. The Waikato River, which is a bit over 300 feet wide from bank to bank suddenly narrows into a sixty-foot-wide gorge and drops sixty feet at the falls. The rushing water shoots out into a pool that takes on an incredible blue-green hue. The Huka Jet lets visitors get up close to view the falls. Walking trails offer either an easy stroll through a rain forest to overlooks of the falls or more strenuous climbs that follow the Aratiatia Rapids on the Waikato River.
Craters of the Moon is a geothermal area near Lake Taupo that suddenly came to life just a short half century ago. In the 1950s, mud began boiling as the earth heated up. It wasn’t a strange natural phenomenon, however. The actions started as construction of a nearby hydroelectric dam lowered underground water pressure. Today, visitors can access the large craters by wooden walkways.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is called “the best on-day trek in New Zealand”. The seven-to-eight-hour hike crosses the length of Mount Tongariro, located in the Tongariro National Park, which is about an hour southwest of Lake Taupo. The hike begins in a valley at about 900 meters altitude and climbs to 1900 meters at Red Crater, then descends to about 600 meters at the end of the trail. Day trekkers who undertake the crossing need to have vehicles available at both the starting and ending points of the hike. The trek gives hikers views of the areas used in part of the filming of the fantasy trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings”. For adventurous vacationers, the Lake Taupo area offers so many varied activities that a visitor can’t get bored.
