Activities in Taupo & The Central Plateau
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Tongariro River Rafting
The Tongariro River has some superb Grade III rapids for river rafting, as well as Grade I stretches suitable for beginners in the lower reaches during summer. Tongariro River Rafting can start you off with a three-hour trip on Grade II Tongariro rapids or take you on a full day’s raft fishing (summer only, price on enquiry). The company also hires out mountain bikes (two hours/half-day/full day/42 Traverse, $25/35/45/65) and runs guided and unguided biking trips on the 42 Traverse, Tongariro River Track, Moerangi Station, Tree Trunk Gorge and Fishers Track (two hours to full day, $70 to $160).
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Brett Cameron
Offers boat charters (per hour $100, minimum three hours) and quad-bike adventure fishing in National Park (one/two people $750/850). Licences extra.
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Barbary
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Taupo Bungy
The picturesque Taupo Bungy site is the most popular on the North Island. It sits on a cliff edge over the mighty Waikato River, with plenty of vantage points if you’re too chicken to jump. Nonchickens will be led onto a platform jutting 20m out over a cliff (the world’s first cantilever jump, for engineering boffins) and convinced, with masterly skill, to throw themselves off the edge. A heart-stopping 47m hurtle and a few bounces back and it’s safely into the boat. You can also opt for a slight dunk in the river, or strap yourself to a friend and leap off together. Alternatively, try the giant swing.
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Taupo Motorsport Park
Thrill seekers with petrol-head tendencies should head to the Taupo Motorsport Park. This state-of-the-art 3.5km racetrack and drag circuit has staged the A1 Grand Prix. There’s often something to watch here, from sidecar races to ‘drifters’ and, on occasion, the police testing their skills. You can get out on the track in a V8 or Formula Challenge Race Car with Formula Challenge, or superfast rides with a pro in the driver’s seat and driving tuition can be organised through Track Drive.
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Turoa Ski Area
Ruapehu’s Turoa Ski Area offers skiing to suit all levels: around 400 hectares of field each, both taking you up to a maximum altitude of around 2300m. Beginners are well catered for, with gear hire, ski school, good learner areas and some nice easy runs. During the ski season you can tune into SKI FM 93.4, Aerial FM 96.6 or Peak FM 95.8 for updates on the slopes, or ring the Snowphone.
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Whakapapa Ski Area
Ruapehu’s Whakapapa Ski Area offers skiing to suit all levels: around 400 hectares of field, taking you up to a maximum altitude of around 2300m. Beginners are well catered for, with gear hire, ski school, good learner areas and some nice easy runs. During the ski season you can tune into SKI FM 93.4, Aerial FM 96.6 or Peak FM 95.8 for updates on the slopes, or ring the Snowphone.
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Rafting NZ
Rafting NZ runs the Whitewater Tongariro trip (Grade III) with an optional waterfall jump (four hours, adult/child $119/109), or the Family Fun raft over more relaxed rapids (Grade II, three hours, adult/child $75/65). Groups of four or more can tackle an overnighter (Grade III+, per person $350), rafting to a riverside campsite and then hitting more rapids the following day.
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Scenic Cycle Rides
Scenic Cycle Rides runs tours on the Ohakune Mountain Rd, 17km downhill stopping at waterfalls and pools (two hours, adult/child $50/40), and the Ruatiti downhill, 19km downhill (three hours total, adult/child $60/50), with all necessary gear supplied. It also hires out bikes (road/mountain bike $10/15 per hour). Note: cycling on national-park walking trails is illegal.
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NZ River Jet
NZ River Jet will zip you in thrilling fashion from Mihi, 20km upstream on the Waikato River. They also offer the Squeeze – a jetboat ride through Tutukau Gorge to a spot where you can disembark in warm water and edge your way through a crevice to a concealed natural hot spring surrounded by native bush ($130).
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Taupo Hot Springs Spa
Taupo Hot Springs Spa has a variety of mineral-rich indoor and outdoor thermal pools, freshwater pools and a giant dragon waterslide for the young ones. Adults can enjoy a wide choice of treatments, such as massage and body scrubs. There’s a health-food cafe on-site as well as picnic and barbecue facilities.
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Taupo’s Floatplane
Located at the entrance to the marina, the floatplane does a variety of trips, including quick flights over the lake and longer ones over Mt Ruapehu or White Island. Packages include the Taupo Trifecta Combo (floatplane trip, followed by a jetboat trip and a walk through Orakei Korako; $385).
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Wai Maori
Wai Maori offers guided white-water kayaking (November to April, per person $129) or trips accompanied only by trout down the gentle Tokaanu Stream to Lake Taupo, passing boiling mud, hot pools and wetlands on the way (90 minutes/half-day/full day $30/40/65).
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Wairakei International Golf Course
8km north of Taupo; a challenging course set in 150 hectares of beautiful countryside, rated within the top 100 courses worldwide. In late 2009 a 2m-high, 5km-long pest-proof fence was erected, turning the whole course into a native bird sanctuary.
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Ruapehu Homestead Horsetrekking
Five minutes out of Ohakune, at Rangataua, Ruapehu Homestead Horsetrekking runs guided horse treks around its paddocks, as well as longer rides along the river and on backcountry trails with views of the mountain.
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Rapid Sensations/Kayaking Kiwi
Kayak trips to the Maori carvings (4½ hours, $108) and a gentle paddle along the Waikato (two hours, $45). Also runs six-hour white-water rafting trips on the Tongariro River ($135) and shorter trips along a calmer section (2½ hours, $115).
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M-I-A Wakeboarding
M-I-A Wakeboarding tears up the water on Mangakino’s Lake Maraetai, offering wakeboarding, wakeskating and wakesurfing as well as canoe tours, mountain-biking trips and backpacker accommodation (dorm/double $23/54).
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AC Baths
The AC Baths at the Taupo Events Centre, about 2km east of town, has a big, heated pool with a waterslide, an indoor kids pool, private mineral pools and a sauna. There’s also a climbing wall.
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Cruise Cat
The Cruise Cat is a large, modern launch that offers lake fishing trips and cruises, with daily scenic trips to see the Maori carvings at Mine Bay. Sunday brunch trips ($53) are especially worthwhile.
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Helistar Helicopters
Located about 3km northeast of town, Helistar offers a variety of scenic helicopter flights, from 10 minutes to two hours. Combine a Helistar trip with the Huka Falls Jet in the Huka Star combo (from $193).
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Chris Jolly Outdoors
Can sort out all sorts of water sports, including kayak hire (single/double per hour $20/30) and self-drive boats ($70 to $85 per hour). Also organises helicopter tours and books other activities.
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Helipro
Specialises in heli-tours, which include alpine and White Island landings, as well as shorter scenic flights over the town, lake and volcanoes (minimum 10 minutes).
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Heli-Biking
For luxury rough riding, Heli-Biking will pick you up in a helicopter and drop you on top of the highest point in the Kaimanawas, allowing you to bike all the way down.
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Canoe Safaris
You can take Whanganui River kayaking trips from Ohakune with Canoe Safaris , which also runs guided rafting trips on the Mohaka (two to four days, $395 to $850).
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Canoe & Kayak
Instruction and boat hire (from the lake’s edge in high summer), as well as guided tours: two-hour trip on the Waikato River ($45) or a half-day to the Maori carvings ($90).
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