10 Days in New Zealand – Taupō

After our short stop in Hamilton, we headed a little ways further south to Taupō. This town and lake were recommended to us by a work colleague and it did not disappoint.

Growing weary of our multiple one night stays, we opted to plant ourselves here for two nights to give us time to explore this area and I’m glad we did. Taupō is very much a lake town and the first thing that I noticed was the similarities between here and our own lake towns in BC. From the bright blue skies dotted with white fluffy clouds, to the goliaths hanging out in the background, if you didn’t know this was New Zealand, you could almost say we were on the shores of the Shuswap or Kelowna.

My partner, the fishing enthusiast, was determined to see if we could reel in anything down here. After much research, we almost threw in the towel since most of the fishing on the north part of the island seemed to involve open waters and steep expenses. But never ones to surrender easily, we stumbled upon a shop that rented us gear for a day of fly fishing. To all you fellow anglers who understand this test of patience, I can assure you that even on the best of days, this is not a sport for the impatient. I’ve dipped my toes into this sport twice now, and the only thing I can say for sure is that the fish are a lot smarter than I am. This fishing trip yielded no different results. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic time, even though we didn’t catch anything. The sun was shining, the temperature was just right, and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking.

This is the island of the birds and that’s all we could hear while out on the water. The river and the birds. It was a well needed break from all of the whirlwinds of the last few days. The river was clear and the green trees and foliage stood out in high definition against the bright blue sky. We couldn’t have asked for a better day out in the woods.

Since we didn’t have to worry about packing up and leaving right away, we planned to go and see some large Māori rock carvings in the side of a large cliff face on Lake Taupō itself. So, after spending the morning being bested by some fish, we headed back to town to get changed and turned around.

The Māori rock carvings were carved by Matahi Whakataka-Brightwellin the 1970’s. It was carved in the likeness of Ngātoro-i-rangi, a navigator who guided Māori tribes to the Taupō area over a thousand years ago according to Māori legend. The carving is intended to act as a protector to the lake against the volcanic activities underneath. This is an active volcanic area with the Taupō volcano being on the far side of the lake.

We chose a sail boat to take us to the carvings. The boat is owned and operated by Sail Barbary. They’re an electric sailing yacht and are a more eco conscious option than some of the large vessels that offer the same service. The experience in my opinion was much better being on a sail boat. It’s a much smaller group that you’re out on the water with and you have an uninterrupted view of the lake and the carvings. Also, being on a sail boat was just plain cool.

The journey back to shore took an unexpected turn as the menacing clouds swiftly closed in. Battling the elements, we ventured through a wet and tempestuous sail. Despite the challenging conditions, the sight of the Taupō volcano, its peak vanishing into the sky and clouds, made it an unforgettable experience.

In conclusion, Taupō is an absolute must-see destination on the North Island. The sheer abundance of thrilling activities, both on land and off, ensures that it’s a place you’ll never tire of. Considering my experience, I’d allocate 3 to 4 days in the area next time to fully indulge in all the incredible experiences it has to offer.