Taupo in a Day: Majestic Waterfalls, Prawns, and Geothermal Wonders

by Luke

March 29, 2024 · 1 min read

Embark on a whirlwind adventure through Taupo with this one-day itinerary that promises a blend of natural beauty and unique experiences. Start your journey with the thunderous Huka Falls, where you can witness the power of nature from the bridge and feel the mist on your face during a 2-hour visit. Just a short drive away, spend your next 2 hours at Huka Prawn Park, offering not only a chance to cross another picturesque bridge but also to indulge in a prawn feast or try your hand at prawn fishing. Conclude your day with the surreal landscapes of Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland. Spend an hour walking amidst vibrant geothermal activity and marvel at the colorful hot springs and bubbling mud pools. This compact itinerary is designed to maximize your time in Taupo, ensuring you experience the top attractions and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Top 6 Hotels in Taupo

TOP 1

Hilton Lake Taupo

5/5

63 reviews

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TOP 2

Haka Lodge Taupo

3/5

60 reviews

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TOP 3

Voyager Apartments Taupo

4/5

2 reviews

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Millennium Hotel & Resort Manuels Taupo

4/5

117 reviews

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Taupo Debretts Spa Resort

5/5

125 reviews

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Colonial Lodge Motel

4/5

30 reviews

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Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1

Huka Falls - Huka Prawn Park - Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

Day 1: Taupo's Thrilling Natural Wonders

Huka Falls

Begin your Taupo adventure with the thunderous beauty of Huka Falls, where the Waikato River narrows into a spectacular cascade. Just a short drive from Taupo town, spend a couple of hours marveling at the powerful falls from the pedestrian bridge, which offers an exceptional vantage point for photos and the feeling of the mist on your face.

Attraction Info

Wairakei, Taupō 3384, New Zealand
Suggested tour duration: 2-4 hour

Recommended Nearby Restaurants

Beaut Bakery

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3.7 km from attraction

Wild Bean Cafe

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2.5 km from attraction

Embra

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3.9 km from attraction

Cafe Pinot

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2.5 km from attraction

Fairways Cafe

4.5/5 · 2 reviews

2.2 km from attraction

Catch 22 Takeaways

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3.7 km from attraction

4 min，2.98 km

Huka Prawn Park

Next, continue the water-themed journey to Huka Prawn Park, a unique attraction just a stone's throw from the falls. Spend your time here interacting with the prawns, and perhaps even trying your hand at prawn fishing. The park's bridge provides a scenic spot to enjoy the surrounding views, and the on-site restaurant is perfect for a delicious seafood lunch.

Attraction Info

200 Karetoto Road, Wairakei, Taupō 3384, New Zealand
Suggested tour duration: 2-3 hour
Open on Mon-Tue, Fri-Sun,9:00am-3:00pm

35 min，46.8 km

Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

Conclude your day with a visit to the enchanting Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, a short drive from Taupo. With just an hour here, you can explore one of New Zealand's most colorful and diverse geothermal sightseeing spots. Walk across the park's bridge to witness the stunning natural palette of hot springs, mud pools, and the famous Champagne Pool, all set in a highly active geothermal landscape.

Attraction Info

201 Waiotapu Loop Road, Rotorua 3073, New Zealand
Suggested tour duration: 1-2 hour
Open on Mon-Tue, Fri-Sun,8:30am-4:30pm，Closed on Christmas Day.

Where to Stay Tonight

4.3/550 Reviews

Blue Lake Top 10 Holiday Park

4.3/5Excellent50 Reviews

Rotorua

|19.28km from Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

Top Things to Do in Taupo-2024

TOP 1

Huka Falls

4.5/5 · 72 review

Based on 6,351 review

Highlights:

The majestic Huka Falls can be reached via the road near Taupo, New Zealand. The Waikato River is washed down by a 12-meter-high channel fault, causing a huge flow of 230 tons per second, light blue. Such as the gem of the Waikato River, due to the action of the pass and the fault, it produces a huge power of jetting and downward, forming a foam-like waterfall to vent down, so the locals call this waterfall "Huka", which means foam.

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TOP 2

Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland

4.7/5 · 210 review

Based on 8,750 review

Highlights:

Wai-o-Tapu, which means "holy water" in Maori, is one of Rotorua's most famous geothermal areas. The most famous ones in Wonderland are the beautiful Champagne Pool and the Lady Knox Geyser, which starts spewing water at 10:15 am every day. This geothermal wonderland is centered on the volcanically active Taupo Volcano area, and about 3 kilometers of walking trails lead you to interesting attractions, including the boiling and extremely photogenic Champagne Pool, the thick but always in Boiling mud, mineral-rich hot springs, and Lady Knox's geyser, which spouts water at mysteriously timed and fixed points - every day at 10.15am, it starts spewing energetically, often for an hour at a time. The water column is as high as 20 meters. In addition to watching all kinds of wonderful and magnificent natural landscapes along the walking trails (please be careful not to walk into areas with warning signs to avoid danger), you can also take a helicopter to get a bird's-eye view of the entire steamy fantasy world. This is a well-developed scenic spot, equipped with a large-scale shopping area and cafes. If you are tired from walking, you can go to the cafe to have a cup of hot coffee and take a break. Before leaving, you may wish to buy a mud mask, which can represent Rotorua. Oh special product.

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TOP 3

Craters of the Moon

4.4/5 · 11 review

Based on 2,027 review

Highlights:

A lunar crater is the crater of an active volcano that is shaped like a lunar crater, hence the name. It is spectacular to see hot steam emerging from the surface. Of course there are also some souvenirs for sale here.

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The geothermal hot spring park located in the northeast corner of downtown Taupo has well-repaired park trails, suitable for the whole family to walk and play together.

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TOP 5

Te Puia - Rotorua, NZ

4.6/5 · 160 review

Based on 5,922 review

Highlights:

Rotorua not only attracts tourists from all over the world with its rich geothermal landscape, but also with its strong Maori culture. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and are the early masters of the land. Rotorua is the epicentre of Maori culture. Visitors from all over the world can enjoy unique and breathtaking Maori song and dance performances, watch Maori or simple or exquisite carvings, and learn about Maori history, culture and traditions in the Maori Cultural Village. Te Puia Maori Cultural Village is the birthplace of the world's Puhutu Geyser, mud pools, hot springs, New Zealand's national bird, the kiwi and wood carvings. The Maori Cultural Village is a collection of ancient Maori houses after renovation, with early buildings such as conference halls, housing and storage rooms. The houses of the early Maori were made of rushes and palm branches, which were simple and low, and could not straighten their waists. All kinds of storage rooms are supported by high feet. The tool room is similar to the bamboo building of the Dai people in Yunnan, my country, but it is shorter. There is an exhibition hall in the center of the village, which displays unique Maori carvings, which is a good place for tourists to learn about Maori culture. There is not only a world-renowned indigenous culture, but also an amazing geothermal culture. Hot springs and mud are numerous; steam is everywhere, and there is a strong smell of sulphur. Being in the geothermal area, the letter is like flying through the clouds.

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* All user reviews in this article have been translated by machine.

* The information above is subject to change at any time. For the latest information, please check the websites of hotels and attractions.

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