Look deep into nature,
and then you will understand
everything better
–Albert Einstein
Beauty abounds in Lake Taupo, a lakeside hamlet two hours west of Napier.
Huka Falls and the Waikato River
Our goal for the day to soak in the beauty of Lake Taupo starting with Huka Falls and the Waikato River. Only ten minutes from town, the creamy aqua-colored Waikato River pounds and pours sheer power down its narrow channel. This canyon river flows preposterously fast, the volume of water is up to 220,000 liters per second and the volume of sound drowns out conversations. Best of all, easy walking paths access the various angles of this frantic, pulsating waterfall.
Craters of the Moon
Not far from Huka Falls, we passed signs for Wairakei’s Craters of the Moon, a geothermal valley park. Though we thought we had had our fill of hissing clouds of steam in Rotorua, we were wrong. This park is more like a homestead for Jurassic Park dinosaurs to roam freely.
After paying a reasonable entrance fee of five dollars, we set out on the wooden boardwalks constructed to keep us safe from the severe heat of the vents. Clearly, the boardwalks have to be regularly moved to avoid new emerging vents. Wow! How do they keep up with it?
Eerie bubbling noises and sulfur smells conjured up my high school readings of Dante’s Inferno. About a 45 minute walk, we marveled at the stoic mosses and plants that have evolved to be able to withstand the extreme temperatures. At any moment, we expected a tyrannosaurus rex to peek over the next hilltop waving his puny forearms. There are several lookout points with metal platforms to view the craters below and also convenient for practicing yoga. This particular pose is appropriately named Half Moon Pose.
But Wait, There’s More!
Still more nature beckoned. A little further down the road, the Aratiatia Dam is a spectacle in itself as periodically during the day, the dam releases thousands of liters of water to provide hydropower. If you time your visit right, at first, you’ll see the waterfall emptied and serene with all its rocks exposed. We happened to arrive 15 minutes before the dam was set to release and breathed in the calmness and quiet. Right on time at 2:00 the dam lifted its gates. Within about 20 minutes, we were mesmerized by this heaving body of water filling up all nooks and crevices.
Baycrest Lodge
We loved Baycrest Lodge. I would say it’s a stealth hotel in that it is quite unimpressive looking from the street. But our joy soared when we were escorted to our spacious room overlooking Lake Taupo. Seriously gasp-worthy views! It’s called a Luxury Thermal Motel because it has a thermally heated outdoor swimming pool, perfect for an after-dinner soak. It is naturally heated by the earth below. Do you get the idea that New Zealand is volcanic? The owners Barry and Judy were welcoming, friendly and helpful. Their homemade gourmet breakfast is delivered right to your room, so you can dine with the glorious Lake Taupo view.
Luxury Thermal Motel
79 Mere Road, Taupo, New ZealandToll Free: 0800 229 273
The Brantry and New Zealand Food
It’s difficult to define New Zealand cuisine. I mean how many New Zealand restaurants do you find in any major city? Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to like–fresh fish, beef and lamb, and incredible produce. But you don’t have those defining flavors like you would find in an Italian or Chinese restaurant. That said, I have to give a shout out to The Brantry, Two sisters, Prue and Felicity Campbell, have restored a charming 1950’s cottage that includes Alfresco Dining in the garden and dining in the Cellar. Prue Campbell is a legendary chef, winning numerous awards and being named one of New Zealand’s top chefs.
One thing you should know about New Zealand restaurants is that the menu lists Entrees, Mains, Desserts and Side Dishes. While the U.S. considers Entrees to be the main dish, here in New Zealand entrees are maybe a little larger than an appetizer plate. The Mains are what we call entrees with all the fixings. Prue, having won Beef and Lamb Excellence awards, helped us make our selections. Gourmet and scrumptious with an artistic arrangement, we savored each bite.
And For the More Adventurous!
About an hour out of Lake Taupo is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, often labeled as the world’s greatest single-day hike. My daughter Jolie and her husband Johnny experienced this hike in February 2020 and have the following tips.
“The Tongariro Crossing was an epic 19.4 km (about 12 miles) hike that we highly recommend for anyone who is willing to hike. It spans amazing terrains, such as volcanic rock, Mars-like scenery, grassland, and woods. There are stairs, rock scrambling, and a huge hill of sandy gravel, so anyone who goes must be able to handle all the above. If interested, we recommend parking at the Ketetahi car park (there are many areas with shuttles. We found one the morning of around 5:45am.). The shuttle takes you to the opposite side of the crossing to the Mangatepopo car park. We then hiked back to our car. Some people hike in the opposite direction, which seemed ridiculously harder from our perspective. Make sure to wear layers. I felt great in a sports shirt, light pullover, and a puffy jacket with gloves and a beanie. I wore all combinations of the layers at different times. Online they say it takes about 6 to 8 hours, it took us about 5, and we were not rushing, but we weren’t stopping a bunch either. There are bathrooms spread throughout, but be sure to go when you have the chance. Bring your own food and water (a lot), we stopped like most others at the lakes for our lunch, which was perfect. I wore tennis shoes which seemed to work, but my husband highly recommends hiking boots.”
Wind your way to Waitomo and the Glow Worm Caves! Click here.
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