Wellington is the terminus for InterCity coach services to Auckland, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Tauranga and Wanganui/Whanganui and there are direct coach services to destinations throughout the North Island including Auckland, Gisborne, Hamilton, Hastings, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga and Wanganui/Whanganui.
The Wellington InterCity coach stop is adjacent to platform 9 at Wellington railway station, which means that you have access to all station facilities while waiting for your coach including a good (but relatively expensive) New World supermarket.
Tongariro River Rafting operate rafting trips on the Tongariro River. The river has over 50 grade 3+ rapids that make a fun day of rafting although there are wilder rivers elsewhere in New Zealand.
Allow four hours for the trip with 2–2½ hours on the water.
The Tongariro National Trout Centre, 4km south of Turangi, is home to a visitor centre with interesting displays about trout and the centre also has an underwater trout viewing area, a freshwater aquarium and a trout hatchery that is open to visitors.
Skydiving is Taupo’s most popular activity. It is the cheapest place in New Zealand to jump out of a plane and the scenery is spectacular with views over Lake Taupo and the snow capped mountain peaks of Tongariro National Park.
Competition between the two main skydive companies keeps the prices low and you usually get the choice of several jump heights. Generally the ripcord gets pulled at 1524m (5000ft); so a 2743m (9000ft) jump gives you 30 seconds of free fall, a 3658m (12,000ft) jump gives you 45 seconds and a 4572m (15,000ft) jump gives you one minute. However the 15,000ft jump is not always possible, particularly in cold weather and most people choose to jump at 12,000ft. Skydiving operators in New Zealand advertise their jump altitudes in feet, rather than metres.
The quality of video footage is one of the main differences between the different operators. Lots of travellers recommend Skydive Taupo because it features better video options including a one-on-one video of your jump including interviews before and after the jump as opposed to a group video of everyone on the plane. Also the video is of the entire parachute jump and not just the free fall.
Skydiving companies only operate when the weather conditions are right, so be prepared to spend an extra day or two in Taupo waiting for the right conditions. Most tandem skydive companies impose a maximum weight of 100kg.
The following booking options are for a tandem skydive with Skydive Taupo:
Taupo Kayaking Adventures run kayaking tours in the Taupo area that include trips both on Lake Taupo and on the Waikato River.
The 14m-high Māori carving on the cliff face overlooking Lake Taupo at Mine Bay is one of the highlights of their half-day kayaking tour that starts in Acacia Bay.
Full-day tours also take in Lake Taupo’s iconic Māori carving and continue to the volcanic Masons Rock with time for a swim in the crystal-clear lake.
There is also a range of other kayaking trips including a gentle paddle up the Waikato River to the bungee jumping platform and a geothermal kayak and walk adventure where you approch the Orakei Korako Geothermal Park via the Waikato River. This trip includes a 1–1½ hour walk through the geothermal park.
Rapids Jet operate further upstream on the Waikato River and the 35-minute ride surfs the massive Nga Awa Purua Rapids – New Zealand’s biggest commercially jet boated rapids.
Rapids Jet depart from their base on the Waikato River in Wairakei, around 15km north of Taupo.
