Found on New Zealand’s North Island, Taupō is home to a 616-square kilometre lake and acres of volcanic trails, creating a backdrop for serene hikes and cycling. As the largest in New Zealand, the fresh waters of Lake Taupō’ are renowned for trout fishing, while canoeing, jet boating and water skiing are also available in the area. For white-water rafting, immerse yourself in the fertile scenery of the Huka Falls or explore the filming location of Peter Jackson’s ‘The Hobbit’ at Aratiatia Rapids. Elsewhere, spend a morning kayaking in Mine Bay to see traditional Maori rock carvings or trek along the Lake Walkway to see snow-capped mountains, Kōwhai trees, before a relaxing afternoon in one of the town’s many thermal pools.
Originally known as Taupō-nui-a-Tia, a name meaning ‘Great Cloak of Tia’, Taupō's geological origins date back to a volcanic eruption approximately 27,000 years ago. Since then, the region has erupted some 28 times, the last of which coming around 2,000 years ago. First settled by human tribes in the Middle Ages, the arrival of European missionaries in the 19th century transformed the culture of the indigenous land. The introduction of cobalt to Taupō’s soil in the 1950s aided the town’s agricultural prosperity while Taupō’s geothermal power station provides energy to the surrounding regions to this day.