Orientation 

Taupo spreads along the northeastern tip of the lake, where the Waikato River, New Zealand’s longest, flows out of Lake Taupo’s Tapuaeharuru Bay. The main road is Tongariro Street. Perpendicular to that are Heu Heu and Horomatangi streets, two of several that form the main shopping area. Tongariro Street runs into Lake Terrace, the continuation of State Highway 1 that runs around the lake and takes you to most of the motels. The settlements of Acacia Bay and Jerusalem Bay are just across on the western shore of the lake.

Visitor Information 

The Taupo i-SITE Visitor Centre (tel. 07/376-0027; www.greatlaketauponz.com) is easy to find—it’s on Tongariro Street, the main road through Taupo. It has a wide selection of brochures and can arrange fishing guides and licenses, tours, and activities. It also sells stamps, phone cards, and souvenirs. Hours are 8:30am to 5pm daily. Experience Taupo, 29 Tongariro St. (tel. 0800/368-775 in NZ, or 07/377-0705; www.experiencetaupo.co.nz), is another good source of information. They stay open later than the visitor center (till 7pm in summer, 6pm winter), and they can organize all your adventures in the region with no booking fees.

Getting There

Getting There & Getting Around

By Plane - Air New Zealand Link (tel. 0800/737-000; www.airnewzealand.co.nz) flies to Taupo from Auckland and Wellington five times a day, with connections to other destinations. In winter, Mountain Air (tel. 0800/922-812; www.mountainair.co.nz) has daily flights between Auckland and Turangi airports. For a taxi or airport shuttle, call tel. 07/378-5100.

By Coach (Bus) -- InterCity and Newmans buses arrive and depart from the Taupo Travel Centre on Gasgoine Street (tel. 07/378-9032). Magic Travellers and Kiwi Experience also serve Taupo. Guthreys Express (tel. 0800/759-999 in NZ, or 07/376-0027) has daily services from Taupo to Auckland, Rotorua, and National Park village, which is in Tongariro National Park. There is no local bus service but look out for the Tongariro Taupo Hot Bus (tel. 0508/468-287 in NZ; www.hotbus.co.nz), which provides return transport to most attractions. It departs from the i-SITE Visitor Centre on the hour from 10am to 3pm daily. One attraction costs NZ$20 and you pay NZ$5 for each subsequent attraction visited. You can spend as much time as you like at each attraction.

By Taxi -- For service in and around Taupo, call Taupo Taxis (tel. 07/378-5100).

By Car -- State highways 1 and 5 pass through Taupo. All roads in the area are excellent, but drive with care in winter (when they’re icy) and when there’s a heavy flow of logging trucks. The drive to Rotorua is 1 hour; to Waitomo or Napier, 2 hours; to Hamilton or Tauranga, 2 hours; to Auckland, 4 hours; and to Wellington, 5 1/2 hours.

By Bicycle --To rent a mountain bike, contact The Corner Shop (Avanti Centre), 47 Horomatangi St. (tel. 07/378-7381; www.avantiplus.co.nz/taupo); the shop rents adult-size bikes only, NZ$30 per half-day and NZ$50 for a full day. You can also rent bikes from Rainbow Lodge, 99 Titiraupenga St. (tel. 07/378-5754; www.rainbowlodge.co.nz), who have bikes for NZ$25 a half day for guests and non-guests. Taupo is particularly geared for cyclists, with dedicated lanes, shared paths, and numerous recreational off-road rides. For more information check www.biketaupo.org.nz.

A Word on Parking Security

The carparks at Huka Falls Lookout, Craters of the Moon, and Spa Park are very prone to theft. Volunteers do patrol some carparks but make sure you remove all valuables from your vehicle and lock all doors. Lock other possessions in the trunk where they cannot be seen, and report anyone acting suspiciously in carparks to Taupo Police (tel. 07/378-6060). The good news about parking in Taupo township is that it is generally free.

Getting Around

Orientation

The township of Taupo sits on the shores of Lake Taupo. The main street is Tongariro Street. Another main shopping street on the bus route is Spa Road. A good place to pick up the bus is outside the i-SITE visitor information center on Tongariro Street.

By Bus

The Taupo Connector town bus service operates daily (including public holidays), and also travels to Acacia Bay and Waitahanui from Monday to Friday. It does not operate during the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge (the last Saturday in November). A flat fare applies for single trip travel, wherever you are going.

More Information

http://www.busit.co.nz

Fast Facts

The post office is at the corner of Ruapehu and Horomatangi streets; it’s open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm. Internet access is available at CyberGate Internet Cafe, 12 Gasgoine St. (opposite the bus station; tel. 07/377-8118). It’s open daily 9:30am to 11pm. The first 3 minutes are free.

When to Go

Climate

The Lake Taupo region has warm, humid summers and mild winters. Average temperatures range from 22°C to 28°C (72°F–82°F) in summer (December–February) and between 12°C and -5°C (54°F–23°F) in winter (June–August). The average annual rainfall is 1,100mm. As an inland area, sheltered by the Hauhungaroa Range, Taupo is prone to frosts and fog.

Taupo Calendar of Events:

The last Saturday in November is the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge (tel. 07/378-1546; www.cyclechallenge.com). In October, more than 3,000 cyclists gather for the Powerade Day-Night Thriller (tel. 07/378-0455; www.eventpromotions.co.nz or www.daynightthriller.co.nz), the largest mountain-bike event of its kind in the world. The annual Taupo Half Marathon (tel. 07/378-1546; www.taupohalfmarathon.org.nz) takes place in August. Check www.greatlaketauponz.com or www.eventscapital.co.nz for a full events calendar.

Keep Exploring