With a surface area of 622 square kilometers, Lake Taupo (pronounced “toe-paw”) is New Zealand’s largest lake situated on the North Island. It sits in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano that first erupted over 300,000 years ago. Lake Taupo is also the largest freshwater lake in the whole of Oceania – you’d be surprised it is about the size of Singapore! One of the premier tourist destinations in the North Island, this inland sea spectacle should be in your bucket list for so many reasons – one of it being the fact that Lake Taupo is a natural playground for thrill and adventure seekers.

One of the filming locations for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the region is famous for the many activities on offer on and around the crystal blue lake. New Zealand’s longest river, the Waikato River, flows north from Lake Taupo between banks 100 meters apart. A few meters before the magnificent Huka Falls, the river narrows into a canyon of only 15 meters across. The effect of water gushing into the shallow ravine of hard volcanic rock is nature’s large-scale equivalent of a fire hose feeding into a very fine nozzle. This, in turn, creates a great water flow rate of approximately 220,000 liters per second – the phenomenon of natural hydropower. The previously placid waters roar and rumble at a high speed along the ravine before bursting into space out over Huka Falls, then plunging into the turbulent pool 11 meters below. To feel the wrath of the falls up close, a jet boat ride is your answer. The thundering roar of the waters at the mighty Huka Falls will for sure leave you speechless!

Lake Taupo is an ideal setting for skydives due to its beautiful surrounding landscapes. Home to the biggest commercial skydive drop-zone in the world, the dive allows you to freefall from an altitude of 15,000 feet at almost 200 kilometers per hour. Nothing beats the experience of jumping out a plane at that altitude on a tandem skydive, where you will jump together with a skydiving instructor from an aircraft. Experience a 45-second freefall over one of the world’s most stunning drop-zones surrounded by snowcapped peaks and the blue waters of Lake Taupo. Treat yourself to dazzling aerial views of the lake alongside the picturesque Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro National Park. The ultimate heart-pounding thrill subsides when you reach 5,000 feet in elevation where your parachute will deploy. This unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience will be etched in your mind forever!

For mountain trekkers and climbers, the Tongariro National Park is the place to explore incredible volcanic terrains. Situated an hour’s drive from Taupo, it encircles three magnificent volcanoes, namely Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. These volcanoes are surrounded by emerald lakes, alpine meadows, and hot springs – all contributing to the contrasting landscapes of New Zealand. Although the volcanoes are still active, this does not deter visitors from skiing down the slopes and hiking to the craters as a monitoring system is in place to provide early warning of eruptions. The 17km Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a great one-day trek to get close to the beautiful landscape along the slopes of all three mountains. With steaming craters, old lava flows and thermal lakes, the trek makes for an unforgettable experience.

If skiing is your cup of tea, do visit Mt Ruapehu’s skiing areas – Whakapapa and Turoa. Both have a combined area of a whopping 1,050 hectares, the largest area dedicated to commercial skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand. It is interesting to note that Whakapapa is New Zealand’s largest ski area while Turoa boasts of the longest vertical drop in Australasia.

Exciting adventures are in store for everyone to enjoy in Taupo. The natural scenery of the area is ridiculously stunning with spectacular cliffs and volcanic terrains, making it one of the ideal place in New Zealand (and the world) to enjoy thrilling outdoor adventures. Treat yourself to an action-packed vacation in Taupo and experience for yourself the excitement of extreme adventure in the area!