In all our worldwide travels, this is the most serene and beautiful setting with upscale…read moreaccommodations that we have ever visited. Do not let the cost scare you off. It's worth every penny. The only problem is you won't want to leave. The rooms are perfectly designed cottages with everything you need, unless a television is something you think you need. There are only 20 river front cottages on the property. Each has a deck with comfortable chairs and steps that lead to a manicured lawn with cushioned chaise lounges at the water's edge. The culinary experience will also impress you. Breakfast and dinner are included and the staff will quickly learn and address you by name. 'Pampered' throughly describes how the management and services teams will make you feel. If you have an opening on your bucket list, fill it with this New Zealand gem. Bravo Huka !!

This lodge is very special. Romantic. Classy. Don't miss…read moreit!! The setting is unbelievable, our room was darling, the food was very good and the staff is perfection! Before you commit to where you want to have dinner, please be sure you explore all possibilities. You can eat in the main dining room or outside on the porch. Those are obvious. After you're there a day you will find out that there are special little places where you can eat as well. Across the way in the winery? Upstairs and outside? Down the lawn across the bridge? So many special places! If you don't want to take the longer 8 hour hike, there is a short one hour hike nearby where you can check out the falls. There's also a Hot Spring nearby so take your bathing suit! We'll definitely go back!!

I booked 4 nights at the lodge and 3 days of Guided fishing. The fishing was incredible. Jason and…read morehis wife own the lodge. They were incredible hosts. Jason is the best guide I have ever used. He was able to get me into many big fish. I think I caught over 23 large fish 3-7 pounds and another 10 fish in the 1-2 pound range. The accommodations were clean and modern. The food was incredible that Tracy cooked. There were incredibly great hosts and took care of my every need.

This is an incredibly special place! Not only is it a beautiful golf course, but it's also a…read moreworld-class bird sanctuary. They have several rare birds (kiwi, Takahe, etc) as well as a collection of deer, ducks, robin, pigeons, falcons, etc). The gold course is beautiful and in great condition.

Free outdoor and natural hot springs to enjoy. Go to the Spa Thermal Park to get access to the…read moreOtumuheke thermal stream that feeds into the Waikato river. From here, you can also do an easy hike to Huka Falls (50 mins one-way) or Aratiatia Rapids (2 hrs one-way). There's a car park at the intersection of Spa Road and County Avenue, but to get closer to the thermal stream, you can continue down County Ave to the end and park at the car park inside the park. From there, you'll do a short 10 minute walk down to the thermal stream. You'll see a bridge with the main pools near the river. This is where most people will be, but if you up a little further uphill, you'll hit a second bridge where it's more private. This area is fenced off though, so it's probably not encouraged to bathe in this part of the stream, although a lot of people still do. The water is pretty hot, so make sure to bring a towel, water to stay hydrated, and a change of clothes for afterwards. Note that there are toilets at the car park, but no changing facilities near the thermal stream itself. Even if you aren't interested in visiting the thermal stream, Spa Thermal Park is well worth a visit to see the stunning scenery of being high up a hill looking down on a large, curved river.

Tons of people, but don't let that discourage you! It's a must-visit free natural hot stream with a…read morebeautiful view/swim of the river. The park's been beautifully designed for enjoying the stream, which is a nice hot 38-39C right under the bridge, and pools down to cooler temperatures further down. It's a great place to relax in a natural setting and meet some people!

This was such a great experience!…read more I booked this tour on the same day through Viator. Definitely a thrill ride! The driver had some serious skills!!! They take you right up to the falls! Definitely recommend, easy parking and so close to Lake Taupo.

Expensive, about $80 US per person. But we had a lovely time. They furnished the rain gear, which…read morewe were extremely glad to be wearing. The driver/guide maximized the speed and water thrills, gauging out whoops of enthusiasm as encouragement to soak us again and again! So glad it was a sunny warm day!

After a tire blowout the day before on our NZ cycling adventure, we hobbled our way from Taupo to…read moreTurangi and made it to the Thermal Pools on Christmas Day when it was closed. So never actually made it into the pools, but walked around the area, saw the bubbling thermal ponds. The best part was deciding to take a swim in the cold river below. Once we found a thermal hot spot, it's a relaxing place to sit and relax on the borderline of the river and hot spot. Be careful when walking along the edges of the thermal hot spots, the mud becomes very hot and will burn your feet. I had the idea of giving myself a mud bath, took the thermal hot mud and started covering my body. Definitely have to be careful picking up a handful of the hot thermal mud.

This little tour company only offers self-guided group tours (for safety reasons)…read more I'm glad I convinced my brother and his father-in-law to take the hour and a half kayaking tour with me! We had great fun maneuvering our kayaks through the underbelly of an aqueduct and the bush clad Tokaanu Stream. It's a wonderful way to explore the landscape but be warned; it's not an easy paddle!! The stream meanders through some densely overgrown harakeke banks and zig zags pretty sharply through the bush at certain points. Good luck avoiding the prickly blackberry bushes while trying to negotiate your way around these ultra-tight corners! We passed a bit of thermal activity towards the end - bubble, bubble toil and trouble....ahhhh!!! I'd rather tango with the blackberry bushes, instead, thank yo very much! Seriously though; jokes aside, this is a super-fun freshwater kayaking adventure and a real bargain at $35 per person - equipment included! Just give Tui a ring and she'll sort you out!

This place is great! Hammocks in the courtyard, rock climbing wall, cozy and clean dorms... free…read morecoffee and tea is a plus! The staff have been awesome & friendly and the place is pretty quiet as I'm sure most folks here are pretty tired out from hiking Tongariro. Movies to watch in the lounge and a decent kitchen area with a dining space. Clean bathrooms too. Def would come back.