Activities In and Around the Lake Taupo Region

Within easy reach of Rive Gauche Bed and Breakfast you will find many things to see and do, with activities to suit people of all ages, interests and budgets. New Zealand's thermal areas and Great Lake Taupo cycle trails are prominent attractions. We at Rive Gauche are happy to help plan your stay in Taupo and to recommend some of the many local activities in the Lake Taupo and Tongariro National Park regions.

• Trout fishing - Try your hand at fly fishing in the rivers around Taupo, or by boat on the lake. (Advance bookings required for fly fishing guides) 
• Golf - The Taupo district has recognised golf courses including the Wairakei International golf course, Taupo golf course and Kinloch Links course
• Water Activities - Huka Falls Jet, Sail Barbary, Rapids Jet, Waikato River Jet, Tongariro River Rafting etc.
• Winter sports - skiing and snowboarding at Mt Ruapehu from June - end of October
• Thermal pools - for a choice of natural thermal pools and thermally heated pools Wairakei Terraces and Taupo Hot Pools 
• Scenic Flights - Taupo Helicopter Adventure Flights, Taupo Float Plane
• Walking and Hiking - there are many short and longer walks around Taupo to suit your level of fitness. You can start from Rive Gauche, as Huka Falls is a pleasant 35 mins walk away, and a loop track leads you to Taupo along the opposite side of the river. Walking time into Taupo is also approx 30 minutes. 
• Tongariro National Park and the Tongariro Crossing. Daily return transport from Taupo is provided for the Crossing by several companies including Tongariro Expeditions, and Tongariro Alpine Hot Bus.  Alternatively you can reserve a shuttle to take you from the carpark at the end point to the beginning of the track. Mount Ruapehu offers other walking opportunities. The  new Sky Waka (gondola) will be open for summer sightseeing. Parking is available at the top of the Whakapapa skifield access road.

*      Taupo Cycling Events and Trails - There are cycle trails in the nearby Wairakei forest to suit all levels. Taupo town hosts  the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, and multidisciplinary events          such as the International Iron-man in March.
*      Mountain Biking - Explore the Great Lake Trails. Drop-off and pick-up (transport and hire) offered by various local companies. 
*      Wairakei Tourist Park - free local attractions within the park include Huka Falls and Aratiatia rapids, with Huka Falls being only 2km (30 minutes walk) away. Other popular attractions              include Craters of the Moon, Honey Hive, Golf Driving range and Prawn Park.
*      Adventure activities - Taupo Bungy, Taupo Tandem Sky Diving.
*      Arts and crafts - Taupo Museum holds regular exhibitions, as well as being host to the award winning Ora garden. There are a number of popular galleries, some of which have cafés.                Thermal areas - the three major thermal areas of the Central North Island are located between Taupo and Rotorua, with the closest being only 35 minutes drive from Rive Gauche:                     Waiotapu Thermal Valley, Waimangu Thermal Valley, Orakei Korako.
*      Thermal baths - Wairakei Terraces offers thermal bathing and massage therapies.

While many of the activities are accessible from Taupo itself, others are an easy drive away

• Tongariro National Park - approximately 1 hour to the south of Taupo.
• Rotorua - approximately 1 hour.
• Hawkes Bay - vineyards and art deco buildings, less than 2 hours.
• Waitomo Caves - approximately 2 hours.