The Great Lake Trail
The Great Lake Trail is one of the 23 Great Rides of the NZ Cycle Trail. It is purpose built single-track that crosses the ridges of Lake Taupo’s western bays and drops down to lake level in between. The Great Lake Trail is comprised of 4 sections: The Whakaipo To Kinloch (W2K) section including the headland loop, The Kinloch To Kawakawa section, The Orakau Stream section, and the yet to be completed Waihaha section (respectively from east to west). This is a grade 3 trail and is challenging in its climbs but is generally not a very technical ride.
A courtesy vehicle or bus and boat shuttles are available – which help ease the access to get aroad the Great Lake Trail, so talk to us about these options too.
Mount Tauhara Walking Track
This is a 1.5–2.5 hour walk over farmland, bush and a stream to the summit of the dormant volcano. At the summit you have great views of the central plateau, White Island and sprawling forests.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
New Zealand’s oldest national park and a dual World Heritage Site. The Tongariro National Park is rich in both cultural identity and dramatic, awe-inspiring natural scenery. Unique landforms, including the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu ensure the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is considered a world-renowned trek.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is heralded as the best one-day trek available in New Zealand, while others say it ranks among the top ten single-day treks in the world.
Many who complete the 19.4-kilometre journey will tell you the climbs can be steep and the weather unpredictable, though worth it in every aspect.
Prepare for the elements. Ensure transport is arranged to drop you at the beginning of the track and pick you up at the end of the day.
