Weekend in Taupō

Take the plunge and immerse yourself in this outdoor adventures playground.

FRIDAY
Evening Run, don’t walk from end-of-week commitments to reach Huka Lodge before the sun’s last rays bounce off this riverside beauty spot. Then breathe out. The only sign of haste you’re likely to encounter is the rapid appearance of a champagne flute, and the Waikato River that roils and rushes past the property before plunging down nearby Huka Falls. Otherwise, it’s all serenity and seclusion in a cosseted world where menus are personalised and luggage appears like magic in its allocated closet spot. It is tempting to hide out in the guest cottage, with its river view patio and multiple indoor lounging spaces (including the tub for two), monogrammed pillowcases and mohair rugs. However, guests are encouraged to gather for pre-dinner canapes in the main lodge. While royalty may not show – Queen Elizabeth booked the entire property during each of her four stays – fellow lodgers are an international bunch. Like the group of eight friends who have congregated from around the globe for a reunion. Or the English couple visiting New Zealand for a fortnight; they’ve been before so will barely venture beyond the lodge gate this time. Dinner isa candlelit affair, showcasing prime beef and a fat wine list delivered to any one of 20 unashamedly romantic nooks. Post-dinner petit fours materialise beside the fireplace, within view of an original Charles Goldie painting and arm’s reach of the cigar case.

SATURDAY
Morning Wake to the river’s burble and choose from help-yourself fly rods or mountain bikes, or head for the hedged tennis court. Swim a few laps in the heated pool, then soak in one of the discreetly screened hot tubs on a misty Taupō morning. Allow a little extra time to meander through gardens that marry manicured precision with the grandeur of established trees and the lush, less tamed beauty of New Zealand natives. Breakfast on the deck – heating ensures this worksyear-round – is an unhurried salmon and avocado affair with the trademark seamless service. Everyone is a VIP here and you will not want to leave, so to soften the blow of returning to the outside world, schedule something a little special. It is easy to miss the diminutive Cessna float plane hidden behind the trees and tied to a wooden pier that juts into Lake Taupō. With minimal fuss, the craft is airborne, and the glory of our nation’s largest lake is laid out below; white cliffs, pretty bays, sailing boats in a regatta, a speed boat race and white-capped mountains in the distance. Today’s destination is inland, flying above a bumpy green expanse landscaped by successive volcanic eruptions, over farmland, forestry and a string of geothermal power plantspuffing in the distance. The plane follows the mighty awa Waikato before pulling up for a smooth splash landing alongside the Orākei Kōrako visitor centre. From there, a water taxi delivers visitors to thegeothermal area on the opposite riverbank for a self-guided tour of silica terracesand boiling mud, sulphuric swirls, strange mosses and all the hissing, steamy actiona curious visitor could ask for. While tourists have been visiting for more than a century, Orākei Kōrako (place of adorning) has a much longer history as a cooking, bathing, drinking and ceremonial site for the Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa iwi. Noteworthy features include a rare geothermal cave markedby a tribute to two soldiers, and a doorbell-style buzzer set into a pier post; push it to summon the boat for your return trip.
Afternoon Get arty. Start with lunch at Lava Glass Cafe, serving tasty fare (the vegan bowl is a stand-out) and sweet morsels in a gallery showcasing handblown glass work. Allow time to visit the sculpture garden with spectacular oversized flowers and other works by renowned artist Lynden Over, then take a behind-the-scenes tour to see the artists at work. It’s worth asking how this became the world’s first glassblowing studio to achieve carbon-neutral status. Check out the colourful bathroom, too.

Explore the town’s byways and back alleys, where street art is a legacy of the annual Graffiato festival.

Head downtown to explore the town’s byways and back alleys, where street art is a legacy of the annual Graffiato: Taupō Street Art Festival festival. Don’t miss the newest gallery in town.In April, Czech Republic-born ceramic artist Didi Chapman launched Quirky Pottery gallery, which also offers live demonstrations and classes. It showcases Chapman’s domestic pottery – from dinner sets to light shades – and carved ceramic sculptural pieces, as well as paintings, jewellery, pounamu and other pieces by fellow Taupō artists and other Kiwi makers.

Evening You’ll spot Chapman’s handmade dishes beneath stunning food at Embra.Opt for the five-course degustation menu and take your time at this gem of an eatery operated by husband-and-wife duo Phill and Nora Blackburne. She keeps everything serene out front and delivers wine matches while he works wonders with seasonal produce in the partially open kitchen.Phill, who previously worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Edinburgh (hence Embra), deftly walks the line between artistry, precision and the kind of substantial comfort found in a velvety spelt risotto with wagyu beef. He is equally capable of adding a slash of gold to ravioli and hiding a surprise burst of flavour in the centre of a sculptural, glossy dessert.

SUNDAY
Morning It’s cycling day so load up at Industrie French Kitchen, where everything is good. Go healthy or hearty for breakfast, then grab pastries and filled baguettes from the cabinet for the ultimate packed lunch. Helpfully, there’s a French bakery next door that sells bags of beautiful almond tuiles for pre- or post-ride snacking. On the way back through town, stop at the excellent Taupō Market Central for handcrafted retail therapy. Buy a handmade wooden kaleidoscope and yes, you’ll be tempted by more good food.The Great Lake Trails offer more than 90km of seriously good Grade 3 mountain bike riding to expend some energy. The trails are divvied into three sections, and they do require a degree of technical ability. However, less experienced riders can feel the thrill with the help of two things; an electric bike and an experienced guide.Jonny Clapcott’s FourB bike tours offers both, alongside optional water-taxi transfers and deep local knowledge. He and his guides have ridden every metre of every trail countless times and recommend newbies start at the Ōrākau carpark, then follow a stream through regenerating native bush and wetlands, over boardwalks and deep ravines to a renowned rock-climbing spot at Kawakawa Bay. While this first section of the trail is largely downhill, electric pedal power makes short workof the next 2.5km uphill switchback section to a spectacular lakeside lookout point dubbed Codgers Rock. Grab a photo ofthe view around the bays and across to Tongariro National Park. This rocky outcrop is named in honour of the three “old codgers” (all named Peter) who instigated and drove the trails project. The last section of the trail into Kinloch follows the lake shore and riders can loop back to the carpark, continue to the next Whakaipo Bay section, or catch a ride with Clapcott.Free-draining pumice soil ensures the track stays in great condition, even in the depths of winter. “If you get one of those clear nights, with a frosty morning and beautiful blue sky day, I can’t think of any place better,” Clapcott says. “And you’re literally riding the rim of a super volcano, which is spectacular.”

Afternoon Ease away any biking aches at the adults-only Wairakei Terraces hot pools. Four geothermally heated mineral-laden pools offer various temperatures amidst wafting steam and native bush. For extra heat, float beneath a bridge towards the hot waterfall. Don’t shower for at least four hours after visiting, to benefit from the silica, lithium, manganese and 10 other minerals in the water. The best way to finish a swim, though, is to book a massage on site.

Evening It’s probably time to head home but do not leave town without visiting The Bistro. Book an early sitting and place your appetite in the hands of high-energy owner and former Huka Lodge chef Jude Messenger. Despite more than a decade at the helm of his own place (with help from wife Tiffany and their six children), he isclearly still enjoying the adventure. It shows in the food, which might include citrus-cured, air-dried snapper with a mayonnaise made using smoked kina, or a sorbet paired with tea. If you’ve never been tempted to stick your finger in a spread and lick it, the burnt butter lemon curd combo may be your bad manners moment. Otherwise, slather that butter on house-made sourdough.Don’t skip dessert. In fact, don’t skip anything in Taupō. Cancel Monday if need be. Do it all.

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