Activities
Kinara Country Homestay is ideally suited as a base for visiting other areas of interest in the Central North Island.
We are only a short 6 minute drive away from Taupo’s Motor Sport Race Track, with easy access to the venue; where in January Taupo Hosts New Zealand”s A1GP round; we are only a 40-minute drive from Rotorua and then we have Tirau, which is a lovely arts & crafts and antique centre is just over 1 hour away and Hamilton and Tauranga are just over 1.5 hours travel away; ideal distances to do a bit of sight-seeing.
Or why not visit the Art Deco Capital of the World - Napier, and go for a wander around the wine trails in Hawkes Bay. There is also the Waitomo Caves near Otorohanga where you can Black Water Raft or meet the Glow Worms.
Kinara is only 5 minutes away from the world famous Aratiatia Rapids; watch the sluice gates open and see how quickly the water rises; and then we have Huka Falls; both of these places offer some wonderful photographic opportunities for the budding photographer.
The Lava Glass Gallery is just 2-3 minutes away, where you can watch a master glass blower at work and maybe purchase some of his beautiful pieces.
You can also visit the Volcanic Activity Centre, and learn all about the volcanic region you are now in, and experience what an earthquake feels like on their simulator, or visit the many Geothermal sites at Wairakei, such as Craters of the Moon or Orakei Korako (The Hidden Valley) - this is just a short 25 minutes drive from us, where you can see mud pools plopping away and the steam belching from the ground.
Helistar Helicopters are only a 5 minute drive away, where you can have a wonderful trip on a helicopter - either a short flight around the geothermal area, or a much longer one possibly down to the Volcanoes at the southern end of Lake Taupo.
You can visit the Honey Centre, the Prawn Park and have a lovely fresh Prawn meal and visit a wood-turning gallery.
If you are a keen golfer then Taupo has some wonderful Golf Courses that you may like to visit, these being: Tauhara Golf Course, Wairakei Nine Hole at the Wairakei Resort Hotel, and the International Golf Course at Wairakei where you can play 18 holes and the new Jack Nicklaus course at Kinloch.
There are river cruises on the Waikato River
New Zealand Riverjet offers a unique adventure! A definite Must See Must Do Experience for anyone visiting Rotorua or Taupo! No other activity offers this many of New Zealand's top attractions combined in to one great trip!
Trout fishing, with plenty of eager guides to show and teach you.
Cruises (fishing) on Lake Taupo - the Ernest Kemp, the Cruise Cat or the Barbary; just to name a few.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing Walk - This is done during summer months and can be arranged through either the Department of Conservation or Tongariro Expeditions. This is a fantastic walk and you have to book. You have to be reasonably fit, take a packed lunch and a drink, also a good pair of boots and warm jacket is a necessity. You will be a bit breathless at times, but when you see Mount Ngauruhoe, Mount Ruapehu (with its hot water lake) and Mount Tongariro with its multiple craters and emerald green volcanic pools, you will have your breath taken away by the sheer beauty of it all.
In January of every year we have the “Poker Run”, which is a powerboat race, followed by “Thunder on the Great Lake” yet another powerboat race.
Horse racing two or three times a year on our local track.
Live on the edge? Try Taupo Bungy and have a drop over the side towards the mighty Waikato River.
The number of things to do in Taupo seems to be endless, so I am sure that there will be something to appeal to all.
Taupo also has some wonderful shopping, lots of lovely cafes and trendy restaurants providing some really tasty food, and, weather permitting, you can eat outside.
So come on, give us a call or email us with your booking. Just remember, “The early bird catches the worm” don’t leave it too late to make your booking for that special holiday here in Taupo, New Zealand.
Remember, for those of you who are intending to be in the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge in November, please make your bookings no later than June or July or you may just miss out. For the New Zealand Iron Man Competition then we suggest that you make your bookings as early as November or December.
