Travelling to Lake Taupo

Perfectly situated in the middle of New Zealand's North Island, getting to Lake Taupo couldn't be easier! With fantastic scenic drives as well as direct routs, the best way to get to Lake Taupo and to travel around is to drive.

Lake Taupo is situated at the crossroads of the North Island, which provides a lot of advantages, especially when one of those roads is the country's major highway, State Highway 1, which links Auckland with Wellington.

From Lake Taupo Auckland is only 3 hours 30 minutes drive to the north and Wellington a leisurely 4 hours 30 minutes to the south. If you plan to visit outlying towns such as Rotorua or Turangi, independence is important and a rental vehicle is the best option. Every major car rental company is represented in Taupo downtown.

State Highway 5 - the Thermal Explorer Highway - is a frequently travelled visitor route that runs from Hawke's Bay (1 hour 30 minutes drive to the south-east) to Rotorua (1 hour drive to the north-east).