Huka Falls Walk from Spa Park, Taupo: Our Review

Before you go: check current track information on Love Taupō, the official Taupō visitor site, and read recent trail reports for the Spa Park to Huka Falls walk on AllTrails.

Huka Falls is the most visited natural attraction around Taupo, and it is easy to see why. The whole Waikato River, flowing out of Lake Taupo, gets squeezed into a narrow rock chute and then bursts out over the falls in a wall of turquoise water and mist. You can drive right up to it, but the better way to see it is on foot, walking along the river from Spa Park.

The walk from Spa Park

We started at Spa Park, on the edge of Taupo, and followed the riverside track north to the falls. The track winds through bush above the Waikato, with regular glimpses down to the river, and it is never steep for long. It took us about 50 minutes to reach the falls at an easy pace, stopping for photos along the way.

Huka Falls

You hear the falls before you see them. The footbridge across the top of the chute is the best spot to see how much water is forcing its way through such a narrow gap, and the lookouts just downstream show the falls themselves, with mist hanging over the pool below. In the late afternoon the sun lights up the spray, which made it worth timing our walk for the end of the day.

This was not our first visit. We stopped at the falls on our first New Zealand trip in 2019, and the water was just as loud and just as blue the second time around.

Back to Spa Park

We walked back the same way, finishing across the big open meadow at Spa Park just before 6pm. The whole loop took us 1 hour 37 minutes with plenty of stops. We passed the hot springs at Spa Park on the way, but they were packed, so we skipped them. On the way back we stopped at Baked with Love for coffee: good coffee, amazing pastries, and just the afternoon pick-me-up we needed.

Tips

• Walk it, do not just drive it. There is a car park right at the falls if you only want the view, but the river walk from Spa Park is the best part.
• Go late in the afternoon. The light on the spray was beautiful when we went.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Trainers are fine. It is a good track, with a few short climbs.
• Stop for coffee. Baked with Love was a great pick-me-up on the way back.
• Pair it with something else. We did this walk on the same day as our Taupo bungee jump.

The bite

After the walk we headed into Taupo for dinner at Indian Affair. We played it safe with paratha and naan, then curried chicken and a few other traditional dishes. It was good, and it set us up for another big day.

Huka Falls walk FAQ

How long is the walk from Spa Park to Huka Falls?

It is about 4.4 miles (7.2 km) return on the riverside track. It took us 1 hour 37 minutes with stops, and about 50 minutes each way.

Is the Huka Falls walk hard?

No. It is an easy, well-formed track with a few short climbs, about 650 ft (200 m) of ups and downs in total. Most people can do it in trainers.

Can you drive to Huka Falls?

Yes, there is a car park at the falls. If you have time, the walk from Spa Park is the better way to see it.

This walk is part of our 10 days on New Zealand’s North Island itinerary.