Lake Tarawera Outlet to Taupo

Day 3 - Tuesday 1st March

Lake Tarawera Outlet to Taupo - 115km

1. Tarawera Outlet Camp to Tarawera Cafe (10km Kayak)
2. Tarawera Café to Lake Ohakuri, Waikite Valley Arm (45km Road Bike)
3. Lake Ohakuri to Orakeikorako (19km Kayak)
4. Orakeikorako to Taupo (41km Road Bike)

After a few evening showers, Tuesday dawned fine and warm with just a light breeze. A perfect day to paddle across Lake Tarawera. The sun was just peeking over the horizon as we set off across the lake, destined for the café 10km away on the western shore. We skirted around the southern banks, keeping in touch with dry land in case the wind got up and enjoying the scenery. There were only two other boats on the lake for the entire journey and an hour after set off we beached on the sunny shore right outside the café. The sun was well up now so I took a swim while we waited for Keith in the glamper van to arrive with breakfast. 30 minutes later we were enjoying poached eggs on toast, sitting on deck chairs looking back across the sparkling lake to where we’d come from. Superb!

It was the sort of scene that you don’t really want to leave but we had to get moving since we had a big day ahead. The next leg was a road bike to the headwaters of the Waikite Valley arm of Lake Ohakuri 45km away to the west. It was a pretty easy ride and the valley is quite scenic - we arrived at the lake boat ramp, looked over our shoulders, and the support crews drove in behind us. Perfect timing.

We refuelled with another good picnic lunch, then paddled off toward the Waikato River and Orakeikorako. Sadly there was some sort of algal bloom going on. The water was thick and soupy and smelt gross in some places but gradually cleared once we got to the main river and swung south with a tail wind helping us to our landing point. We caused a bit of a ruckus as we landed because apparently it’s private land and we didn’t have permission, but turning back certainly wasn’t an option and once we explained what we were doing to the owner everything got worked out. His comment was “no, you’re not supposed to land here but you guys are mad so go for your life”.

The last leg of the day was a road bike in to Taupo. The original plan was to finish the day at Kinloch so that we could start paddling across Taupo from there the following morning, but it was becoming obvious that a Lake Taupo kayak wasn’t going to happen due to the approaching dodgy weather. So we changed the plan and braved 15km of SH1 madness, finishing at the Spa Road Top 10 motor camp.

We treated ourselves to a bit of luxury and splashed out on a cabin and dinner out at a local restaurant. A well deserved reward after a long hard day.