Tarawera Falls

Upstream of the falls the Tarawera River runs across old lava, and part of it disappears into fissures in the rock. What happens at the falls is that the water comes back out - not over a lip, but straight out of the middle of a vertical rock wall about sixty-five metres high, in jets from cracks partway down the face, while a smaller surface flow drops over the top. There are few waterfalls anywhere that look like this. The walk in from the car park is about twenty minutes on a good track. The complication is access: the road runs through working forestry land and a permit must be obtained beforehand from the i-SITE in Kawerau, which is not something you can do at the gate or at the weekend without planning. Longer tracks continue upstream to the outlet of Lake Tarawera, a four to five hour return walk past further falls and swimming holes.

What you actually see

• Water from the rock face - jets emerging partway down a cliff.
• The disappearing river - the flow that sinks into the lava upstream.
• The short track in - twenty minutes from the car park.
• The upstream walk - four to five hours to the Lake Tarawera outlet.

When to go

October to April. Get the forestry permit in Kawerau first - the road is gated and permits are not issued at the site.

Honest expectations

The permit requirement catches people out and there is no way round it. The forestry road is unsealed and long. There are no facilities at the falls. Logging traffic has right of way.

Nearby

Lake Tarawera is upstream; Kawerau and Rotorua are west.