Jumping off stuff is what you do in Taupo.

• If you came here to go skydiving then continue on through the town and follow highway 1 along the eastern shores of the lake. Taupo airport is seven kilometres out of town on your left. There are a couple of skydiving operators but reputably the best is Freefall Skydive. They offer tandem skydiving packages from 12000 or 15000 feet - that's a full on 45 - 60+ seconds of free fall. Wahooooo! Good luck with your big jump - it will be absolutely awesome and unlike anything else you have ever done. Taupo is a great place to fall out of the sky - the great lake below you and the mighty volcanic backdrop of Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom from Lord of the Rings). Note: there is a 100kg weight restriction so if you are pushing a hundred stop eating for a few days or go back and do Joe's triathalon a few times at speed. If you plan to go sky diving make sure you book beforehand, then ring to confirm and get the latest weather forecast. 

• If 15000 feet is too high then what about 47 metres? Taupo also has a bungy jump - it is not as big as those in Queenstown but it is still pretty cool (I mean plunging 47 metres is still pretty exciting where ever you do it right?). Taupo bungy is located on Spa Road and over looks the beautiful Waikato river. Note: You need to be over 45 kilograms to do this one (there is a McDonalds at the southern end of Ruapehu Street if you need more ballast).

• If 15000 feet was too high, and 47 metres was still too much then get back in the car and follow highway 1 around the eastern side of the lake (go past the airport and keep going). The road leaves the lake edge for awhile and then rejoins it at Hatepe. The road then begins to climb high above the lake and after a few turns you will come to a particularly sharp bend (you are looking for the 3rd 25 km/hr corner with a black and white striped safety barrier). You need to stop here. There is a small parking space on the other side of the road but if you continue on the way you are going you will soon come to a suitable place to turn around. Turn around and pull off to the side of the road just before the safety barrier (there may already be a few other cars parked here). Be careful, this is a very busy road (being state highway number one and all). If you get to a camping ground you have gone too far. Behind the safety barrier you will find a short track that leads through bush to the top of a cliff. This is the Taupo cliff jump. It is a lot lower than the bungy jump but it will still scare a few people. For others it is an easy and fun way to drop into the crystal clear waters of Lake Taupo. Once you hit the water you can swim a short distance to the right (facing away from the cliff) and scramble back up a little track. Have fun. Some people have struggled to find this spot so when you leave Taupo look out for the turnoff to Napier. When you past this reset your odometer. It is 26.8 km from here to the cliff jump.

• A few kilometres north of Taupo there is an intersection, if you turn left (going north) the road takes you to the Craters of the Moon thermal area. This thermal area involves a short walk through some pretty crazy terrain. They have had a problem with car break ins here in the past so they now charge a small fee to watch your car. On the same road there is also a well-established maze of mountain bike tracks - these are worth a look if you are a keen rider.
   

• There is a good lookout just before Taupo, which provides a great view of New Zealand's biggest lake (and if the weather is clear the impressive Tongariro Volcanoes behind).

• Just north of Taupo, on the same road as Reid's farm, is the impressive Huka falls waterfall. Jump out of the car and check it out.

• If you continue past the Huka falls carpark, going back towards Taupo,  you will come to Reid's farm camping area (see Accommodation section).
   
• This is also the location of for the start of Joe's Triathalon (see below). If you are staying at Reid's farm this is the perfect way to start the day. But if you are just passing through and want to do something completely different then try this! 

Joe's Triathalon

This rather easy triathalon involves three events - the run, soak and float. If you have grand plans to one day compete in an Ironman then this is the perfect place to start. We recommend that you only complete this activity in summer. In winter the river is way too cold and the chances of hypothermia are great. Please note: this event involves swimming down a large river - if you are not a competent swimmer do NOT attempt this. Instead you can complete a dualthalon and have somebody pick you up from Spa Rd. Conditions may change and GOOT takes no responsibility for poor judgement - if the river is flowing fast or you are not a strong swimmer do not do this! Definitely do not do the swimming component of this event in winter.

Here's how it works:

1. Park your vehicle at Reid's farm and run northwards along the road a couple of kilometres to the Huka Falls carpark. Run across the bridge and back down (southwards) the other side of the river. A gravel path follows the river for a couple of kilometres before crossing over a small stream which flows into the main river. Stop here you have completed the run. Now for the next challenging discipline - the soak!
    
2. You may have noticed that the small stream passing under the bridge is steaming. Why? Well it comes from a nearby thermal park and is boiling hot. Under the bridge you will find a nice little hot pool formed in the river. All you need to do is sit in it and soak for as long as you want. Tough huh? Explore further up stream - there are other pools as well.
    
3. The final leg involves floating back down the river to Reid's farm. Enter the river where the hot stream flows into it - this will make the transition from hot to cold more bearable. Then swim out into the current (be warned the Waikato river is very cold). Let the current carry you slowly downstream. It doesn't take very long to float back to the camping ground - make sure you hug the left hand side of the river (looking downstream) and find a suitable place to get out. Warning!! Do not float past the camp ground - remember the Huka Falls you saw earlier - well they are down stream!!
    
4. Well done you have just completed the world's easiest triathalon. 
    

Note: you can also access these pools from Spa Road. There is a adult friendly flying fox close to the car park which is also fun.

• There is a good walking track which follows the river from Taupo north. It passes the site of the hotpools and continues to Huka Falls and beyond.

• Another fun interesting thing to do (at select times of the day) is to drive North on highway one. After Wairakei instead of following highway one take highway 5. Look out for the turnoff to Aratiatia rapids on your right. Here you will find a dam across the mighty Waikato River. Everyday at 10 am, 2 pm and 4 pm (in summer) the control gates are opened and a mass of water is sent tumbling down the river. It is pretty impressive but obviously you need to time it right.
   
• The mountain biking tracks close to the Craters of the moon are pretty good, but not as cool as the ones in Rotorua.