The Taranaki Falls Loop Hike from the small village of Whakapapa, New Zealand, winds over 6 kilometers of beautiful alpine terrain. We hiked it on day 4 in New Zealand. We were supposed to make the Tongariro Alpine Crossing that day, but strong winds and fickle weather meant the crossing was not advised. We pushed it back a day, leaving us time to explore the lower reaches of the park, and the day hikes out of Whakapapa Village. The Taranaki Falls Hike starts on a well used, and well-kept part of the Tongariro Northern Circuit, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. Taranaki Falls, the half-way point and most spectacular feature of the hike, flows over 15,000 year old lava flows, dropping dramatically 20 meters from the alpine plateau above. Below the falls, the water carves deep gorges, and flows through mystical rainforest, replete with epiphytes and thick vegetation. The two-hour round trip was one of our favorite short hikes in New Zealand, and a good warm-up for the 19.4km Tongariro Alpine Crossing the next day.
