About Tawhai Falls
Tawhai Falls (pronounced “TAW-fai”) was a waterfall that we pursued after noticing a sign for the Tawhai Stream that was right off the road on our way to Whakapapa Village.
It was an unexpected find as we had targeted Whakapapa Village as a place to base ourselves for a few nights in anticipation of doing the popular Tongariro Crossing hike.
Traversing between the three major volcanos of Mt Ngauruhoe, Mt Ruapehu, and Mt Tongariro, these mountains anchored Tongariro National Park.
The reserve was said to be New Zealand’s oldest national park and 4th oldest in the world.
Since the sign by the car park said it was about a 20-minute return walk, we thought why not give it a go?
After following the fairly simply track to the overlook at the brink of the falls, we learned that this was an attractive waterfall (despite its diminutive 5m height) plunging into a secluded bowl-like plunge pool.
Since we generally preferred to see waterfalls from the bottom as opposed to the top, we continued on the short trail that eventually led us to the banks of the Whangapapanui Stream.
Then, we did some rough (and slippery) scrambling to get past the obstructing rocks and to the view you see pictured at the top of this page.
It was the kind of serene scene that we could have just chilled out here for a bit (and maybe even go for a swim).
However, given the threatening weather and the cold temperatures, it wasn’t a good idea for us to pursue those activities at the time.
Authorities
Tawhai Falls is administered under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.
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