Tag 43 - Drive from Taupō to Te Kuiti

In the morning, we visit the Huka Falls. The river transports 200,000 liters of water over the 9-meter-high waterfall per second. We take some pictures and walk along the Waikato River. Then we hurry to be at the Aratiatia Rapids before 12 o'clock. The dam releases 65,000 liters of water into the river four times a day. According to the information on site, this also happens at 12 o'clock. Unfortunately, the dam is currently permanently open due to maintenance work, and Dennis is a bit disappointed. He would have liked to see the masses of water flowing down the river. The dam also generates electricity. In general, up to 81% of New Zealand's electricity consumption can be covered by geothermal and hydropower. New Zealand has the third-highest share of renewable energy in primary supply in the OECD (after Norway and Iceland).

Afterwards, we visit Craters of the Moon, a geothermal area near Taupō. It is impressive to see the ground steaming and mud bubbling in the caves. There are large former volcanic craters where the rocks have been colored differently by various minerals. We wander around the area and enjoy the view of Taupō.

In the afternoon, we continue driving towards Waikato. 2/3 of the journey is completed today. We look forward to the remaining 22 days, 2 of which we will spend in New Zealand. In the evening, we cook pasta again and take a short walk through Te Kuiti.