How Big and Deep is Lake Taupo?

Lake Taupo, or in Māori known as Taupōmoana, is the biggest freshwater lake in New Zealand that each year attracts thousands of people, to enjoy all that Lake Taupo provides. But how big and deep is Lake Taupo?

Before we get there, it’s important to know that Taupo itself is a popular destination with a variety of activities, and events, and Lake Taupo and its surroundings are popular attractions during all seasons. Summers are filled with water-based activities, and spring and autumn are great for hiking in the nearby Mt Ruapehu, while during winter skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts can have a good dose of fun.

But it’s not a tourist destination just because of the many activities you can experience when visiting the area. It’s Lake Taupo itself and its origin, as well as Lake Taupo size that blows every visitor’s mind away.

Imagine this…

You are enjoying your sailing trip to the Māori Carvings and admiring the vastness of Lake Taupo, when after your question “How big is Lake Taupo?” the guide shocks you by casually revealing Lake Taupo size “The surface area of Lake Taupo (616 km2) is almost as big as Singapore (710.2 km2).”

You take a deep breath to process the information and ask another question “But how deep is Lake Taupo?”

And the guide gives you some more Lake Taupo facts that make you feel massive awe towards this beautiful lake “Lake Taupo isn’t just a standard freshwater lake, but there, 160 m underneath you, is a volcano.”

Lake Taupo is located in the caldera of Taupo Volcano – a large cauldron-like hollow that formed shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption approximately 25,600 years ago. The volcano has erupted 28 times since then, and the last eruption took place 1800 years ago. Even though the volcano is considered dormant, there are small earthquakes happening from which the majority go unnoticed by the general public and don’t cause any damage. It is just the tectonic plates doing a tectonic plate thing – moving around, as the magma under the earth’s surface moves. 

Magnificent! Isn’t it?

As mentioned before, Lake Taupo region attracts lots of visitors today, but 700 years ago, when the first Maori settlement was established in the area, due to many harsh volcanic eruptions, the soil was poor and the lake itself didn’t have much life as a source of food. Luckily the tribe survived and built settlements (pas) in the more fertile parts of the area:  Pukawa, Te Rapa, Waitahnui and Motutere.

By the way, Motutere now has the only holiday park that’s located right on the shores of Lake Taupo. Being only 20 minutes from Taupo township, which was founded by the British military in 1869, is a great location to choose as a base for your holidays.

Read more about the Motutere Top 10 Holiday Park here: https://www.laketaupotop10.co.nz/about/