DK Eyewitness New ZealandDK Eyewitness
Guidebook
DK Eyewitness New Zealand
DK Eyewitness · 2024
Illustrated maps and regional chapters, helpful for planning a road trip between Taupo, Waitomo and Fiordland.
New Zealand · Hauraki District
Owharoa Falls
Owharoa Falls is a staircase waterfall in Waikato, New Zealand, located off Waitawheta Road in Karangahake Gorge, near State Highway 2, between Paeroa and Waihi, and close to the small settlement of Waikino.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Owharoa Falls drops over a series of steps. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Hauraki District, New Zealand. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Owharoa Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Hauraki District are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
Getting there
- Base town Hauraki District, New Zealand
- Country New Zealand
- Region Hauraki District, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Owharoa Falls
New Zealand
Height—Width—
Most similar
Tarawera Falls
New Zealand
Height35 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall and in New Zealand too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
35 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Tarawera FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Owharoa Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Moon New ZealandJamie Christian Desplaces
Guidebook
Moon New Zealand
Jamie Christian Desplaces · 2024
Built around road trips and the Great Walks, a good fit if you're combining the Milford Track with North Island falls.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet New Zealand
Lonely Planet · 2023
The 21st edition covers Fiordland, Milford Sound, Taupo and the Waikato, so it handles every NZ fall on this site.
The Rough Guide to New ZealandRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to New Zealand
Rough Guides · 2023
A current second opinion on routes and stays, with good coverage of the Waikato and the road into Milford Sound.
On the map
-37.42025, 175.76351
Quick answers
Where is Owharoa Falls?
Owharoa Falls is in New Zealand (Hauraki District). The nearest base is Hauraki District, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -37.4203, 175.7635.
When is the best time to visit Owharoa Falls?
Peak flow is September to December. Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
What can you do at Owharoa Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Owharoa Falls?
The usual base is Hauraki District, New Zealand. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Owharoa Falls
Wairere Falls
New Zealand · 153 m · 40 km away
The North Island's tallest waterfall
Hūnua Falls
New Zealand · 70 km away
The Hūnua Falls are on the Wairoa River in the Auckland Region of New Zealand, near Hūnua. The land around…
Bridal Veil Falls
New Zealand · 55 m · 90 km away
A dramatic single-drop falls near Raglan's famous surf breaks
Tarawera Falls
New Zealand · 35 m · 110 km away
Tarawera Falls is a 65 m high waterfall on the Tarawera River in the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand's…