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 · Bay of Plenty Region
Tarawera Falls
Tarawera Falls is a 65 m high waterfall on the Tarawera River in the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand's North Island. The Tarawera River flows out of Lake Tarawera and across a rhyolitic lava flow that erupted from Mt Tarawera about 14,000 years ago.
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.
Tarawera Falls drops 35 metres (115 ft) on the Tarawera River. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Bay of Plenty Region, 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 Tarawera Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Bay of Plenty Region 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 Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand
- Country New Zealand
- Region Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Tarawera Falls
New Zealand
Height35 mWidth—
Most similar
Bloomfield Falls
Australia
Height40 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in Australia
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
40 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Tarawera FallsBloomfield FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 28× taller than Tarawera Falls. Victoria Falls is 3.1× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Tarawera 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
-38.163, 176.52
Quick answers
Where is Tarawera Falls?
Tarawera Falls is in New Zealand (Bay of Plenty Region). The nearest base is Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -38.1630, 176.5200.
How tall is Tarawera Falls?
Tarawera Falls drops 35 metres (115 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall on the Tarawera River.
When is the best time to visit Tarawera 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 Tarawera 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 Tarawera Falls?
The usual base is Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
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New Zealand · 20 km away
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Full guide Huka Falls
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Bungee jumpingJet boat
Wairere Falls
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Āniwaniwa Falls
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