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 · Taranaki Region
Te Rere o Kapuni
Te Rere o Kapuni, also known as Dawson Falls, is a waterfall in the Taranaki region of New Zealand. Located at the base of Mount Taranaki, the waterfall is said to be the place where the Māori prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana received and revived his healing powers, and is considered sacred by Māori in the Ratana Church.
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.
Te Rere o Kapuni drops over a series of steps, inside Egmont National Park. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Taranaki 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 Te Rere o Kapuni itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Taranaki 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 Taranaki Region, New Zealand
- Country New Zealand
- Region Taranaki Region, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Te Rere o Kapuni
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 Te Rere o Kapuni 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
-39.32518, 174.10743
Quick answers
Where is Te Rere o Kapuni?
Te Rere o Kapuni is in New Zealand (Taranaki Region), inside Egmont National Park. The nearest base is Taranaki Region, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -39.3252, 174.1074.
When is the best time to visit Te Rere o Kapuni?
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 Te Rere o Kapuni?
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 Te Rere o Kapuni?
The usual base is Taranaki Region, New Zealand. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Te Rere o Kapuni
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Bridal Veil Falls
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Full guide Huka Falls
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