The Waikato River (meaning “flowing water”) is the longest river in New Zealand. It flows 245 kilometres starting from the snows and ice fields of Tongariro National Park into Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake. At Lake Taupo’s northeastern edge it creates the Huka Falls, then flowing northwest through the Waikato Plains into the Tasman Sea at Port Waikato.
The Waikato River which is normally 100m wide, is squeezed through a 20 metre wide gorge and over a 20m drop thus creating the gushing, fast and powerful current of Huka Falls. The name Huka is the Maori word for ‘foam’ a very appropriate description of these falls. The beauty of the Huka Falls and what makes it an interesting an a place worth a visit is the force of nature turning a small, calm lake into a foaming, white river.
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