Only a few kilometres from its birth in Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s longest river funnels into a narrow chasm. The 100 metre wide Waikato River is forced into a narrow 15 metre channel causing a bubbling maelstrom of spray, water and whirlpools before cannoning over a nine metre rock ledge. 
Around 200,000 litres (53,000 US gallons) of seething waters, enough to fill five Olympic swimming pools gush over Huka Falls every second before reverting into the calm waters of the Waikato as the river again gradually widens. From a pedestrian footbridge, visitors can view where the landscape turns the sedate emerald green Waikato into the torrent that the Maori term hukanui or river of foam.
Jetboats, so suited to the shallow rapids of the New Zealand rivers drive near to the foot of the falls drenching their passengers and providing a stellar vista of these majestic waters.
Sometimes over-ambitiously described as New Zealand’s Niagara, Huka Falls is a visual feast of spray and bubbling waters bouncing off canyon walls and is a far more spectacular waterfall than its modest heights would ever indicate.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Niagara of New Zealand (Huka Falls)
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13 comments:
Wow.. What a thrashing flow will be there.. Its really amazing to witness a wild river of 100 meters width funneling into a 15 meters narrow path and than to a 9 meters rock edge...
Wow, that water is crystal clear - beautiful!
I loved your description of the falls as being "overenthusiastically" described as the Niagara of NZ ;-) and I see [from ll the posts you've written about waterfalls that you are as passionate about them as I am!
I have also seen many beautiful waterfalls in Central America but my photos aren’t as beautiful as yours.
I love the thundering energy of a waterfall like Huka. Sounds like a "son't miss" in New Zealand!
Very goos description. There are many giant waterfalls through out the America and India.. but this one is really awesome..
#real estate: Great sight seeing all that water gushing under your feet.
@sunee: Wonderfully clean emerald water
@barbara: I adore waterfalls and seek them out wherever I can. Nature at its most majestic...
@marina: You are very kind.
@heather: It is a great sight and only a few minutes outside Lake Taupo and less than one minutes walk from the carpark. There is also a superb geothermal site nearby called Craters of the Moon which contains steam rising from the ground and boiling mud pools.
@health link exchange: Fortunately the world is full of picturesque and stunning waterfalls in so many shapes and sizes.
I love Huka Falls. It's a gorgeous place! Great choice.
Everytime I see flowing water like these it makes me feel comfortable.
I went to this place 7 years ago. It is very beautiful. But you have to walk from the town to this place. It is not very far from Lake Taupo town.
@nomadic matt: It is a great place. Surging water is remarkably soothing and uplifting.
@Rais Nur Arief: Me too.
@sunduvan: It is about 3 kms north of Lake Taupo. And only about a minute off the main road.
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