Huka Falls and Rototura

Huka Falls of Lake Taupo, New Zealand

We were up and on the road at 8AM, headed for Taupo, and then Rototura. I just drove, my mind having zero expectations for the day. Just happy to drive through sheep infested grasslands with the sort of scenery seen in illustrations from fairy tales. Ila however was eager to take a boat trip on Lake Taupo that would get us a good view of Huka Falls. Arriving at Lake Taupo we waited for whomever ran the boat trip to arrive. When someone did arrive, it was the boat captain. He said the boat would take off as soon its other passengers - teachers and school children - we could leave. The captain was sure there would be room for Ila and I. Departure was set for around 12:30-ish. 

 While we waited, I rummaged around the car park, and noticed something fluttering. I assumed it was a Sky Lark which love to 'sky lark' about. This bird kept fluttering upward, hanging the air, then landing. Then I got close enough for photos and became besotted - this was no Sky Lark, this was a decidedly fancier bird.



I followed the little fluttering thing for quite a while. Finally it very-nearly-settled down, allowing shots of it through fencing posts.  The little beauty with it's fancy tail and striped face was a Fantail, one of the endemic (native) birds.

The Fantail is loved by Kiwis for the flashy tail it doesn't hesitate to show off.

I only managed one photo of it and that tail is quite the show stopper, even when seen through posts.

Flying New Zealand Pigeon - sadly, not my photo

When it was time to board the boat, I was pretty riled up by the local birds. Nearly lost my mind when I spotted a gigantic pigeon, high overhead, bulleting into the forest. It was a native species, a New Zealand Pigeon. It shot by quickly enough I couldn't begin to get my camera aimed at it. I was talking myself out of the idea that I'd actually seen the bird.


However, when the kiddies and teachers arrived, and it was time to board the boat cruise, the captain, bless his heart spoke to me. "You're a birder aren't you? Saw you watching that New Zealand Pigeon fly by."  Having the captain second my identification of the pigeon was comforting and I thanked him as profusely as if he'd just saved me from drowning.

There were other birds of note before we even left the dock. Right next to the boat an Australian Black Swans sat on its nest, while its mate dipped and dabbled, pulling up long strands of weed, for placing on the nest.

Swan pulling up lake weeds, & placing them on its nest

'Dab Chick' or New Zealand Grebe

The Captain pointed out a teeny wienie water bird, slinking on the off shore. He called the cute little thing a 'Dab Chick'. Reminded me of Texas Least Grebes.






As the little boat chugged onto the lake, I realized this was going to be a wonderfully birdie day. Here are the birds of Lake Taupo.

Australian Coot

Little Pied Shag

Rafts of New Zealand Scaups

 Black Shag. 'Shag' is the British name for Cormorants. Interesting as 'shag' has other British meaning as you'd know if you, say, enjoyed watching 'Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery'.

Black Shag

Australian Black Swans were everywhere on the lake

 The captain made sure to bring the school kiddies over to view a Black Swan sitting on its nest.

I suspected this swan was used to being
approached by boats. It didn't budge an inch

Sacred Kingfisher

I got one far off photo of a Sacred Kingfisher, another White-faced Heron.











I loved seeing lots of beautiful little red-legged shore birds, Pied Stilts, that several times, bulleted past the boat.

Pied Stilts

It took about an hour to get up to Huka Falls. Along the way there were several vantage points that people hiking though the riparian jungle on either side of the lake, could view the lake and the falls. When we got to the falls, the captain called on group after group of the school kiddies to climb onto the bow of the boat, to scream and shriek with the joy of getting misted over by the waterfall.

School Teachers

I, a connoisseur of international kiddos, was tickled to see they appeared to be Maori. During all this, Ila and I were seated at the back of the boat. I'd already had a look inside the body of the boat, in which the ceiling was coated with international money of all sorts.

The ceiling of the little boat was papered over with international money





Then to our startled 'horror' Ila and I heard the captain cry out, "Now let's have the two lovely American Ladies get up on the bow, to see the Falls."

Amazing that we weren't the ones screeching when we got our turn, which you can see below.


Thoroughly enjoyed the boat cruise, which I probably wouldn't have even thought of doing had I been on my own, so thanks for that Ila!

The boat trip completed, we then drove to Rototura, which is a HUGELY popular tourist town. There we checked into the ginormous Millennial Hotel.

The Millennial has the biggest lobby I've ever seen in a hotel

There was beautiful, hand carved Maori artwork and paneling strewn about.

Greenhouse type walkways between the hotel sections

We were tickled that for whatever reason, we scored another 'upgrade', though this time it wasn't to a penthouse, but to a room with quite a nice view.

The view from our hotel room, overlooking Lake Rotorua

Also part of the 'view' is the Rotorua Museum

It was classic Crepes Suzette with lemon ice for 'moi'

We put our stuff away and zoomed out for a short drive and a long walk in downtown Rotorua. We hit up the numerous souvenir shops (no... I restrained myself). Then later in the evening we had dinner at the Millenial's restaurant where it was lamb for Ila and duck for me, and yummy desserts for us both.