Totarapapa Falls

 

Totarapapa Falls

Totarapapa Falls is a typical multi-step waterfall located in Te Urewera National Park. The lower leap is accessible by foot, while the upper one is seen from a distance only.

Driving and walking conditions

GPS of the view point: S 38° 38' 53.001" E 176° 53' 59.1468"
Parking: Ruatahuna Rd, Urewera National Park
Vehicle type: 4WD vehicle recommended Track type: Easy walking track
Road type:30km Gravel Road Return track duration: 1min

Waterfall parameters

Waterfall height: 40m Type of the waterfall: Multi-step

Rating:       ⭐⭐
GPS:          S 38° 38' 53.001" E 176° 53' 59.1468"
Parking:     Ruatahuna Rd, Urewera National Park
Access:     1min return walk


Walking and driving instructions

 

Totarapapa Falls is roughly a 2-2.5 hours’ drive away from Rotorua or 4-4.5 hours’ from Napier. We recommend a 4-WD vehicle if you travel from Napier.

Driving from Rotorua: head south on the SH-5, then turn left into the SH38 and follow it for the next 76.5 km. This road becomes a gravel one roughly past Te Whaiti.

Driving from Napier: head north on the SH-2, then turn left into the SH38, a sealed road, which becomes a gravel one for the last 50km. The last 15-20 km is a zigzag road, sometimes one-way one, which runs along the lake's shore. Don’t rely on Google calculations. The road is quite a difficult to be driven on with lots of ‘zigzags’ and unsealed surface.

There is a small car park at the SH38 (no toilets) which is very easy to miss out. Watch for a small sign 'Totarapapa Falls' along the road. Rough idea how to find it: when you drive towards Rotorua, it’s 2km past a bridge over the Whakatane River.

The waterfall is seen from the parking. You can walk to the waterfall’s base (1 minute walk), or cross the road and admit its beauty from a distance.


Waterfalls nearby

Mangamate Waterfall

Rating:       ⭐⭐
Access:     5min return walk
Driving:   26.1 km (36 mins)

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Whirinaki Falls

Rating:       ⭐
Access:     3hrs  return walk
Driving:   28.7 km (41 mins)

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Whirinaki Forest Iconic Waterfall

Rating:       ⭐⭐⭐
Access:     30min return walk
Driving:   28.7 km (41 mins)

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Waiatiu Falls

Rating:       ⭐⭐⭐
Access:     1hr  return walk
Driving:   28.7 km (41 mins)

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