Tieke Falls is roughly a 40-minutes’ drive away from Taupo, or just 30-minutes' from Kinloch. The road surface is always sealed.

From Taupo follow Thermal Explorer Highway, then turn left into Poihipi Rd and stay on it for the next 22km. Turn left into Marotiri Rd and follow it until you reach an intersection with SH-32. Turn left and stay on SH-32 for the next 23.5km. A huge car park is on your left immediately past the bridge over the Waihaha River. There is a shelter with heaps of detailed maps, benches and a long-drop toilet available on the parking.

You have two options: either walk or ride your mountain bike. Walking is about 3.5-4 hrs return. Below we describe a mountain biking option.

From the car park take the Waihaha River Trail which follows the river for a few hundred meters before it crosses the river on a swing bridge. Then the trail climbs to the top of the cliff and follows the river. There are lots of stunning views of the river and the gorge from the trail. The markers along the trail indicate where you are: as soon as you reach a 'half-way' marker, ride your bike for 5 more minutes until you see a huge bench located at the falls lookout.

Return via the same track (total cycling time 1.5hrs); or continue on to the mail trail organize a shuttle from the Waihaha Road end (total cycling time 1.5hrs); or from the end of Waihaha River Trail continue on to the Waihora track  (total cycling time 3.5-4hrs) and organize a boat from the end of the trail.