A cascading waterfall dropping over black rocks into a pool in the rainforest with ferns

Waterfalls of New Zealand's North Island

· Travel · 3 min read

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New Zealand's North Island is full of waterfalls. Some drop into pools in subtropical rainforest, others pour over the basalt edges of volcanoes, and one is so blue it looks like another planet. On my travels I photographed dozens of them. Here's my pick of the most beautiful waterfalls on the North Island, from north to south.

1234567Whangarei FallsOwharoa FallsWairere FallsBridal Veil FallsMarokopa FallsHuka FallsTawhai FallsWaterfalls from north to south37°27′ j. š.S100 km
Mapa: Waterfalls from north to south
  1. Whangarei Falls – Northland 35.690° S, 174.326° E
  2. Owharoa Falls – Karangahake Gorge 37.418° S, 175.797° E
  3. Wairere Falls – the highest on the North Island 37.745° S, 175.882° E
  4. Bridal Veil Falls – near Raglan 37.917° S, 174.896° E
  5. Marokopa Falls – near Waitomo 38.244° S, 174.816° E
  6. Huka Falls – a blue river near Taupo 38.649° S, 176.090° E
  7. Tawhai Falls – Tongariro 39.202° S, 175.528° E

Whangarei Falls (Northland)

A 26-metre waterfall close to the town of Whangarei. The water drops over a basalt edge into a pool, and a loop leads below the falls and above them. It's most beautiful from a drone or from the viewpoint above the pool. More in a Northland road trip.

Whangarei Falls dropping into a pool, seen from above

Owharoa Falls (Karangahake Gorge)

A small but very photogenic waterfall where the water runs down cascades of black rock. It's only a few minutes from the car park. In the Karangahake Gorge you can also walk through historic gold-mining tunnels.

Wairere Falls

At 153 metres it's the highest waterfall on the North Island. The track to the viewpoint leads through rainforest in about 45 minutes, to the top edge of the falls in two hours. From the top there's a view over the whole Waikato plain. It's close to Hobbiton.

Bridal Veil Falls (Raglan)

A 55-metre waterfall that falls like a veil over a basalt overhang. It's only 10 minutes from the car park. If you like, you can take the steps right down below it.

Marokopa Falls (Waitomo)

A wide 35-metre waterfall in the rainforest, by many people's reckoning the most beautiful on the North Island. A short walk to the viewpoint. Combine it with the glowworm caves at Waitomo.

A tall waterfall dropping into a pool in thick rainforest

Huka Falls (Taupo)

Huka Falls aren't high, but they're powerful. The Waikato river rushes through a narrow gorge here, and every second over 200,000 litres of unbelievably blue water pour through. From the bridge over the gorge you can feel it shake.

Tongariro: Tawhai and Taranaki Falls

Tongariro National Park has two beautiful waterfalls. Tawhai Falls are known as Gollum's pool from The Lord of the Rings. Taranaki Falls drop 20 metres over a lava overhang, and the loop to them (6 km) has views of Ruapehu. More in the Desert Road and Tongariro.

  • Waterfalls of New Zealand's North Island, photograph 3 of 5
  • Waterfalls of New Zealand's North Island, photograph 4 of 5
  • Waterfalls of New Zealand's North Island, photograph 5 of 5

How to photograph waterfalls

  • A tripod and a long exposure (0.5–2 s): the water turns to silk.
  • An ND filter by day, otherwise the photo will be overexposed. More in ND, CPL and UV filters.
  • A polarising filter removes reflections on wet stones and leaves and brings out the green.
  • An overcast sky is ideal: there are no harsh shadows in the rainforest.
  • A microfibre cloth in your pocket: the spray gets everywhere.

Faq

What is the highest waterfall on the North Island?

Wairere Falls near Matamata, at 153 metres.

Which waterfalls are closest to Auckland?

Kitekite Falls near Piha and Hunua Falls south-east of the city, both about an hour's drive.

When is the best time to photograph waterfalls?

After rain, when there's more water in the rivers, and under an overcast sky for soft light.

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