Turangi Overview

The self-proclaimed “Trout Fishing Capital of the World,” Turangi (pop. 3500) is the smaller, wilder, and fishier cousin of Taupo. Waters teem with anglers, but there is plenty of space, tackle, and catch to go around. Alternatively, fishers and travelers use the abundant hostels in town as bases for the justifiably popular Tongariro Crossing and other hikes in the remote Kaimanawa Forest Park.

Transportation. InterCity/Newmans stops at the Travel Centre (☎386 8918), at the corner of Tautahanga Rd. and Ngawaka Pl., and heads daily to: Auckland (5hr., 5 per day, $56-60) via Taupo (45min., $16-20) and Hamilton (3hr., $43); Rotorua (2hr., 5 per day, $36); Wellington (5hr., 4 per day, $59) via Palmerston North (3hr., $40). InterCity’s Starlighter overnight service heads to Auckland daily at 1:10am and to Wellington daily at 1:45am. The laid-back folks of Alpine Scenic Tours (☎0800 872 258; www.alpinescenictours.co.nz), also at the Travel Centre, run daily shuttles to Whakapapa Village by way of the Tongariro Crossing trailheads (45min.; 7, 7:30am; returning from Ketatahi Carpark at 4, 5:15pm; round-trip $30), or on demand to National Park Village (1hr., 1 per day, $25). Tongariro Expeditions also runs to the Tongariro trailheads. (☎377 0435 or 0800 828 763; 6:25, 7:15am; arriving at Mangatepopo Carpark at 7, 8:15am; returning from the Ketatahi Carpark at 3:30, 4:30pm; $30-35.) On all of the shuttles, the early-bird service is for those who want to try (in futility) to beat the crowds; it will generally cost $5 more. Although one should consider the risks involved and Let’s Go does not suggest it, hitchhiking to Taupo is reportedly not too difficult; those heading north on SH1 wait at the corner of Pihanga Rd. near the visitors center or the Shell station.

Orientation And Practical Information. Turangi is about 6km from Lake Taupo on SH1, which continues north around the lake to Taupo and south where it’s known as the Desert Road. Parallel to SH1 is Ohuanga Road (Tautahanga Rd. in its northern stretch), the main road through town. Connecting SH1 to Ohuanga Rd., Pihanga Rd. is the site of the Town Centre complex, which holds virtually all essential shops and services. The Turangi i-Site is just across from the Town Centre. Check here in winter to make sure the Desert Rd. is open before heading south. (☎386 8999; turangivc@laketauponz.com. Open daily 8:30am-5pm.) For park information and before attempting any Tongariro walks, stop by the Turangi i-Site or the DOC at Ohuanga Rd. and Turanga Pl., at the south end of town. (☎386 8607. Open M-F 8am-4:30pm.) Other services, all in the town center unless otherwise noted, include: a bank (open M-F 9am-4:30pm) and ATM; the police (☎386 7709), at Ohuanga and Tautahanga Rd.; Turangi Pharmacy (☎386 8565; open M-F 9am-5:30pm, Sa 9:30am-12:30pm); a 24hr. emergency doctor (☎378 7060); Internet access at the Turangi i-Site ($2 per 20min.); the post office is inside Naylor’s Bookshop (☎386 7769; open M-F 9am-5pm).

Accommodations And Camping. Turangi’s accommodations will set you up with shuttles and discounts for affiliated outfitters and may provide reason enough to use Turangi as a base for Tongariro’s trails. With a serene courtyard, state-of-the-art kitchen, and log fire in the Sky TV lounge,  Extreme Backpackers (BBH) , 26 Ngawaka Pl., around the corner from the bus depot, is better than home—unless home includes a 14m climbing wall. (☎386 8949; www.extremebackpackers.co.nz. Climbing wall $5 for guests. Linen $2. Gear rental for tramping and camping $5. Key deposit $5. 4-bed dorms $21; singles $34; doubles $48, with bath $58. MC/V.) Newcomer  Riverstone Backpackers (BBH) , 222 Tautahanga Rd., packages itself as a boutique hostel with leather couches, lantern lit deck, outdoor wood-burning pizza oven, and modern kitchen. There is space for anglers to clean their catch out back. (☎386 7004; www.riverstonebackpackers.co.nz. BBH discount. Dorms $25; shares $28; doubles 62, with bath $74. MC/V.) Former bunkhouse of the Tongariro Power Scheme workers, the Turangi Cabins and Holiday Park , off of Ohuanga Rd., southwest of the center of town, maintains the small cabins and poor lighting of yore. (☎386 8754; cabinsgalore@xtra.co.nz. Linen $4. Tent sites $11. Cabins and chalets $20 per person; 2-person on-site caravans $44. MC/V.)

Food. The  Grand Central Fry , 8 Ohuanga Rd., has excellent individual meals (under $5) and five-person packs ($15) for the hordes. The four-fillet fish burger is the house special ($5.80). (☎386 5344. Open daily 11am-9pm. In winter, Su-Th 11am-8:30pm, F-Sa 11am-9pm. MC/V.) The imposing Four Fish Restaurant , at Pihanga and Ohuanga Rd., lives up to its name, serving large sizes of the fresh catch ($23-30) and specialty pizzas galore ($16-20). (☎386 6340. Open Tu-Su 11am-10pm. MC/V.) The Turangi Truck Stop , 1km west of town where Atirau Rd. meets Tukehu St., stays open 24hr. (☎386 8760. Grub $2-8. Cash only.) For groceries, head to New World, in the town center. (Open daily 8:30am-7pm. MC/V.)

Sights And Outdoor Activities. The Tongariro River is Turangi’s biggest attraction. Knowing, perhaps, that they are the center of attention, husky 1.5-2kg trout are a sure-fire bite. Fishing guides start at $80 per hr. That cost does not include licenses ($18 for 24hr.; one-week $50), which are available at the Turangi i-Site as well as several tackle shops. Barry Grieg’s Sporting World, in the Town Centre, rents fishing gear packages from $57 per day and charters boats. (Open M-Sa 8:30am-5:30pm, Su 8:30am-4:30pm. Charter boats $65 per hr. 3hr. min. Waders $15 per day, rods and reel $15 per day.) Those who prefer a hands-off approach should head to the DOC’s Tongariro National Trout Centre, 4km south of town on SH1, where visitors can learn more than they ever wanted to know about milking (yes, milking) trout. There is also an informative on-site museum. (☎386 8085; www.troutcentre.org.nz. Open daily 10am-4pm; May-Nov. 10am-3pm. Donations requested.) Several operators raft down the Class III upper section of the river, featuring over 60 rapids closed in by walls of bush. Rock ’n River will take you rafting, let you jump off a hidden waterfall, and soak you in a hot pool at the end of the day. (☎386 0352 or 0800 865 226; www.raftingnewzealand.com. $99.) The Tokaanu Thermal Pools are off the main road of tiny Tokaanu Village down SH41 from Turangi. (☎386 8575. Open daily 10am-9pm. $6 per 20min., cooler public pool $4. )

Turangi’s other big attractions are tracks, like the nearby  Tongariro Crossing —often hailed as the finest one-day trek in the world—and paths in the rugged hills east of Tongariro that constitute part of the Kaimanawa Forest Park. Kaimanawa, primarily used for multi-day hunting and tramping trips, is huge (77,348 hectares), hard to access, and not developed for visitors. If you choose to visit, plan your trip carefully and consult with the DOC about huts, hunting season, and private land regulations. An easier option for travelers is the Lake Rotopounamu Walk, which leaves from a signpost 11km up SH47. The short hike makes a quick 5km loop through native fern forest around the small lake hidden at the base of Pihanga (the 1325m extinct volcano towering over Turangi). Those itching for a summit but too timid to try the Tongariro trinity tackle Mt. Tihia (4hr. round-trip), also near town, which is accessible from Te Pananga Saddle, 7km up SH47.