Taihape

TAIHAPE ACCOMMODATION | Taihape Apartments

TAIHAPE ACTIVITIES AND TRAVEL | Taihape Information

Taihape is a small town close to the middle of the North Island of New Zealand. It services a large rural community and lies on State Highway 1.

Every March there is a famous Gumboot Day for locals and visitors with Gumboot throwing competitions, good music, great stalls and fun entertainment anybody of any age.

Taihape has some fabulous cafes and eateries to cater to any need. If you wish to stay overnight there are several accommodation options to choose from.

There are fun things to do while visiting Taihape such as the famous Mokai Gravity Canyon which is an exciting bungy jump, bridge swing, flying fox ride and chairlift, or River Valley allows you to go white water rafting and scenic rafting. There's also plenty of trout fishing to be done at Green Trout Guiding and Tarata Fishaways or for horse lovers you can visit Ruahine Adventure Horse Treks.

To check out some history you can visit the Taihape Museum, New Zealand Army Museum in Waiouru and famous giant Corrugated iron Gumboot. The Overlander train stops off at Taihape twice a day so getting there is so easy.

Taihape History

The Taihape region was first inhabited by local Maori tribes who settled the area before the arrival of Europeans; descendants of these tribes still live in the area. The first European to the region was William Colenso's in 1845. In 1884, the surveyor's party for the Main Trunk railway line cut a rough track through the district. The town was founded in 1894, when European settlers arrived from Canterbury in the South Island.

Main Towns in the Manawatu Region

Other Towns in the Manawatu Region