Of the Waterfalls I Visited in New Zealand

I find myself incredibly lucky to spend the bulk of the pandemic stuck in, of all places, New Zealand! When folks back in my country were stuck at home in the concrete jungle of Singapore, I was hiking in the wilderness and exploring the nook and cranny of this enchanting country – from the mountains to the seas, the caves and the waterfalls!

And the best part of it all – doing all those explorations while the country was closed from the rest of the world. No crowds at all!

I was in New Zealand on the Working Holiday Visa throughout the pandemic from Dec 2019 to early 2022. Browse through this dedicated page for all my job experiences and tramping expeditions in New Zealand. 

If you are interested in caves and caverns, here’s one I have put together for your perusal. This post may be updated periodically.

---

Waterfalls of South Island

I spent most of my time living on the South Island. Queenstown was my first port of call, and the lockdown happened when I was packing apples in Motueka.

Of the nine Great Walks I did, the best are in the South, particularly the Southland.

Southland’s position and geography influence its climate and topography, so you get plenty of rainfall, resulting in plenty of gorgeous waterfalls.

Milford Track

Labelled as the ‘finest walk in the world’ in 1908, the Milford Track is New Zealand’s most famous walk. It is also the most highly subscribed. 

I did this track during the off-period, a week before it was due to open for the fully-booked Great Walk season.

Sutherland Falls

The tallest waterfall in New Zealand resides on this Great Walk. It cascades from Lake Quill in three tiers, over 581 m, into a forested lake. Getting there, however, would need you to do a multi-day walk into the wilderness.

Alternatively, you could book a helicopter tour to the fall and lake without the hike.

As with all the towering falls, prepare to be badly sprayed!

---

Waterfalls abound in Milford, and aside from the Sutherlands, there are plenty more obscure ones lying around. Some are accessible, while others can only be seen from afar. Some are permanent, while others appear only on a very wet day. The most ethereal Milford Track happens to be the aftermath of a miserable downpour.

Hirere Falls

Hirere Falls is another set of falls located about an hour after Clinton Hut. You could only see them from afar. Fret not if you think you may miss them as DOC has a sign pointing to their whereabouts.

Hidden Lake Falls

It is as its name implies – the falls end in a hidden lake. This waterfall is about a 5 mins walk from the main route, right after you have seen Hirere Falls.

Prairie Lake Falls

Right after Hidden Lake Falls.

---

Milford Sound

One of the most visited natural attractions in New Zealand, Milford Sound has plenty of waterfalls to boot, especially on rainy days. Travellers cruise to the sound via a day trip from Te Anau or Queenstown. Alternatively, you could be like me – I combined this experience with a flight from Wanaka.

Bowen Falls

All trips out into Milford Sound will encounter Bowen Falls first. Representing one of the two permanent falls here, the tallest waterfall in the sound plunges a whooping 162 m into the head of Milford Sound, providing water and hydroelectricity to the town nearby.

Aside from seeing it from the cruise, you could do a short walk to the falls, accessible only by boat. 

Stirling Falls

The 151 m Stirling Falls, our next permanent fall, is located further down the sound. Unlike Bowen Falls, this fall plunges directly from a sheer cliff. A deep cove underneath it allows cruises to inch remarkably close to the waterfall – which explains our drenched looks.

---

Doubtful Sound

As with the Milford Sound, the comparatively less visited Doubtful Sound has plenty of waterfalls too. In contrast to the Milford Sound, this fjord is huge with several inlets or arms. Make sure you book an overnight cruise in to enjoy its sights and silence.

I cannot remember or pinpoint the names of the exact waterfalls on this sound. Especially not when it pours and a million of them materialise from nowhere!

Plus I was too occupied with kayaking and enjoying the cruise to note what was said. Still, here’s a photo of Helena Falls – one of the permanent falls in Doubtful Sound.

---

Routeburn Track

Routeburn Falls

Unlike the waterfalls of Milford Track, which are nestled relatively deep within, the waterfalls of Routeburn are comparatively accessible. If time is of concern, you could visit the Routeburn Falls without walking the entire track, as the falls are within a day’s walk (return) from the carpark.

There is another massive waterfall at the end of the track. Earland Falls, a plunging 174 m cascade, is about three hours from The Divide. We were unable to visit this massive fall as the track was under construction following the 2020 flood.

---

The Catlins

Southland aside, there are several more dainty falls not so far away in the Catlins, located between Invercargill and Dunedin. Check out this road trip here for the accompanying attractions.

McLean Falls

McLean Falls isn’t very tall, but its secludedness makes it a very pretty cascade to visit. 

Purakaunui Falls

This three-tiered cascade in a beech forest has water tumbling over it like icing on a cake.

---

Arthur’s Pass

Do you know that the highest pass over the Southern Alps is Arthur’s Pass? It is the shortest access between the east (Christchurch) and west (Greymouth/ Hokitika).

Devil’s Punchbowl Falls

I did not visit the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls, choosing to spend my day in Arthur’s Pass climbing Avalanche Peak instead. I did, however, see this waterfall during my climb as the 131 m cascade was directly opposite us. The low-effort-high-value walk to the waterfall is a mere 2 km or an hour from the carpark.

Avalanche Creek Falls

Funny how I did not manage to appreciate this waterfall in retrospect. The 80 m Avalanche Creek Falls reside beside the path towards Avalanche Peak. 

The only way to fully see it is from the Devil’s Punchbowl Track.

---

Waterfalls of North Island

Waterfalls on the North Island may not be as grand or as breathtaking as the falls in the South. But they are still worth a visit while you are there!

Northland

The Northland is this weird piece of land separated from the rest of the North Island by Auckland. What happens if you’re caught in Northland when Auckland is in lockdown? I know! I was exactly that while touring this state for five days in a campervan.

Rainbow Falls

The Rainbow Falls track is a 27 m waterfall in Kerikeri accessible to people of all abilities. There are three viewpoints to appreciate the curtain waterfall – two upper lookouts and a lower one. For the best sight, go for the lower one.

Haruru Falls

Haruru Falls may not be tall, but it is wide. Located about 15 mins from Paihia, this waterfall is an easy walk from the carpark.

---

Waikato

Caves and glowworms aside, Waikato has a couple of good falls. The largest waterfall on the North Island, though very close to the Bay of Plenty, is in Waikato.

Marokopa Falls

There’s a nice countryside road trip in Te Anga with a couple of attractions thrown in. The 35 m cascade is one of them.

You can check out the other two here.

The 600 m return route takes roughly 20 mins – a low-effort-high-value walk.

Wairere Falls

The tallest waterfall on the North Island is about an hour’s ride from Te Puke. Yes, you got that right – I visited the waterfall while doing kiwi grading! 

The falls look impressive from the lookout, which makes the 1.5-hour return track worthwhile. For those keen to hike to the top, buffer half a day for the entire trip. 

---

Around Rotorua and Taupo

Do you know that Taupo Lake is the crater of a supervolcano, and Rotorua is built in a crater too? That aside, here are a couple of memorable falls around this region.

Huka Falls

The Huka Falls is one of the most spectacular falls for me. Despite its relatively short drop of 11 m, the sight and sound of its roaring milky-blue water tumbling down at great speed was a sight to behold. While there is a concrete bridge over the narrowest part of the rumbling river, the best point to witness its prowess is from an adjacent platform.

If you would like to see the power of the falls up close, consider a river cruise or a jet boat. 

Tutea Falls

You could hike 30 mins into the forest to see Tutea Falls. But the most exciting way to experience the falls is to surface from the tumble down.

The Tutea Falls, nestled deep inside the forest, is the highlight of the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall. A 7 m drop does not sound like a lot for a waterfall. But the same cannot be said for a participant on a white water rafting excursion over this same fall.

---

Lake Waikaremoana

My last and ninth Great Walk in New Zealand was around Lake Waikaremoana. Situated in the eastern corner of the island, getting to this lake is not easy. Portholed-ridden roads and poorly maintained huts and routes aside, the lake held its unique charms.

Korokoro Falls

Given the season we were in, and the (lack of) popularity and remoteness of this track, Korokoro Falls was our biggest highlight. You have to drive four hours from Rotorua and hike two days into the forest to get to the 22 m falls. Not forgetting trekking over a rather busy river on slimy wet rocks.

Ending

And that is all about the waterfalls I have visited in New Zealand.

If you are a serious waterfall hunter who would like to see as many in NZ as possible, this website is useful for your search.

Else, make sure you visit the low-hanging accessible ones around, and, if you are up for the challenge, hike into Milford Track for the tallest waterfall in NZ.

For more guides and activities to do in NZ, make sure you check this page for all my posts!

These two posts of the South and North, including maps and key locations, are a must for any Working Holiday makers.

Take care and happy planning!