The Great Lake Walkway runs along the shore of Lake Taupo from the Taupo boat harbour south to Five Mile Bay — a flat, easy trail of roughly ten kilometres each way with uninterrupted lake views throughout. You can walk the whole length and back, or simply take a section and return the way you came. Early mornings on the track are outstanding, with the Tongariro mountains reflecting in still water.
The walkway passes the Taupo Hot Springs beach — a stretch of shore where geothermal water seeps up through the sand and gravel, warming the lake edge to spa temperature while the deeper water stays cool. It is one of the stranger bathing experiences in New Zealand, and it costs nothing.