Discover the ancient Māori Rock Carvings on Lake Taupō with the trustworthy team at Chris Jolly Outdoors!
Tick off one of the top things to do in Taupō as you visit some of New Zealand's most extraordinary artworks, the historic Ngātoroirangi Māori Rock Carvings!
Attracting visitors from all around the world, the Māori Rock Carvings are truly unique and only accessible by water, towering 14-metres above Lake Taupō.
You'll travel aboard the Cruise Cat, a stylish vessel that has been built for comfort offering warm booths and spacious viewing platforms that get you right up next to the scenery.
Enjoy live commentary and a hot beverage and muffin on board, and keep the kids entertained with colouring, a treasure hunt, or even driving the boat if the skipper allows. The afternoon cruise also includes a trout fishing demonstration where you'll also learn about various fishing options on Lake Taupō.
The friendly team at Chris Jolly Outdoors has over 40 years of experience and place high importance on your safety and wellbeing, so you can expect exceptional service, high attention to hygiene, and an all-round awesome time out on the water!
All prices are shown inNZD ($)
Wonderful comments thank you, we really appreciate your feedback.
Staff were great and very knowledgeable. Definitely would do it again
Thank you Brett!
The cruise was fantastic, was a great day out cruising to the Māori carving rocks with beautiful views and a sight to be seen but what out shone that was the amazing staff , just the best energy , so friendly , funny and entertaining ... I loved that it was an all girl crew too .. thank you ladies you girls are awesome
We’re thrilled you enjoyed the cruise and the crew – the girls will be so happy to hear your kind words. We hope to see you back on board again soon!
It was fantastic. Friendly crew. Great information about the legends etc. Top notch muffins 👌
Thank you, Chrystal!
The beautiful experience, the people provided so much care. Blueberry muffins and tea was beautiful. Our kids loved it and even got to steer the boat - walking off with a certified skipper certificate.
Sounds like you all had a great time! Thank you for joining us.
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Jonathan Arnold fromNew Zealand wrote on 23 September 2025
A Taupō Cruise Experience Above and Beyond
We had such a fantastic family experience on our Lake Taupō cruise to the Māori carvings. The crew were outstanding – great communication, warm and friendly, and they shared fascinating historical insights alongside the standard safety info. The sailing itself was smooth and relaxing, with commentary, hot drinks, and even home-made muffins. They went above and beyond by putting out fishing rods (even though it wasn’t advertised for our trip) and giving our youngest the unforgettable chance to steer the boat under supervision – complete with a certificate he absolutely treasures. There was plenty of time for photos at the carvings, and the whole trip felt relaxed and family-friendly. Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Taupō!