Lake Taupō Māori Rock Carvings Scenic Cruise aboard Ernest Kemp

A great experience. The company displayed efficiency and safe boating practices. Captain was reassuring when waves increased. History behind carvings was provided with great story telling. A great way to see some of the lake

Very comfortable with free coffee and cookie, blankets to help keep warm, interesting history facts about the area, and of the actual carvings. I think Pele know about the main large face but they are others that i have never seen or heard about before.

Excellent Commentary from the skipper .

My partner and I both really enjoyed this. The Skipper & crewman were both wonderful and went out of their way to be both informative and accommodating. Also loved that we could take our dog on board. Great value for money. Highly recommend!

Good thing to do in Taupo. I recommend

Excellent family friendly morning, the crew were brilliant and the scenery was beautiful, we got very lucky with weather the weather too, it was a calm, sunny day. I appreciated how family friendly it was with colouring provided for the children. The skipper was highly knowledgeable and great fun! Highly recommend!

Very nice, informative, and pleasant little excursion.

A beautiful day out. One of the best boat trips we've ever been on ! Great value. Very friendly staff. Great commentary with excellent local knowledge. Very skillful boat captain who drove us close to the Maori carvings for photos. Wonderful views of surrounding areas. Highly recommended.

Cruise was ok, takes 45mins to get to one rock w/ carvings created by art students and then another 30mins cruise back with a 10min stop in a bay for a 5min swim - bit expensive for what you get - only adv is you get to see taupo town from water Staff are great and Service is very good. Cruise was overall good, but there were not enough rock carvings to view.

We enjoyed this short cruise trip on Lake Taupo immensely during our first experience. We've now been back on board at least 5 more times taking friends and family to share this very relaxing and fun adventure! The guides provide local information and do their best to get you close up to the rock carvings. Covered seating is available. We, however, really enjoy sitting in the wind and sun on the stern benches. We've been at all times of the year and there all always other water craft around, ducks flying nearby, and in summer there are even kids jumping from tall rocks ashore. We enjoy seing the changing view of Tongariro National Park in the distance as the weather changes with the seasons. Their lite snacks are fun. We've also met interesting families and individuals from around the world. The price is very reasonable. Price, comfort, and a relaxing experience keep us coming back. Different lighting makes pictures and videos of the carvings interesting as there are so many small adjacent carvings to discover alongside the large main carving. Ticketing online is easy. Then just show up at the dock. The crew member takes your name to allow you on board. Then just sit back and enjoy! The marina area is easy access with plenty of adjacent parking, public toilets, and the marina ambiance is an enjoyable experience as well. In summer our adult kids rented a large paddle board there and had some play time while we shopped for groceries. Other adventures are also available nearby; Orokei Karako, Aratiatia Dam, Huka Falls, Lava Glass Factory (glass blowing & showroom). We love slipping in a quick lunch at Texas Pete's or Yuki Sushi. Good food and good value. Quick service too. For a longer sit-down dining experience, Dixie Brown's is great also. Then the drive down to Turangi along the lakeshore is lovely, expecially during sunrise or sunset hours. Watch for pull outs where you can park or picnic along the shore.