I'm a waterfall hunter from way back! Lucky for me and you if you enjoy chasing waterfalls, New Zealand has so many amazing waterfalls to be found - from the Far North of the North Island all the way to the very bottom of the South Island down in the Catlins. Because there's so many, I've broken them down into regions so you can plan your visit accordingly - you're welcome!
Photographing waterfalls is a great past-time during the day when you're in-between sunrise and sunset and looking for things to do. You'll get the best results from your waterfall shots if you use a set of neutral density filters and a circular polariser - I use KASE filters and highly recommend them as they are drop-proof and are multi-coated so that they're easy to clean when they get spray on them at waterfalls!I've also rated each waterfall for:
Ease of Access: 1 = a long or hard walk or drive to get to vs 3 = easy to get to by car and/or on foot
Photography Options: 1 = hard to photograph with a lot of spray or to get good compositions vs 3 = lots of choice and easy to photograph
Overall Experience: 1 = I wouldn't necessarily go back vs 3 = I'd want to visit anytime I was in the area
Ease of Access = 2
You can drive from either end of the gravel and scenic 309 road to find the falls but it is quicker to access from the Coromandel side, only 15 minutes from the town and the road is fairly easy to navigate if you take it slowly. Look out for Stu's wild pigs that roam free on the road before you get there - they are famous in the area! Once you get to the falls, it's only a 2 minute walk down the track.
Photography options = 2
It's very easy to get access right to the base of the waterfall pool and you can photograph from further down the stream as well to get nice rocks in the foreground. Depending on rainfall, the waterfall can run a bit dry though so it's best to plan to come after recent rain and not in the height of summer.
Overall Experience = 2
I always enjoy visiting here and have been multiple times. There aren't that many waterfalls in the north of the Coromandel so this one is a bit of a gem to find. If you drive further up the road you can explore the giant kauri grove as well. We'll be exploring this waterfall during my Coromandel Seascapes & Astro Photography Workshop too.
Ease of Access = 1
Park at the top of Ngatitangata Road at the junction with Homunga Road. It's a VERY steep 40 minute walk down through farmland to the secluded bay below, it's really the walk back up which is the slog but by that time you'll be on a high from seeing a beautiful beach at sunrise! You may or may not see the waterfall though as it only runs after rain, otherwise it might just be a trickle! You can also access the beach by walking over from Waihi past Orokawa Bay but it is a good 2.5 hours each way.
Photography options = 1
The best angle for shooting the waterfall is from side on with the beach and sand in the shot. If you're feeling brave you can climb up the cliff and shoot from behind the waterfall - I'm not a very good mountain goat so I did not attempt this!
Overall Experience = 3
I've down this walk twice for sunrise and it's a beautiful way to start the day even if you don't get amazing shots of the waterfall. For sheer uniqueness as NZ waterfalls go, this place is awesome - there aren't many places you can say you've been with a waterfall right on the beach!
Ease of Access = 3
This has to be one of the easiest waterfalls to access in NZ. It is literally a 1 minute walk from the carpark, and only 10 minutes from Waihi or the Karangahake Gorge carpark. The downside is that it can be VERY popular for swimming in summer so it could be hard to have the place to yourself unless you go early morning or late evening.
Photography options = 2
There's a few options to photograph here - you can do the classic front on shot, or try from further down stream. It's a place that looks pretty good for astro night shots too but I haven't been here at the right time to get these myself - it's on the list!
Overall Experience = 2
It's a lovely waterfall when it's flowing but can look a bit average during a dry spell. Check recent instagram pictures that are geotagged with the location before visiting if you're unsure what the flow is like. The whole of the Karangahake Gorge area is worth exploring too with some great hiking trails especially the Tunnel and Windows walks, so allow yourself enough time for these too!
Ease of Access = 2
This is my favourite waterfall in the Tauranga region. The walk itself is lovely, if a little steep, and the fact you can reach out and touch the waterfalls along the way is quite unique. The carpark here is quite small and it can get busy so aim for earlier or later in the day, this also avoids the sun being directly on the waterfall too.
Photography options = 3
There's a number of different places to shoot here because the falls are actually several tiers of waterfalls. That being said, my favourite shots are from the waterfall at the bottom, I love the leading lines of the steps in the rocks that lead up to the viewing point. It can be VERY slippery on the wet clay at the bottom though so make sure you have shoes with good grip!
Overall Experience = 3
I always enjoy bringing people here simply because the atmosphere here is really lovely, so it is a spot we visit on my Autumn Photography Workshop. It is a steep but fairly short walk to discover all the waterfalls, and there are plenty of good shots and compositions to be had, but you do need to exercise some patience too as people are prone to walking right into your shots!
Ease of Access = 3
You don't even have to leave the road to find this one, it's visible right from the carpark. Because the falls are on a hydroelectric scheme, they look best on days when the flow has been released (most Sundays of the year between 10am-4pm).
Photography options = 1
You can rock hop right amongst the various flows here which is pretty cool - and the water is definitely worth photographing when it's in full flow - other days not so much. If you're brave enough to try astro shots (it is said to be quite haunted here), I'd only recommend doing it with a friend - even with 3 of us I was still a bit freaked out!
Overall Experience = 2
The Falls are only part of the attraction of this area - the whole park is worth a visit and especially during autumn when the fall colours are in full force. We visit here during my Autumn Photography Workshop for that reason! There's also another small waterfall within the park itself and there are meant to be glow worms on this track as well. The park gates are shut after dark though so you do need to bear this in mind for any visit.
I only include this waterfall with a brief disclaimer because it is very popular despite the fact that track is officially closed. It is one of NZ's most deadliest waterfall locations because people take extreme risks to get to the bottom and several people have died or been seriously injured in the process. I believe that the local council has plans to make the path safe to get here but until they do, I won't recommend visiting here.
Ease of Access = 3
You can drive right up to 2 out of the 3 spots at Okere Falls where you can take shots. The Kaituna River has the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, which makes it a unique spot to try and capture rafters and kayakers as they come through.
Photography options = 1
Even though there are several vantage points here for shots between the 3 different locations, I've never really loved any of the compositions or shots I've taken from here - I far prefer Kerosene Creek.
Overall Experience = 2
Even if you can't get a banger shot here, this location is still fun to explore - especially if you can time it so you see rafters coming over the waterfall that's halfway down the track. Also a wee secret spot to visit is the set of steps that come off the carpark and take you down through a tunnel to a viewing point where the water is literally rushing right past your eyes!
Ease of Access = 1
The Buried Village is located on the road between Rotorua and Lake Tarawera. I've rated it a 1 simply because you do have to pay to visit The Buried Village complex to be able to access the waterfalls.
Photography options = 2
Between the stream crossing and the 2 sets of waterfalls, there is plenty of variety here - you just need to time your visit well to avoid the harsh light in the middle of the day. I visited late morning in winter and whilst it was a bit contrasty at times, we got lucky with a few passing clouds making the light more even.
Overall Experience = 2
The loop walk which only takes about 10 minutes is rather lovely albeit a tad steep in places.This spot is a bit of a hidden gem and well worth the visit if you don't mind having to pay to visit. It's a spot that I've now put on my Rotorua Landscapes & Astro Photography Workshop because I loved the uniqueness of the setting here.
Ease of Access = 2
Located half an hour from Rotorua and then a few minutes down a gravel road, this one is a bit of a hidden gem, though well known to both tourists and locals. It's a very easy walk from the car to access the upper and lower sections.
Photography options = 3
There's a good variety of compositions here, you can photograph the upper stream with its mini waterfall, the bubbling stream, or the waterfall itself from above or down at the water's edge (balancing carefully). Because it is a popular swimming spot anytime of year, you may have to be patient or clever with your compositions to avoid people in shot.
Overall Experience = 3
Where else in NZ can you take photos of a thermal waterfall? It's pretty unique in that respect. And if you bring your togs you can go for a swim afterwards too - bonus. I recommend visiting early in the day to avoid crowds of people though.
Ease of Access = 1
I'm not going to lie, this is a long drive in the middle of nowhere! It's 1.5 hours drive south east of Rotorua in the general direction of Lake Waikaremoana so you need to be prepared for that. But once you reach the carpark, there are several walks you can do to visit either the canyon or two different waterfalls.
Photography options = 3
If you can spend a whole day here, there are plenty of options for photography. The canyon is only a 10 minute walk from the carpark, while Waiaitu Falls is about 1 hour return. To get the best shots of the canyon you will need to scramble down the bank though.
Overall Experience = 3
This place feels untouched and pristine, and how anyone ever found it in the first place is beyond me! I particularly loved the walk to the waterfall - the punga ferns and the native bush were simply stunning. I really want to go back and spend more time here!
There's just one place missing off the list of best waterfalls in the region - Tarawera Falls, it's so amazing here that I have dedicated a whole post to this epic location!
For more waterfall inspiration check out the other posts in my NZ's Best Waterfalls series:
NZ's Best Waterfalls - Northland & Waikato
NZ's Best Waterfalls - Fiordland & Milford Sound
NZ's Best Waterfalls - The Catlins Edition
5 reasons why Tarawera Falls is NZ's most epic waterfall location
And if you'd like to come exploring some of these amazing waterfalls with me, join one of my weekend landscape photography workshops!
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