Join us for a relaxing cruise along the magnificent Lake Taupo aboard The Ernest Kemp, a beautiful vintage replica steamboat!
Lake Taupo, one of the largest freshwater volcanic craters in the world, is home to the famous Maori Rock Carvings.
Only accessible by boat, we will get you the closest to these incredible 10 metre high carvings which tower high over New Zealand’s largest lake. Learn about the spiritual and cultural significance of the area from your skippers interesting and informative commentary.
With comfortable seating both inside and out, bathroom facilities and a licensed bar, we’ll ensure your cruise on the Ernest Kemp will be warm and comfortable. Your skipper even welcomes you to join him in the wheelhouse and take a turn at the wheel! Bring a towel as there may be an opportunity for a swim *at skippers discretion.
The Ernest Kemp cruise is an enjoyable outing and a great way to see the Maori Rock Carvings and to get out onto Lake Taupo.
Cruise Duration:
10:30am, 2pm, 5pm and 7pm = 2 hour (approx).
9:00am, 12:30pm, 4:30pm = 1.5 hour (approx).
Thank you, Deane! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the cruise and appreciated the history and scenery. Your feedback means a lot to us!
We thought we'd take it down a notch or two and cruise the lake before skiing the next day. Nice surprise. An interesting trip with the carvings as the highlight but traveling close to the shore meant you took in a lot of the uniqueness of this stunning lake. Well catered for with wine, beer and nibbles. And Captain Haddock was informative while not intrusive. Will do it again
Thank you, Ian! We love that the cruise gave you that perfect breather before hitting the slopes. It’s great to hear you enjoyed the carvings and the cruise itself. We’ll pass on your review to the skipper he’ll be thrilled to hear your kind words. Appreciate you cruising with us and sharing your thoughts! We hope to see you again :)
We loved this cruise out on Lake Taupo. The crew were amazing. The crewman that walked around talking to everyone on board was a delight. The skipper/ compere was so knowledgeable and had some great anecdotes to share. Our 2 boys LOVED being invited up to have a turn driving. Definitely recommend.
What an awesome review, thank you! We're so glad the whole family had a great time out on the lake. The crew will be stoked to hear your kind words, especially knowing the boys had a blast up front. It means a lot to us when guests feel welcomed, relaxed, and entertained, that’s exactly the experience we aim to deliver every day. Thanks again for joining us and for sharing the good vibes!
They promised a hot muffin and a coffee so we skipped breakfast. There was a kettle and some packets of instant headache coffee and a dry Arnotts cookie made of sorrow.
Perfect day for a pleasant trip on the Lake. Carvings a bit disappointing when we'd thought they were ancient, but were only a few years old! Sparse commentary as we went. Otherwise good.
Hi Verity, thank you for your feedback and for joining us on our cruise. We’re glad you enjoyed the beautiful day on the lake. While the carvings are relatively recent, they represent an important and meaningful tribute to Māori culture and heritage, making them just as fascinating. We appreciate your comments about the commentary and will work to improve it with more detailed and engaging narration. We hope you have a lovely day!
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Deane Randall from United Kingdom wrote on 09 September 2025
Maori rock carving cruise
Great very informative. Got great photos of the carvings and a history of lake Taupo and the different bays.