Lake Karapiro
A reservoir on the Waikato River that is home to New Zealand’s national rowing centre. Its wide, calm waters are suitable for kayaking, cycling and lakeside picnics.
Lake Karapiro is a reservoir formed by the Karapiro hydroelectric dam, completed in 1947. It stretches about 21 km along the Waikato River. Its calm waters make it New Zealand’s national rowing training centre, which hosted the World Rowing Championships in 1978 and 2010. On the lakeshore, Mighty River Domain has lawns, a jetty and a café, where you can rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, and rowing races are often held in summer. The Te Awa cycle route and the Waikato River trail run along the lake, so you can cycle there. Entry is free. It is about 10 minutes’ drive from Cambridge and about 30 minutes from Hamilton.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Cambridge
- Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
- Hamilton Gardens
- Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
- Waikato River Paths & Te Awa River Ride
- Hamilton Lake Domain (Lake Rotoroa)
- Zealong Tea Estate
- Hamilton Zoo