top of page

Your Taupō Eco Sailing Adventures Start Here

True Kiwi Sailing Experience

Discover Taupō’s Hidden Gems

Rich Local Culture & History

100% Electric & Eco-Friendly

Swim  & Scenic Photo Ops

BYO Food & Drinks Welcome

Daily electric cruises to the Ngātoroirangi Māori Rock Carvings. Unforgettable, the sustainable way.

Sail Barbary logo – yellow circle with navy blue sailboat icon

Your Sail Barbary Experience

Sailing yacht in front of the Māori Rock Carvings at Mine Bay, Lake Taupō, New Zealand

Māori Rock Carvings

Cruise to the iconic 14-metre Ngātoroirangi Māori Rock Carvings, only accessible by water.

Electric sailing yacht on Lake Taupō with passengers onboard, cruising silently near forested shoreline under blue skies

Sail silently, sail sustainably

Enjoy clean, green sailing with zero diesel fumes or engine noise on our 100% electric, Qualmark Gold certified yacht.

Group of women jumping off a sailing yacht into Lake Taupō during a swim stop, with scenic green hills in the background

Relax, swim, or take the helm

Soak up the sun, jump in for a swim, or roll up your sleeves and help hoist the sails. It’s your cruise, your pace.

Skipper sharing local history with passengers aboard a sailing yacht on Lake Taupō, with Kakariki catamaran in the background

Cultural storytelling

Enjoy engaging commentary on Taupō’s volcanic landscape, lake ecosystem, and Māori carvings from a crew who love what they do.

Guests relaxing on Sail Barbary’s electric yacht during a scenic Lake Taupō cruise, enjoying blue skies, calm waters, and sustainable sailing.

Laid-back Kiwi vibes

BYO food and drinks, connect to our sound system via Bluetooth, and enjoy a casual, friendly atmosphere.

Woman enjoying a sunset sail on Lake Taupō aboard Sail Barbary, wrapped in a blanket with a glass of wine, relaxing on a sustainable electric yacht.

Complimentary perks onboard

Every cruise includes a Sail Barbary postcard and warm ponchos when needed. Enjoy a complimentary drink on our evening cruises.

Set Sail to the Māori Rock Carvings

Sail Barbary Eco Tours cruising toward Māori Rock Carvings on Lake Taupō, New Zealand – surrounded by calm blue water, kayakers, and native bush-clad cliffs

Day Cruise to the Carvings

Departure Times 10.30am and 2.00pm - 2.5 Hours

Join our eco-boat tour, NZ's first commercial electric sail boat. A scenic tour to the Maori Rock Carvings. Commentary provided. Swimming. Hot & cold drinks BYO.

Scenic sailing charter at the Māori Rock Carvings on Lake Taupō, New Zealand – yacht anchored near the iconic Ngātoroirangi face etched into lakeside cliffs

Cocktail Cruise to the Carvings

Departure Time 5.00pm - 2.5 Hours

Come and join us on our most popular trip, kick back and relax with a free cold drink and enjoy an evening sail. Commentary on carvings. We stop for a swim and BYO is ok.

Ready to Sail? Book your spot on Taupō’s only commercial electric yacht and experience the lake the way it was meant to be seen: calm, clean and full of stories.

Aerial view of Lake Taupō, New Zealand’s volcanic caldera, with clear blue waters and distant shoreline
Sailboat cruising close to the Māori Rock Carvings at Mine Bay on Lake Taupō, offering a peaceful and eco-friendly cultural tour experience.

Taupō’s Premier
Must-Do Experience

Experience Lake Taupō from a unique perspective. Take a leisurely sail and enjoy the sights and peaceful sounds of the lake as you cruise along without the distraction of traditional diesel engines. Set sail and enjoy one of Lake Taupō’s premier experiences.

Māori Rock Carvings at Mine Bay on Lake Taupō, New Zealand, surrounded by native forest and reflected in turquoise lake water.

Learn the Legends
of Māori Culture

Journey to Mine Bay and listen as Māori legends are brought to life. Discover the masterful artistry of Matahi Whakataka-Brightwell and his vision of his great ancestor Ngatoroirangi. This is contemporary Māori Art, years in the making, full of history and significance. You may even see a Taniwha.

Classic sailing yacht with white sails cruising Lake Taupō, surrounded by native bush and clear blue skies in New Zealand.

Loved by Travellers,
Backed by Awards

With a 4.8-star rating and over 1,200 glowing reviews, Sail Barbary is proud to be ranked in the top boat tours in Taupō. We’re a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award winner — recognised for consistently delivering exceptional experiences. Come see why so many say it’s the highlight of their trip!

Electric-powered sailing yacht on Lake Taupō with guests onboard, cruising past lush green hills under clear skies near Taupō, New Zealand.

Who Said Volcano?

Explore the sparkling waters of the Taupō caldera, created by the huge Oranui eruption almost 27,000 years ago. Still active, the caldera cradles the tranquil waters of the largest lake in New Zealand. This is Taupō Moana, our great ‘inland sea’. Explore her shores and uncover the mysteries of her volcanic past.

View from the deck of a sailing yacht at sunset on Lake Taupō, showcasing vibrant skies and calm waters on a peaceful cruise.

No Wind? No Problem!

Our electric-powered yacht can do it all. When the wind is up, it’s smooth sailing… you can help hoist the sails or take the wheel. If it’s calm, our quiet, eco-friendly engines make sure you continue your journey. No noise, no fumes, no fuss. Support the future of travel today with an eco-friendly sailing adventure in Taupō!

Sailboat on Lake Taupō with volcanic hills and native bush, capturing the region’s geothermal history and natural beauty.

Clean, Pristine, & Green

Our yachts allow you to fully immerse yourself in the experience, free from the distracting noise of a motor or the smell of unpleasant fumes. Skim the surface under the sustainable power of the wind or the gentle thrust of our eco-friendly electric engines.

Sailing Taupō, with Care and Purpose

Step aboard for more than just a scenic cruise. Sail Barbary invites you to explore Lake Taupō in a way that is quiet, thoughtful, and connected to nature. Discover the Ngātoroirangi Māori Rock Carvings, soak up panoramic views, and enjoy the calm of the lake under sail or electric power. Every journey is guided by a passion for the environment and true Kiwi hospitality.

Meet The Crew

Lloyd from Sail Barbary smiling at home with his dog, wearing a plaid shirt and cap

Lloyd

Director/Skipper

Yellow sailboat Sail Barbary icon on blue

Tracey

Head of Operations

Chris-Sail-Barbary

Chris

Lead Skipper

What Our Happy Sailors Have To Say

Sailboat helm view, sunny day, calm waters

"Would 100% love to do that again. Thank you for a great day out."

We really wanted to do a Taupo boat trip touristy experience for my mums birthday/overseas family visiting and was recommended to do Sail Barbary over the others because you can jump off the side of the boat! And what a good decision that was! We had a super fun day, learnt some really cool facts about the lake, surrounding mountains, local areas and of course the stories about the carvings. Was my first time on a Sail boat and now I'm fascinated by all the inner workings of it all. Would 100% love to do that again. Thank you for a great day out.

- Anna

Happy women on a boat trip
"Magical Afternoon"

What a magical afternoon we had aboard the Barbary yacht with Captain Chris. The cruise out was stunning and informative. It was a bit cool for a dip for us but a few were braver. I would highly recommend this as long as the weather is good.

- Megan

Sailboat approaching rocky cove, green hills
"Couldn't ask for a better way to see the Maori carvings."

Unforgettable experience, great boat and very nice captain on board !
Couldn't ask for a better way to see the Maori carvings, definitely a must do.

- Lucille

Sail Barbary Yacht on a sunny day at sea
"Found a fantastic swimming spot."

Fantastic trip, Chris was a wealth of knowledge. It was great to experience the silence of an electric yacht. Also found a Fantastic swimming spot. Highly recommend trip.

- Nick

Family on Sail Barbary, sunny ocean voyage
"The staff were awesome, from reception to the captain."

This was our little ones 1st sailing trip at 5 1/2 months old. The facilities were great, even being able to squeeze the baby capsule in the middle. The staff were awesome, from reception to the captain. We would highly recommend and would love to visit again. Thank you for a great experience!

- Donna

Sailboat view, mountains in distance
"So much nicer on a sail boat than the other motorized tourist vessels."

An excellent morning out on the lake. Very enjoyable and so much nicer on a sail boat than the other motorized tourist vessels. Great value.

- Michelle

Get in touch and we’ll steer you in the right direction!

bottom of page