Tama Lakes

The Tama Lakes sit in the saddle between Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu, filling two old explosion craters - the lower one shallow and easily reached, the upper one deeper and set in a steeper bowl. The track from Whakapapa Village crosses tussock and alpine herbfield on a good surface for the first couple of hours to the lower lake, and that stretch is straightforward. The last part to the upper lake is the difference: a sharp climb up a loose ridge of scree and rock, exposed to whatever wind is blowing, and it is the section people turn back on. From the top the two lakes lie below with Ngauruhoe on one side and Ruapehu on the other. This is genuine alpine country - the weather changes fast, there is no shelter on the route, and warm layers plus wind protection are needed even on a fine summer morning. It is far quieter than the Alpine Crossing on the same mountain.

What you actually see

• The lower lake - shallow, in an old explosion crater, easily reached.
• The upper lake - deeper, after the steep scree ridge.
• The volcanoes - Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu on either side of the saddle.
• The tussock crossing - the open alpine first half.

When to go

December to March. Start early and check the mountain forecast - conditions at Whakapapa tell you little about the saddle. Snow can linger into December.

Honest expectations

Five to six hours return, with the final climb steep, loose and exposed. There is no shelter anywhere on the route. Wind is the usual reason people turn back. Carry warm layers whatever the valley weather.

Nearby

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing starts nearby; Whakapapa and Ruapehu are south.