While I was on a break, I thought it would be good to go do a couple of day trips around Tongariro, before the weather turned and it wasn't feasible anymore. The lady at the visitors centre said that snow was forecast for later in the week (around easter) so I thought I better do the longer walk first and leave a shorter one for the next day. I decided to go see the Taranaki Falls, and then continue on to the Tama Lakes, which was about a 5-6hr return trip.
The Taranaki Falls only took an hour to get to, and they were stunning. If I'd had someone with me I would've gone and stood behind or next to the falls so I could get a photo, but as it was I just got one at a distance. There was also a lovely smallish waterfall next to a bridge on the track to the waterfall.
After that I continued on to Tama Lakes. There was fog obscuring Mt Ruapehu on my right, but I could see most of Ngaruahoe to my left. It was pretty cold, and the wind started picking up the closer I got. Everytime I passed Northern circuit trampers I would ask them how long to Tama Lakes, and they would usually ask how much further to Whakapapa, so it was a mutually beneficial exchange.
I got to the bottom Tama lake, about 10mins off the turnoff and took some photos. After that you had to climb up a narrow ridge following some poles around to the second lake. I wasn't sure i wanted to go any further so I asked some german tourists heading back down if it was worth it. "Yes, its fantastic, absolutely" one replied, so I kept going, at which point the wind really picked up. I got down on my knees and huddled behind a big boulder and considered whether I should go on or not, as I was starting to get cold and didn't want hypothermia.
Then I figured, well if I've come all this way, I may as well keep going, so I headed up about 20 minutes and saw the Upper Tama Lake down to my left, which made my day, the water was an incredible colour blue, so I sat down, appreciated the view and had my lunch there.
Then I headed back. It seemed a lot faster going back, I think it was a bit more downhill, I was glad to see my car and the warm aircon as I headed back to my friends for a hot shower.
The Taranaki Falls only took an hour to get to, and they were stunning. If I'd had someone with me I would've gone and stood behind or next to the falls so I could get a photo, but as it was I just got one at a distance. There was also a lovely smallish waterfall next to a bridge on the track to the waterfall.
After that I continued on to Tama Lakes. There was fog obscuring Mt Ruapehu on my right, but I could see most of Ngaruahoe to my left. It was pretty cold, and the wind started picking up the closer I got. Everytime I passed Northern circuit trampers I would ask them how long to Tama Lakes, and they would usually ask how much further to Whakapapa, so it was a mutually beneficial exchange.
I got to the bottom Tama lake, about 10mins off the turnoff and took some photos. After that you had to climb up a narrow ridge following some poles around to the second lake. I wasn't sure i wanted to go any further so I asked some german tourists heading back down if it was worth it. "Yes, its fantastic, absolutely" one replied, so I kept going, at which point the wind really picked up. I got down on my knees and huddled behind a big boulder and considered whether I should go on or not, as I was starting to get cold and didn't want hypothermia.
Then I figured, well if I've come all this way, I may as well keep going, so I headed up about 20 minutes and saw the Upper Tama Lake down to my left, which made my day, the water was an incredible colour blue, so I sat down, appreciated the view and had my lunch there.
Then I headed back. It seemed a lot faster going back, I think it was a bit more downhill, I was glad to see my car and the warm aircon as I headed back to my friends for a hot shower.
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