Rotorua Lakes Loop

The lakes around Rotorua are crater and caldera lakes, and you can see several of them from the road. Head north for Hamurana Springs and Okere Falls, then loop round to Tarawera Road for the Blue and Green Lakes and the Buried Village, which was covered by the 1886 Tarawera eruption. It suits a slow day with swim stops.

The stops

1. Start

   Rotorua

2. Walk

   Hamurana Springs

   Clear spring pools reached on a flat track through redwoods

3. Walk

   Okere Falls

   Walk beside the Kaituna River to a trout pool and small falls

4. Beach

   Blue Lake (Tikitapu)

   Swimming spot and a walking track around the lake of about 6 km

5. Viewpoint

   Green Lake (Rotokakahi)

   Tapu lake; look from the lookout, no access to the water

6. History

   Buried Village of Te Wairoa

   Excavated houses and a museum on the eruption of Mt Tarawera

7. Beach

   Lake Tarawera

   Lake end of Tarawera Road with a jetty and picnic area

8. Viewpoint

   Lake Ōkāreka

   Small quiet lake on the way back to Rotorua

9. Back to the start

   Rotorua

When to go

Nov–Mar for swimming; clear autumn mornings for views

On the road

Main roads are sealed. Green Lake is tapu: no swimming, fishing or boating. Check swimming advice for each lake with Rotorua Lakes Council as water quality changes. The Buried Village is a paid attraction.