Lost tramper found 'cold and dehydrated' near Lake Rotoiti

The St John ambulance waiting for the lost tramper. Photo / Land Search and Rescue Rotorua

A tramper was found "cold and dehydrated" by a search and rescue team after going off a walking trail near Rotorua.

Rotorua Police Senior Sergeant Graeme Hill said a Rotorua man in his 40s became disorientated and lost on a vague route that runs above Hinehopu at the end of Lake Rotoiti about 2pm on Saturday.

A search and rescue team was sent out and used mobile location data to find the track.

The search area and location mapped out by search teams. Photo / Land Search and Rescue Rotorua

After following it a few kilometres down, they found the person "cold and dehydrated".

After giving them a warm cuppa and something to eat, the lost person was able to walk out of the track and a St John crew was waiting to assess the patient.

Hill said the search wrapped about 7.45pm.

The tracks were regularly used in the area, however, police had not been called to retrieve a lost tramper there for a "long time", he said.

Part of the search team walking the vague route. Photo / Land Search and Rescue Rotorua

The Land Search and Rescue Rotorua Facebook page said: "We strongly encourage people planning to explore off-track routes to have adequate supplies, including a compass, map and GPS and know how to use them."

If the person had been carrying a map or compass they may have been able to self-correct, yet they did the right thing by calling for help and staying put when they realised they were lost, the post said.