The Best Campsites in New Zealand
During our three week rooftop tent and campervanning through the North and South Island of New Zealand we stayed in campsites, holiday parks, and freedom camping areas in some of the most scenic locations. Below is our favourite areas to stay, their google maps location, and how to reserve them.
How to find the best campsites:
- The CamperMate application that you can download lists almost all the campsites (paid, free camping areas, private camping, etc) and is how we found a few last minute spots!
- Research the area to see the best place to stay (google maps, blog posts, etc). This way you can really get the perfect place to stay.
Our top campsites during our stay:
- Purakaunui Bay Campsite
- Pouakai Tarns Camping
- Toko Mouth Campsite
- Milford Sound Lodge
- Lake Edge Holiday Park
- White Horse Hill Campsite
- Marakopa Holiday Park
- Brighton Beach, Dunedin
- Whangamata Motor Camp
#1 Purakaunui Bay, The Catlins
The pictures speak for itself! This campsite is quite the drive, but thats what makes it so worth it. This one needs to be reserved through the DOC website but the price is right. You are staying literally a one minute walk from the beach with the most unreal views. This was our favourite campsite and although there were other people there was plenty of space to park and it didnt feel too busy (we even had the beach to ourselves for quite a bit of time).
Location here
Reserve here
#2 Pouakai Tarns Camping, Egmont National Park (New Plymouth)
I’ll let the pictures convince you again why this is top of the list. Whilst this isnt a campervanning spot, it is a camping spot for an overnight hiking trip! Its a 12km there and back hike, and we hiked at the half way point. You need to reserve this campsite through DOC, but there isnt a place online to reserve this you will need to call them and check that the rules havent changed for camping at the top (we confirmed with them for our night before we started our trek).
Not feeling camping outside? They also have a hut that can accomodate people but it fills up quite fast so book in advance!
Location here
Contact information here
#3 Toko Mouth Campsite, The Catlins
This campsite is really out of the way, but when we were roadtripping through the Catlins we needed somewhere to stay and sometimes its chances like these that surprise you the most!
The campsite itself is a large grass space for campervans and such, but its the location thats next level. Less than 5 minutes from the campsite is a massive stretch of beach that goes on for literal hours and has some beautiful sunsets. I dont know how safe the beach is for swimming, but the views are worth it by itself! Its a quiet area that really makes you feel like you are exploring the off the beaten path in New Zealand.
This campsite takes donations so whatever you are willing to spare is all that it will cost you for the night.
Location here
#4 Milford Sound Lodge, Milford Sound
Covered in the trees in the heart of Milford Sound, this campsite was a favourite for multiple reasons. We wanted to stay in the area over night to get an earlier tour and to experience the Milford Sound area without all of the tourists. This campsite also has some of the best facilities we came across and has a secluded and luxurious feel to it (even if we were still in our campervan). If you are coming to Milford Sound (which is a bucket list New Zealand experience) this is the place to stay!
Looking for more information on our Milford Sound experience? Find our blog here.
Location here
Book the Milford Sound Lodge here
#5 Lake Edge Holiday Park, Lake Tekapo
This campsite is right on the waters edge of the famous Lake Tekapo and also has some great facilities and a great location. Right beside the beach with bright blue water and a short walk into town, this campsite is a great stop on your roadtrip. For dinner we ate out on our picnic table that looked over the water! There are no campsites directly on the water here, but there are some front row spots that have unobstructed views. The remainder of the campsites are built on levels (on a hill) so are elevated enought that you still get a great view. We stopped here after our adventure in Mt Cook National Park.
Location here
Campsite here
#6 White Horse Hill Campsite, Mt Cook National Park
You couldnt ask for a better location with this one! So many people have the Mt Cook area on their New Zealand bucketlist so if you are planning on staying overnight close to the action you couldnt get closer than this! Although this campsite doesnt have the usual facilities, it is nestled in between the mountains just minutes from the most popular hikes in the are such as the Sealy Tarns track (and the Mueller Hut route) and the Hookey Valley track.
Not planning on staying the night? There is parking right beside this campsite for those that are visiting for the day.
Location here
Reserve here
#7 Marakopa Holiday Park, Marakopa (West Coast North Island)
This one was another one we took a chance on – and it paid off! It was such a good start to our trip. We couldnt find a campsite close to where we were staying so we decided to head out further to the coast to see a bit more of the area and we were so glad we did. We found a campsite nestled far into the west coastline on the North Island. The campsite is small with average facilities but is a very quick walk away from a stunning black sand beach. With the location being so far out theres a high probability you will have this beach to yourself or share it with some of the locals. This was our first encounter with a black sand beach in New Zealand and it is really a must-see! If you are trying to get off the beaten track, this campsit is up your alley.
This campsite uses Kiwicash so make sure you purchase a FOB in advance and load some cash onto it before you arrive.
Location here
Reserve here
#8 Brighton Beach, Dunedin
This one we crossed on a whim when travelling through Dunedin and trying to find a free place to stay for the night. The campsite where we stayed was really just a parking lot and was nothing special (infact it was a bunch of campervans jam packed) but being two minutes from the beach makes this another great camping spot for the list. Theres a great field for stretching the legs and a playground for kids close by aswell. Great views and a stunning beach is what you can expect here and its freedom camping, meaning first come first serve and no cost!
Location here
#9 Whangamata Motor Camp, Coromandel Peninsula
This campsite we actually stayed at during a storm and the owners were so accomodating! The campsite itself is pretty standard, but again the location was what stood out to us. You are right in between the stretches of beaches and the cutest beach town. Great restaurants and great views are what you can expect here! We were unfortunately here during the storm so didnt get to enjoy the beach to the fullest but something about the crashing waves made the trip out here worth it.
You have to email the company to reserve the location, but this campsite had space available when no other campsite around the area did. Due to the popularity of the area, this campsite does cost more than average.
Location here
Campsite information here
Tips:
- Not all campsites that are free or paid will have all the services you require (i.e. water refill, grey water disposal, waste disposal, etc). In New Zealand, alot of the services can actually be done at specific locations and gas stations vice having to use facilities at campsites.
- If you are using the campermates application, you can find dump stations / refill stations / etc on the app! Just filter it through the search method.
- Plan your route with your must sees and then choose the campsites around that!
- If you have specific campsites in mind that are musts for you, book them as far in advance as possible. New Zealand is a popular place (for good reason) and things book up quick especially during peak seasons.
Note: all locations linked are approximate.
