Lake Paringa Campsite
Haast, Paringa and Moeraki rivers area
4.1 97 reviews
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ReviewLittle Secrets
Cymen Crick
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A good vibes nature spot
A good vibes nature spot
The best lake view spots are numbers 14-18 (the map on the DOC booking page is wrong).
The sites are numbered & people tend to actually care about their site choice. So it's good to choose the right spot first time, to avoid needing to move.
I'd look to book ahead during peak months.
There's a big area for tents and I doubt you would have to book ahead for these.
Be prepared for some crazy sandfly action.
Toilets are in good condition.
I liked the vibe of this place. Unfortunately there's no joining hikes, so it's a Camping only type situ.
I'd choose Lake Paringa over the DOC Campsites in Haast Pass (which have even more sandflys and more road noise)
If you have some type of water craft and a fishing rod, there's Salmon and Trout in this lake :)
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Information
Lake Paringa Campsite
Enjoy boating, fishing and swimming in the lake and walk the Haast to Paringa Cattle Track.
This small campsite is placed right next to Lake Paringa, a serene lake with good fishing and boating. The lake is set in a mature forest backdrop - a great view.
This is quite a basic campsite which requires you to get your water from a stream. There are mega sandflies here, so definately cover up during dusk and dawn.
North of Haast - enjoy!
Accommodation
DOC Campsite Pricing
Lake Paringa Campsite is categorised as a DOC Standard Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing. Prices vary for some campsites and may include seasonal pricing. Visit the DOC website for exact pricing.
DOC Standard Campsite
Standard campsites have a more limited range of facilities and services than Serviced campsites. These campsites have toilets, a water supply that could be treated or untreated tap water, or from a stream or lake, and vehicle or boat access. Bring your own soap for washing hands. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Wood BBQs and fireplaces, cold showers, picnic tables, a cooking shelter and rubbish bins may be provided; this will vary from site to site.
| Feature | Value | Value |
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| Unpowered Site | Adult | $15.00 to $20.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $7.50 to $10.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Infant | $0.00 per night |
Adults are 18+ years, children are 5-17 years, infants are 0-4 years.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC West CoastCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast |
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Basic Camping
Google Maps
Reviews
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Gorgeous little spot right beside the lake!
Basil -
Great campground.
Oceane Imber -
Scenic spot.
Laura -
Very nice place really, but too many sandfly!
F Ballard -
Simple, but an amazing location.
Les and Carole Savins
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A beautiful campsite on a gorgeous lake, with lots of space near the lake to set up tents and star gaze.
No drinking water, but easy enough to boil from the stream. There were four Keas living in the trees near the site, and they were really amazing to watch.
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This is a beautiful campsite, and would’ve been one of my favourites but in the end I didn’t stay because of the sandflies
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Has flushing toilets, sinks, a covered rest area and lots of both reserved and open camping spaces.
If you didn't reserve online there is place to fill out your own tag and put payment into the provided plastic bag then place into the drop box. Make sure to have your Bushmans big spray ready!
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Nice sheltered camp.
If you get here before 5pm you might get a lake view site. There has been flooding near the lake edge, reducing the number of sites (mid Nov) leaving maybe 3 tent sites. There is a near new shelter with 3 picnic tables under it. The water supply for drinking is a stream that is very muddy to access and needs boiling.
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Excellent DOC Campsite right on the lake.
Clean flushing toilets, non-potable water on tap but snowmelt drinking water from the stream running into the lake.
Moderate amount of sandflies, no hassle for us.
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Lovely spot right on the shore of the lake as a result there are quite a few sand flies.
Flush toilets are fine
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In need on help!
We forgot two bike front tires (hid them from keas under the car) in on of the pre-booked sites. Please please please if anyone is driving south tomorrow (15th Feb or 16th) and can take them with you please let us know!
Reach me at
WhatsApp: +46 761911233
Hellgren708@gmail.com
Hoping for a kind stranger!
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Very beautiful sites at the lake but awful amounts of sandflies.
If you are prepared it definitely worth to stay there. Toilets are okay.
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Great campsite, awesome swimming spots and spotted lots of Tūī.
Only complaint is there were quite a few sandflies, but other than that perfect 🤩
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Scenic spot.
Lake is suitable for swimming. Lots of sandflies and mosquitoes. As others have written, the spots don’t have numbers as indicated on the DOC website and everyone parks where they want.
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Gorgeous little spot right beside the lake!
There was just me and a couple other vans when I came in May, so it was nice and quiet. No phone signal but I expected that for somewhere so remote. Toilets were nice as well, and for a site that's on a lakeside and in this region I was expecting sandfly central but there really weren't many at all.
I was woken up by Kea pecking on my roof a few times throughout the night which was a little spooky, but the DOC did warn me via email that they'd be there a few days before and that they are a very inquisitive bunch. Didn't get to see any of them though since they'd vanished by morning.
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At $30 for 2 of us this price was excessive, at least it goes to DOC.
Booked online but no need - loads of space and people in unbooked spots. (Total 5 cars/vans including us).
There are only toilets and a sink with non potable water. The sandflies were awful but it is pretty by the lake. Very humid in the forest here.
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Small and basic site but beautiful setting makes up for the $15 per person.
Sandflies are bad later in the evening so make sure you have bug spray.
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Updated flushing toilets, a few sites are bookable and there are a few spots suitable for a tent.
The lake is lovely. It was not busy at the end of January. No kitchen area or shelter. Also used as a boat launch area by locals.
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Very basic facilities.
The sandflies are pretty rough here, so don't expect to spend much time outside or have your windows open. I think this spot is a bit steep for $15 / night / person but there aren't a ton of options when you're coming up the East coast, so you have to take what you can get.
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Nice DOC campsite included in the campervan pass.one of the better ones we stayed in.
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Stayed because the two free ones further north were already full.
Grateful for a place to stop really! $13 each but that's not bad considering it was a fantastic view and the money goes to Doc so I don't mind seeing as they maintain all these beautiful places.
It poured with rain whilen we were there so didn't have to content with the flies. The section for tents near the lake got waterlogged very quickly, so keep an eye on the weather if you stay here.
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A beautiful campsite on a gorgeous lake, with lots of space near the lake to set up tents and star gaze.
No drinking water, but easy enough to boil from the stream. There were four Keas living in the trees near the site, and they were really amazing to watch.
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This is a beautiful campsite, and would’ve been one of my favourites but in the end I didn’t stay because of the sandflies
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Scenic spot.
Lake is suitable for swimming. Lots of sandflies and mosquitoes. As others have written, the spots don’t have numbers as indicated on the DOC website and everyone parks where they want.
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Has flushing toilets, sinks, a covered rest area and lots of both reserved and open camping spaces.
If you didn't reserve online there is place to fill out your own tag and put payment into the provided plastic bag then place into the drop box. Make sure to have your Bushmans big spray ready!
-
Nice sheltered camp.
If you get here before 5pm you might get a lake view site. There has been flooding near the lake edge, reducing the number of sites (mid Nov) leaving maybe 3 tent sites. There is a near new shelter with 3 picnic tables under it. The water supply for drinking is a stream that is very muddy to access and needs boiling.
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Excellent DOC Campsite right on the lake.
Clean flushing toilets, non-potable water on tap but snowmelt drinking water from the stream running into the lake.
Moderate amount of sandflies, no hassle for us.
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Lovely spot right on the shore of the lake as a result there are quite a few sand flies.
Flush toilets are fine
-
In need on help!
We forgot two bike front tires (hid them from keas under the car) in on of the pre-booked sites. Please please please if anyone is driving south tomorrow (15th Feb or 16th) and can take them with you please let us know!
Reach me at
WhatsApp: +46 761911233
Hellgren708@gmail.com
Hoping for a kind stranger!
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Very beautiful sites at the lake but awful amounts of sandflies.
If you are prepared it definitely worth to stay there. Toilets are okay.
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Great campsite, awesome swimming spots and spotted lots of Tūī.
Only complaint is there were quite a few sandflies, but other than that perfect 🤩
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Gorgeous little spot right beside the lake!
There was just me and a couple other vans when I came in May, so it was nice and quiet. No phone signal but I expected that for somewhere so remote. Toilets were nice as well, and for a site that's on a lakeside and in this region I was expecting sandfly central but there really weren't many at all.
I was woken up by Kea pecking on my roof a few times throughout the night which was a little spooky, but the DOC did warn me via email that they'd be there a few days before and that they are a very inquisitive bunch. Didn't get to see any of them though since they'd vanished by morning.
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At $30 for 2 of us this price was excessive, at least it goes to DOC.
Booked online but no need - loads of space and people in unbooked spots. (Total 5 cars/vans including us).
There are only toilets and a sink with non potable water. The sandflies were awful but it is pretty by the lake. Very humid in the forest here.
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Small and basic site but beautiful setting makes up for the $15 per person.
Sandflies are bad later in the evening so make sure you have bug spray.
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Decent enough, but $15pp is rich for the (lack of) services.
No picnic tables or shelter at all. Bathrooms are nice. Water from the stream is...fine? It's pretty disorganized, with people parking every which way. Bonus: plenty of sandflies.
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Updated flushing toilets, a few sites are bookable and there are a few spots suitable for a tent.
The lake is lovely. It was not busy at the end of January. No kitchen area or shelter. Also used as a boat launch area by locals.
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Very basic facilities.
The sandflies are pretty rough here, so don't expect to spend much time outside or have your windows open. I think this spot is a bit steep for $15 / night / person but there aren't a ton of options when you're coming up the East coast, so you have to take what you can get.
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Nice DOC campsite included in the campervan pass.one of the better ones we stayed in.
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nice place in nature but many sandflies.
we are not sure whats the difference between scenic doc and a all the freedom campsites arround NZ. so 13$ for nothing but the views is too much.
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Stayed because the two free ones further north were already full.
Grateful for a place to stop really! $13 each but that's not bad considering it was a fantastic view and the money goes to Doc so I don't mind seeing as they maintain all these beautiful places.
It poured with rain whilen we were there so didn't have to content with the flies. The section for tents near the lake got waterlogged very quickly, so keep an eye on the weather if you stay here.