Lindis Pass Historic Hotel Campsite
Nine Mile Historic Reserve
32 Rankers Reviews
6 Face-to-Face
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A great opportunity to camp amongst historic ruins of a by-gone era at the Lindis Pass Historic Hotel. Enjoy the experience, but please don't remove any of the historical artefacts from the reserve.
From SH 8 take Old Faithful Road (unsealed) opposite Timburn Road. This 6km road is narrow and steep in places - not suitable for large campervans.
Details
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Location |
South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township |
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Reviews
Showing 13 reviews of 32.
ThatJasonR
Ranking: 8/10
Nice camp site (for tents and caravans), comes with your usual bag of bugs. There is no fee (freedom camping) and no cellphone reception.
Great piece of history and the river blocks out the road noise. The toilet was surprisingly clean and didn't smell when we arrived in the evening.
Some tips on getting there:
Take the Old Faithful Rd (dirt road) turn off. You will see a yellow arrow sign that says "Nine Mile Historic Reserve". The dirt road continues for roughly 15-20mins or about 6km. The road itself isn't too bad, just watch out for nasty potholes.
This is the only access way to the site. If you still stuck, turn on satellite images for the site and follow the dirt road to the highway and you will see the turn off.
Happy camping 🏕
Roo
Ranking: 6/10
Nice enough camp spot, flat and thick with grass. Farmland, so no native bush, just weeds and exotics. Midges are a problem at dusk (as per usual NZ camps). However a new experience was with what I assume were dung beetles, or perhaps a small chafer ; if you are in a tent with a light on they will crawl/fly up everywhere around the tent fly, seemingly an endless supply of beetles. My advice is to turn the light off and they crawl back into the ground from whence they came. Kind of creepy place full of these beetles, rats, weeds and ruins. But free, soft, grassy and the sound of a nice river (road wasn't too noisy)
Mike
Ranking: 10/10
Loved this campsite. I have driven past on the road on the other side of the river and I never knew it was there.
So quiet, even with the road on the other side of the river, all I could here was the river.
Beautiful ruins, good clean long drop too. I rate this highly.
Aaron
Ranking: 10/10
Awesome little spot. Stayed here in winter after it had been raining so the road in was a bit of a mess. Had to put our snow chains on the next day or I don't think we would have got out in our van.
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Linda
Ranking: 9/10
Price: free
Location: it's is a beautiful and special place, especially the history
Insects: a view sandflies
Wc’s: one longdrop toilet, it’s okay
Douche: no, but there is a creek you can wash inWhen you have the road, take, (just like another review) always keep to the right.
Maria
Ranking: 10/10
Really nice place amongst the ruins and close to a river where we saw many people going for a swim in the afternoon and in the morning. The one toilet was clean. All in all a very nice free campsite
Dinda K.
Ranking: 9/10
Beautiful free campsite with a clean public toilet. Totally enjoyed the scenery, greeted by cows, bulls, and sheeps :) location is pretty far to reach from the main road, but it's near the river to enjoy and the hotel remains are interesting. It was extremely windy though, went there in January. Bring your earplugs just in case, unless you are able to sleep like a rock.
Wei
Ranking: 9/10
Cool place. Easy to get to just keep to the right. A 2wd drive car can do it and campers can make it as long as it’s not too long. Went after several days of rain and no issues.
Nearby river is dirty so bring water. Bathroom is clean. There’s a little building with a fire place and table to cook. Watch out for the rat and mice.
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Cor Dekker
Ranking: 9/10
What a great spot this is! It takes a 8km gravel road to get there, but that is worth it. Nice and calm although you can hear the cars on the other side of the rivier. One (clean) longdrop toilet.
Nicky Westlake
Ranking: 10/10
Free campsite well hidden off the beaten track. We missed the turning initially, but soon found our way trundling up Old Faithful Road slowly. It is a bumpy gravel track but not too bad. It was bone dry when we ventured up there so can imagine it can be a bit troublesome after rain. It is also a long road, but the campsite is at the end (through two gates), so just keep going until you get there.
Very quiet there, plenty of space to set up with the small ruins on one side (we didn't venture in).
One very clean long drop toilet, hardly any smell at all.
Fantastic views of the milky way on a clear night, great little gem.
QueeenBeee
Ranking: 9/10
Very basic but overal really nice campground. Note that it is a bit remote - you have to drive about 6km on gravel road to the campground but you are rewarded with a pretty big and really quiet spot by the river near the Lindis Pass hotel ruins.
Boris Clémençon
Ranking: 10/10
Big place With Clean toilets, birds, grass and lovely river. Perfect !
Not So hard to find : follow the gravel road approx 6K before the campsite (on your left hand if you are coming From the south)
Thanks new Zealand for this place. We love you !
Jennifer
Ranking: 10/10
Truly amazing site. We were lucky enough to stay there during a full moon. The moon light brought the hotel ruins to life. A must for any travellers.
DOC Managed
Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍
