Waikoko Campsite
Kaimanawa Forest Park
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DOC Campsite Pricing
Waikoko Campsite is categorised as a DOC Basic Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing.
DOC Basic Campsite
Basic campsites have very limited facilities so you need to be fully self-sufficient. There are basic toilets and water may be from a water tank that is untreated, stream or lake. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Access may be by road or boat.
| Feature | Value | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Unpowered Site | Adult | $0.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $0.00 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 Central North IslandCentral government organisation |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Turangi |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Basic Camping
Google Maps
Reviews
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Great site!
Kaitlyn Lieschke -
Excellent camp site with plenty of room.
David Rydevik -
Campsite was great!
Julie -
Very remote and peaceful location.
Andrew Hargreaves -
Nice Spot, kinda hard to find at night.
Carl Bright
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Great site!
Lots of room for plenty of campers around the shelter. We parked down a little road on the right just as you enter the campsite and had that little area to ourselves. There's a pit toilet but no dump station or potable water. And it's super close to the end of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, so a great spot to go right after that hike.
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Excellent camp site with plenty of room.
Simple bathroom.
You can hear the stream nearby.
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Basic toilet, untreated water, place to wash dishes and shelter.
More than 20 vehicles can fit I think, there are no bays, it’s pretty loose. Not far from the road, all asphalt until very end.
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Not so bad camp spot, quite buggy at top of the camp but nice sheltered centre part with fire.
Not the campsites fault but we met some weird people there.
Toilets weren’t bad though
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Very quiet and nice campground with basic facilities.
It gets really busy, good before the crossing. Nice river next to the campsite.
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convenient if your intention is to make the tongariro We spent a night here, very quiet with a nice landscape, don't expect much, but it's good for being free
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Amazing campsite in the woods.
Shelter for cooking and a drop toilet. Access to a small river close by. Only reason we didn‘t give 10 /10 is that there was no toilet paper, so bring your own to be sure.
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In my view, a fantastic campsite within its category: +Lots of space and perhaps not very popular (only another van; middle of the winter though) +Right next to a stream, in a valley covered by native
forest
+Far enough from roads to not hear a thing, close enough to easily divert here for the night
+Cool walks start from here
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Gravely lot with lots of space, easily like 20 vehicles could fit in here.
On my visit there were 6 or 7 neighbors.
It’s fine here, but I wish I explored the other sites more before settling down at this one. The tree trunk gorge site looked a bit nicer.
No access or visibility to the big waterfall that I could find :( also never saw the actual Pillars, I’m not the only one who was confused by that either.
Rather chilly night in late April 2023, bring a sleeping bag!
Confused as to why somebody took a sh*t down the hill from my spot when there’s a toilet 50m away.
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Nice campsite in the valley.
With a long drop and shelter. It's just one open field so not very cosy.
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Agree with the other reviews.
Just wanted to write an updated one. Nice spot. The fireplace is a wonderful bonus and a lovely stroll by the river.
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Nice spot, short drive from the shuttle car park for the Tongariro crossing.
Long drop toilet, small shelter in the middle where you can make a fire and sit on benches. Lots of space, lots of bugs. Very clean and cold river nearby that you can sit in, not deep enough for swimming though.
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Gorgeous native bush, fine toilet, tranquil river and birds, great stars, sheltered from wind.
Went for a swim by the Pillars of Hercules close by the next day (take the Tree Trunk Gorge path and follow your nose down to river from a side path). Water supply good for washing dishes. Empty on a Monday night.
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Amazing spot, surrounded by forest covered mountains and a stream running close by.
My favorite freedom camping spot.
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Before we got there we wished we wouldn't be the only one as it was somewhere in nowhere.
The camping was full, the drop toilet smelly. Most people didn't even use it. There was a lot of rubbish in the bush. However, it was close to the tongariro crossing and free. The other campers were silent after 10pm.
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Nice setting, but looked like a gypsy camp with all the tourists.
But it's free!!! Thanks DOC.
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Great site!
Lots of room for plenty of campers around the shelter. We parked down a little road on the right just as you enter the campsite and had that little area to ourselves. There's a pit toilet but no dump station or potable water. And it's super close to the end of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, so a great spot to go right after that hike.
-
Excellent camp site with plenty of room.
Simple bathroom.
You can hear the stream nearby.
-
Basic toilet, untreated water, place to wash dishes and shelter.
More than 20 vehicles can fit I think, there are no bays, it’s pretty loose. Not far from the road, all asphalt until very end.
-
Not so bad camp spot, quite buggy at top of the camp but nice sheltered centre part with fire.
Not the campsites fault but we met some weird people there.
Toilets weren’t bad though
-
Very quiet and nice campground with basic facilities.
It gets really busy, good before the crossing. Nice river next to the campsite.
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convenient if your intention is to make the tongariro We spent a night here, very quiet with a nice landscape, don't expect much, but it's good for being free
-
-
Amazing campsite in the woods.
Shelter for cooking and a drop toilet. Access to a small river close by. Only reason we didn‘t give 10 /10 is that there was no toilet paper, so bring your own to be sure.
-
In my view, a fantastic campsite within its category: +Lots of space and perhaps not very popular (only another van; middle of the winter though) +Right next to a stream, in a valley covered by native
forest
+Far enough from roads to not hear a thing, close enough to easily divert here for the night
+Cool walks start from here
-
Gravely lot with lots of space, easily like 20 vehicles could fit in here.
On my visit there were 6 or 7 neighbors.
It’s fine here, but I wish I explored the other sites more before settling down at this one. The tree trunk gorge site looked a bit nicer.
No access or visibility to the big waterfall that I could find :( also never saw the actual Pillars, I’m not the only one who was confused by that either.
Rather chilly night in late April 2023, bring a sleeping bag!
Confused as to why somebody took a sh*t down the hill from my spot when there’s a toilet 50m away.
-
Nice campsite in the valley.
With a long drop and shelter. It's just one open field so not very cosy.
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Agree with the other reviews.
Just wanted to write an updated one. Nice spot. The fireplace is a wonderful bonus and a lovely stroll by the river.
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Nice spot, short drive from the shuttle car park for the Tongariro crossing.
Long drop toilet, small shelter in the middle where you can make a fire and sit on benches. Lots of space, lots of bugs. Very clean and cold river nearby that you can sit in, not deep enough for swimming though.
-
Gorgeous native bush, fine toilet, tranquil river and birds, great stars, sheltered from wind.
Went for a swim by the Pillars of Hercules close by the next day (take the Tree Trunk Gorge path and follow your nose down to river from a side path). Water supply good for washing dishes. Empty on a Monday night.
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Amazing spot, surrounded by forest covered mountains and a stream running close by.
My favorite freedom camping spot.
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Nice spot with a little cabin in the middle where u can make a fire.
Toillet OK. You can make nice walks in the surrounding :-)
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Pretty decent place for a free camp.
Close to the main road, decent drop toilet, kitchen/shelter...it’s basically a big parking lot. Not many tent sites, but do-able. Quiet, no sandflies.
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Very remote and peaceful location.
Relatively close to the alpine crossing starts. Room for plenty of vehicles. Big strucure in middle with wood fire and sinks. Drop toilet not great, no loo roll, plenty of bugs and no light. Wife refused to use it. Nice little stream at the bottom. Could see plenty of stars on a clear night. No bins so please take litter with you