Profile
GM
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Amber Kiwi Holiday Park and Motels
This was our first stay in New Zealand and having travelled for 40 hours from the UK we chose to have a real bed for our first night rather than stay in our van!
As our cabin was literally the first one in the camp and as we had our own shower and kitchenette we didn't really explore the camp facilities but the site looked clean and tidy.
On arrival staff were friendly and the room was clean.
Cost (2p, cabin): $75
Location: Good for either exploring Christchurch or getting out onto routes 1, 73 or 75. Supermarket within about 15 mins walking distance.
Facilities: Didn't really try communal facilities but facilities in room were good.
Value: 8/10
Sandflies: Nope
X-Factor: Nahh
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Twizel ▷
Lake Poaka Campsite
Down quite a long and bumpy gravel road (make sure you drive down the right side of the Pukaki canal!) but a quiet and pleasant camp site.
Great views of the mountains and we had a lovely sunset. Long drops available.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $0
Location: Very pretty. Lots of bird life.
Facilities: Long drops only
Value: 10/10
Sandflies: A few
X-Factor: Not quite
Other:
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Springfield ▷
Kowai Pass Domain Camping Ground
Very nice campsite with good facilities and cheap.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $15 (+$1 per 4minute shower)
Location: Close to a road/railway line but neither is particularly busy. Nice enough views over fields but not what you'd call stunning
Facilities: Kitchen (a few facilities) with big communal dining area, showers, washer/dryer, tennis courts
Value: 10/10
Sandflies: Nah
X-Factor: Nah
Other: There's a cat which earns a bonus point from me!
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township ▷
Hampshire Holiday Park Glendhu Bay
Facilities: Excellent - kitchen facilities include hobs, ovens, fridges, freezers, there's a big dining area.
Beautiful views of the lake, excellent facilities
Cost (2p, non-powered): $38
Location: Fantastic views over the lake and mountains
Good showers ($1/6 mins). Also washing/drying facilities (didn't use) and a playground. Powered sites available. Petrol too - I think cheaper than in Wanaka itself.
Value: 9/10
Sandflies: Not many, especially for a lake
X-Factor: Yes
Other: Only 10 mins drive from the start of the Roy's Peak walk.
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Te Anau ▷
Cascade Creek Campsite
Big camp, lots of space, quite busy but not overcrowded.
Long drops and cooking shelters and a few cheeky kea.
When we were there, there were fields of gorgeous purple lupins. The streams running through the camp are also very attractive. Great views of mountains.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $30
Location: Beautiful, closest DOC site to Milford Sound
Facilities: Long drops and cooking shelters
Value: 7/10
Sandflies: A few
X-Factor: Yes
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Fairlie ▷
Lake Opuha
Pretty lake, seems to be quite popular with local watersport enthusiasts!
Flush toilets and sink available.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $0
Location: Next to lake (although not allowed to camp within 20m)
Facilities: Flush toilets and sink
Value: 10/10 (free!)
Sandflies: Not may for a lakeside camp
X-Factor: The view is good but not quite spectacular, so no
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South Island ▷ Southland ▷ Lumsden ▷
Lumsden Information Centre
It's great for what it is (a free car park with toilets) but at the end of the day it is just a car park!
There's a playground nearby.
Recommend going to the Bafé down the road for coffee, breakfast, lunch or any other pastry needs you have!
Cost (2p, non-powered): $0
Location: Small town, not unpleasant
Facilities: Toilets
Value: 10/10
Sandflies: None
X-Factor: Nahh
Other:
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Manapouri ▷
Manapouri Motels and Holiday Park
We ended up here when we couldn't get into Possum Lodge down the road.
When we arrived the elderly owner started complaining to us about tourists and campervans which seemed a bit odd but I'd read a few other reviews that had mentioned this on CamperMate so I was prepared! When I mentioned we were going on to Milford she started on about how it had been ruined (which, having since been don't agree with). None of this was aggressive, just not the most welcoming.
Camp itself is nice enough and has some quirky but quite dated. Showers are free. Manapouri lake is just across the road.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $38
Location: Lots of space, close to Manapouri Lake.
Facilities: Kitchen with a few items and cooking facilities, showers and flush toilets. Good but slightly dated. The games room doesn't look like it's been used in years! Wifi is free (but didn't work)
Value: 7/10
Sandflies: A few at the lake, didn't see any in the camp
X-Factor: Nahh
Other: There's cheap petrol available in Manapouri so top-up before you drive up to Milford.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Punakaiki ▷
Coast Road Holiday Park
Beautiful campsite with incredibly interesting owner who has converted his land into a conservation area.
For $5/person he will take you on a little glow worm tour which is well worth doing! His knowledge of the local flora and fauna is fantastic
Cost (2p, non-powered): $20
Location: Great, quiet, surrounded by trees
Facilities: Currently only a long drop (very new and clean) and picnic tables but a kitchen area is being built
Value: 10/10
Sandflies: A few
X-Factor: Absolutely!
Other: Lots of wildlife (Weka, frogs) and great night skies
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ St Arnaud ▷
West Bay Campsite
Our first camp site on our road trip - what a find!
Absolutely stunning views over Lake Rotoiti. The sunset was unbelievable. (n.b. you can't camp right next to the lake but you can park up and eat dinner there then drive up to the parking bays to sleep)
Only downside is the number of sandflies - we had to abandon breakfast by the lake and retreat back to the camp in the morning.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $30
Location: Incredible
Facilities: Flush toilets, cold showers (didn't use), shelter for cooking with sinks (but no equipment). All very new/well-maintained.
Value: 8/10
Sandflies: LOTS
X-Factor: Absolutely!
Other: There's a petrol station nearby in St Arnaud but petrol is pretty pricey ($2.50 as of Dec '19). If you need hot showers or cooking facilities, Kerr Bay camp site is very close by.
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township ▷
Kidds Bush Reserve Campsite
We camped here on quite a wet evening but the camp itself was very pleasant.
Very good toilet facilities and a shelter to cook in out of the rain. Very cheap. Lots of space.
It's down quite a long gravel road and when we drove it there were quite a few enormous cows and bulls in the road that we drove past v e r y s l o w l y ! (n.b. there are cattle grids to keep the cows out of the campsite)
Cost (2p, non-powered): $16
Location: Pretty, would be incredible in the sunshine. Bit out of the way.
Facilities: Flush toilets and shelter
Value: 9/10
Sandflies: A few
X-Factor: Probably in the sunshine...
Other: Beware the cows!
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South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds ▷
Picton Campervan Park
We had one of the cabins which is actually just a bed in a shed (well, there's a tv and a radiator too).
Communal facilities are only open 7am - 10pm and as we arrived after 10pm and left before 7am I cannot comment on these!
Showers/toilets are good/clean
As with the other Picton accommodation I feel they charge a bit more for proximity to the ferry.
Cost (2p, cabin): $90
Location: Essentially a car park
Facilities: Free showers, toilets, communal facilities open 7am-10pm
Value: 5/10
Sandflies: None
X-Factor: Nahh, just a handy place to stop before/after the ferry
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Akaroa ▷
Onuku Farm Backpackers Hostel
One of our favourite camps in the whole of our trip.
We had planned to stay in the free camping area in Akaroa but it was full and I'm so glad it was as this is a real gem.
As a working farm, there are animals all around (especially some very friendly chickens!)
Free showers, flush toilets, shelter for cooking and eating with a fridge and burners, free wifi. When we were there, someone was making and selling pizzas for $20 which looked good although we didn't try them. Staff were very friendly.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $30
Location: Spectacular views over Akaroa
Facilities: Free showers, flush toilets, cooking facilities, free wifi, walks available
Value: 9/10
Sandflies: None
X-Factor: Yes!
Other: It's up quite a steep road (but then all the best places are in NZ!)
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Motueka ▷
Tapawera Campground and Tiny House Park
Nice site with good but slightly dated facilities.
Owners very pleasant.
Cost (2p, non-powered): $34
Location: Quiet, grassy site with trees
Facilities: Free showers, well-stocked kitchen, free Wifi (works close to the kitchen area), powered sites available
Value: 8/10
Sandflies: A few
X-Factor: Pleasant but not incredible
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North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
Elements Rentals
After getting several quotes this was one of the cheapest for a sleepervan.
$1800 for 16 days including: $0 excess, transfer from airport to pick up location, kitchen equipment (inc. camping stove, table, chairs, crockery, cutlery, pans), bedding, roadside assistance, unlimited km, 2 drivers, GST.
The van had a few aesthetic blemishes but ran very well. It had done approx 150,000km (in comparison, our friends van had done over 400,000!). It had plenty of oomph to get up all the hills we could throw at it. In over 3,500km of driving we only had one slight concern with vibration coming through the steering wheel but popped into a garage who said it was likely from some slightly worn brake discs and that there wasn't a safety issue. Elements were very good in responding to our concerns and gave us the option of getting them replaced or keeping an eye on it - we chose the latter but got the impression doing the former would have been straightforward to arrange.
The conversion is fairly basic with plywood and a couple of large plastic containers forming the sink supply and drain for the self-certification sticker. Generally we left the bed up the whole time and sat outside or in the front seats. In the day we'd put our bags on top of the bed, at night in the front seats.
n.b. A general note about sleepervans (not specific to Elements) but worth bearing in mind; neither my partner or I are tall (5' 7") but the bed was slightly too short. This was easily overcome by sticking our feet through the gap between the driver/passenger seats but may be slightly more of an issue for the taller person!
Elements were very easy to communicate with over email although every time I tried ringing them once in NZ their line was busy.
Overall we had a fantastic time and really enjoyed the flexibility of having a self-contained sleepervan (rather than a larger camper). A bit more crockery/cutlery and better availability on the phone and this would be a perfect 10/10. Recommended.
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Motueka ▷
Decks Reserve Carpark, Motueka
We arrived quite late but there were still a few spaces.
Wasn't too noisy or busy whilst we were there. Toilets close by. It's a carpark, what more can you say?
Cost (2p, non-powered): $0
Location: It's a car park so nothing special but at least there is some grass
Facilities: Toilets close by
Value: 10/10 (free!)
Sandflies: None
X-Factor: nahh - functional place to stay only
Other: There's another free campsite close by (Motueka Beach Reserve) but it was full when we checked