Katrina
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Fairlie ▷
Fairlie Holiday Park
Nice flat grassy sites with plenty of space.
We were there on what was presumably a busy night around New Year and still felt we had space to spread out. Facilities were a little dated compared to a Top 10 park, but all the important standard features were there and at a very reasonable price (Powered site $30-45pp @Top 10 vs. $18pp here). Major perk is being <5min drive from The Paca Shack - Fairlie's Gem Alpacas.
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Twelve Mile Delta Campsite
Stayed here on the 1st night of 2018 and it was packed.
$13pp is fair considering proximity to Queenstown, nice sunset views, easy lake access, decent walks on site, # of clean toilets available and ample amount of space (makes this a good option if searching for a camp late evening).
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
Sealy Tarns Track
Feb 2106: If you think the carpark view is gorgeous at 760m elevation, just wait until you get to the top of the track.
STUNNING views on a clear day! But nothing in life is free - you will pay for this view the next day - 1800+ stairs will challenge your legs and your fitness. A dip in the alpine lake at the summit is a chilly reward.
Jan 2018: Went at a much busier time of year and had to contend with a lot more people on the track. Pays to go nice and early if it is a sunny day. Those that started late had to contend with almost unbearable temperatures and no reprieve from the sun. There are no facilities at the tarn - no toilet, no shelter, no tap - please be prepared! Too many people at the top appeared to be lacking in food, water and sun protection.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Mount Cook ▷
White Horse Hill Campground
My absolute favourite place in New Zealand to sleep.
Visited Jan 2018 on a beautiful clear night with full moon visible above the peak of mt cook. Next day, sunny and hot with snowy peaks and no wind. Also stayed here in Feb 2016 during 100kph wind and heavy rain...loved it just as much. Epic views and atmosphere no matter what the weather. Access to great tracks. Basic facilities - better to shower in self-contained than contend with the lines for the paid showers at the village. Nearest dump site and fresh water is Twizel, so go prepared. Sometimes the toilets get thrashed when it's busy...but if you are self contained the views alone are worth $13pp.
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Te Anau ▷
Te Anau Tasman Holiday Parks
Right next to the beautiful lake.
Stayed 1 night, then ventured on a day trip to Milford Sound from here. Stayed another night after a cold rainy day in the Fjords. New Years celebration in the community park (5min walk) included bonfire, music and impressive fireworks over the lake (better fireworks that I've seen in many Auckland celebrations). Clean, modern facilities. Plenty of kitchen space, BBQ, clean toilets and hot showers - just what you should expect from a Top 10 park. Powered sites are quite close together - also found this to be the case at other Top 10 parks. Location and standard of facilities are reasons to stay here - good after a wet day in Milford or after playing on the lake all day. If you are self contained and want to splurge on a nice powered facility with dump/fresh water, this is a good pick - found lots of little extras: hairdryer in bathroom, vacuum for motorhomes, free bikes and a delightful mix of 90s jams playing in the showers/bathroom 24/7 - so thoughtful! Also, lovely staff.
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Omarama ▷
Omarama Clay Cliffs
Feb 2016: $5 per vehicle - access road is gravel with nasty potholes (pay to bring exact change).
Walk is relatively easy on the main path. Plenty of animal tracks can be followed to find your own private cathedral of wonder. Fascinating place, worth stopping off it you are passing through. Bring water and sunscreen! No toilet.
Jan 2018: Same price, same potholed road, much worse camper to drive in (much larger and only 2wd). Last time we parked at a small turnaround near the river and had to walk past a locked gate, down a very rough, "4wd only", single-lane dirt road (we thought it would be fun to have a quad bike along here). The road end carpark is now through those gates, the 4wd track now being wider and ok for 2wd - expect to be challenged with a large motorhome, but it's do-able. Carpark is much larger, plenty of turning space and closer to the 'Cathedral'. Still no toilet or shelter...doesn't need it, just go prepared. 2 years ago we had the place almost to ourselves...this time, a dozen other people around.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
Hokitika Gorge Walk
One of my favorite places for a dip/swim!
The water is too beautiful to deny on a hot, sunny day. Cold? Yes. Do-able? Totally. Don't be a pussy. The sandflies will eat you alive, so either cover up or keep moving! Witnessed some bridge-jumpers and monkey-style bridge-crossings - not advisable activities for the average visitor, but fun to be had for those who are capable. If you plan on having a picnic, don't leave your food scraps on the rocks you filthy foreign fucks! Sitting on the primo photo spot while you dip chips is fine, but consider the next visitors before you ruin their experience of paradise with your sloppy guacamole and salsa everywhere. Don't give a fuck that it's 'biodegradable' - bad karma bro. Drive there is nice. Plenty of parking, but when it's busy it can be tight and difficult on sloped gravel for larger 2wd motorhomes.
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Makarora ▷
Cameron Flat Campsite
Conveniently located between Wanaka and Haast Pass.
Incredible mountain vista - lovely at sunset. Basic toilet facility - quite dirty when we were there, though it's not DOC's fault that people piss all over the seat and floor...get it together people! $8pp is reasonable for lovely views and decent flat spaces, even better if freedom camping with a DOC pass.
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Wanaka Township ▷
Stuart Landsborough's Puzzling World Wanaka
Maze and illusion room are great fun on a quieter day...especially if you get there upon opening.
On a busy day don't bother to do the paid entry, but do stopoff, stretch legs and refresh. There is a gift/souvenier shop, cafe and toilet to use, along with free puzzle tables in the welcome area to entertain while you wait.
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South Island ▷ Wanaka Region ▷ Makarora ▷
Blue Pools Track
So gorgeous, so tempting!
Great swimming spot. It IS cold. Witnessed plenty of jumps from the swingbridge...not so keen on being introduced to the temperature of the water that way. A gentle dip can be had down below the bridge. Amazing place for rock skimming and stacking. Photo ops from all angles.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Fox Glacier ▷
Fox Glacier TOP 10 Holiday Park
Lovely mountain views.
Great proximity to Lake Matheson walk - allowed us to access Reflection viewpoint at the prime window of opportunity! Clean, modern facilities. Plenty of kitchen space, BBQ, clean toilets and hot showers - just what you should expect from a Top 10 park. Sites are quite close together - also found this to be the case at other Top 10 parks. Location and standard of facilities are reasons to stay here - good after a day or two of hard hiking. But it's a pricey choice for those with freedom camping as an alternate option.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Cron street ▷
Franz Josef Glacier Walk
A stunning walk in any weather.
The 3 waterfalls on the right (as you walk up the glacier valley) are great for a shower/dip on a hot sunny day - do it on the walk back once you work up a sweat and you'll be dry by the time you walk back to the car ;) On a rainy day the clouds and raging river are moody and epic. As with any of these popular and easily accessible spots get in early or late to avoid the tour buses...and unless you luck upon a fresh clean, avoid the toilets - they get hammered by the hordes during the day. People who complain about not seeing much of the glacier should do a guided tour or heli-hike. The walk itself has so many beautiful vistas and resting spots along the way. Take water.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast ▷
Thunder Creek Falls
A brief stopoff.
No more to explore - in, photo, out. Busy with tourists...average compared to the other gems in the area.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Fox Glacier ▷
Fox Glacier / Te Ara o Tuawe Walk
Gorgeous walk with awesome views in every direction.
The steep hill at the end is not worth the slog for grandma! Let her sit in the shade somewhere while you ascend for the not-as-exciting-as-most-hope-for finale. A short detour to the river allowed us to dip our tired feet in cold glacial melt water - no swimming and obviously do not explore these areas unless you are guided. As with other popular walk carparks, do not rely on the toilets being clean as they tend to get bombarded by hordes of road-trippers.
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Skyline Luge Queenstown
Pricey.
Long queues for such short rides. Worth doing the gondola for the views, but only if it is your only means of reaching a high plateau in Queenstown. Good place to take a family...leave granny at the cafe/viewing platform, entertain the kids for a couple of hours. If you are paragliding or sky diving in the area, this is probably not for you. If you just drove down the Crown Range Summit road the luge will seem like a lame and tame tourist trap.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Okarito ▷
Okarito Camping Ground
We came here for 1 reason: it was the closest option with fresh water before heading through Glacier Country.
We will return on future adventures for many reasons: proximity to lagoon and walk (+dolphin spotting and kayaking), the trig walk, wildlife/bird spotting, the gorgeous beach sunset with views of snowcapped mountains, friendly helpful hosts, plenty of space and simple adequate facilities. Payment supports community and environmental projects - may seem expensive to some, but consider some of the southern 'scenic' DOC campgrounds (Lake Paringa for example) where the facilities are simpler and/or disgusting. At $15pp this is a lovely, quiet, interesting little stop-off for a day or two.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Punakaiki ▷
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes
The walk is easy, with good viewpoints over fantastic geology.
We shared the experience with a crowd of people with differing ideas about personal space and acceptable behaviour. Go early morning to avoid the tourist hordes and both the walk and your photos will rate 9-10/10. It's still worth a brief stop even when it is crowded.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
Dorothy Falls Walk
If you are coming from the south and have visited the fjords or any of the signposted waterfalls in either of the passes, then you may not be impressed with Dorothy Falls.
If, like me, you're a waterfall-whore and enjoy swimming and bathing in nature, then this may be a nice detour on the way to/from Hokitika Gorge. Waterfall is a 5-10min drive from Hans Bay on an unsealed road. Do-able for a car/van/small camper, but not advisable for large,rented, 2wd motorhome. If you're sleeping at Hans Bay, you can walk the road early morning/early evening. Across the road from the falls is a short walk to the lake - well worth a look. In total ~3hr return walk from Hans Bay. Or if you're driving through, total stop-off time ~20min. Add on time for swimming - both the waterfall and lake are good options and you can often have the place to yourself.
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Feb 2016: We chose this because it was the cheapest of the cruises - turns out they all do the same route, so prices reflect boat quality and food options.
Free BLT and orange juice were lovely. Driver did a detour (naughty!) when he spotted dolphins - amazing! Saw the trifecta of wildlife: seals, Fiordland Penguins and dolphins. Incredible trip!!
Dec 2018: Came back on a very wet New Years Eve morning. Only saw seals, but the quantity and quality of waterfalls this time was impressive! We also got a free waterfall shower and epic on-deck experience. If it is a cold rainy day and you don't fancy getting wet, then maybe this boat isn't your best choice. There may be some more modern boats which offer dry, air conditioned, panoramic indoor views. But if you want to be outside, on-deck, cruising right under the waterfall, then layer up the merino and Go Orange.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Fox Glacier ▷
Lake Matheson Walk
Well maintained track, loop around lake can be done in either direction.
We were lucky enough to be in the right places at the right times to catch reflections - worth the early morning wake-up call.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
Hans Bay
At only $8pp, the facilities, views and vibes here are a bargain.
Better scenery and facilities than some of the $15 'scenic' DOC camps. We stayed here on Xmas Eve and the place was relatively full, but we still found space. The toilets were kept clean, recycling facilities and bins throughout and the lake provided a crisp early-evening bath. Lake is gorgeous, perfect for skimming rocks at sunset. Bring your kayak or go for a swim....watch out for a nippy eel by the boat-ramp area of the beach. Community group rocked up on the back of a pickup truck singing xmas carols and spreading good vibes.
The unsealed road to Dorothy Falls is only 5-10min by car, but was not an option for our large, rented, 2wd camper. Managed to walk to Dorothy Falls early on Xmas morning. 1hr walk to falls + 10min more to the lakeside. After rock skimming and swimming, return the same way for a leisurely 3hr round trip by foot. Walk early to avoid traffic on the road.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast ▷
Lake Paringa Campsite
Lake is nice for a swim.
Not a place that I would camp at again. The toilet block was new but horrendously smelly. The sandflies and mozzies made it impossible to cook outside, let alone use the toilet anytime in the evening. I wouldn't class this as a 'scenic' ($13pp) sight - it is standard($8) at best, bordering on basic($6). Perhaps it is the boating access (for fishing) that warrants the price? Better off freedom camping in Haast Pass if you're self-contained and not doing activities at the lake.
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South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast ▷
Fantail Falls
1 of our favourite spots to stop in Haast Pass.
If you camp in the area you can avoid the midday tourist hordes who stop for a quick look. Hang around a while, explore up and down the riverbanks and attempt your own rock stack. Some fun/challenging canyons to explore nearby - if you're in the know. Fun place to photograph at different times of the day. The river can be crossed - go barefoot or wet shoes...don't lose your jandals! The pool at the base is nice for a dip. The track to the left of the falls leads up to some reasonably easy to navigate ledges - don't bring grandma or baby...but enjoy the adventure and the photo ops!
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Arrowtown ▷
Lake Hayes
We arrived late after some issues with our motorhome delayed us.
We could not really make sense of the space given how dark it was and how many vehicles there were. It was 29th of December and jampacked. In the morning we could not locate a toilet by walking around, so we were forced to pack up and leave to find one. Would like to return and explore the lake a little when it's not abnormally busy. The fact that it was free means we cannot really complain much as it provided a flat, safe place to sleep - plenty of space for big vehicles to park and turn around, even when busy.
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Milford Sound - Fiordland National Park ▷
The Chasm
Only a 15 minute loop walk.
The Chasm itself is mesmerising and we spent a good 10 minutes staring into the abyss, despite the rain. The highlight though, is the cheeky Kea at the carpark! Do not feed them - they will pose for photos without a bribe.
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South Island ▷ Marlborough ▷ Picton / Marlborough Sounds ▷
Camperco
Toyota Estima, 2 seater.
Perfect setup for the no-frills traveller. Plenty of space for our gear and tinted windows to keep prying eyes away from viewing all of our stuff. All essentials (cooker, awning, tables, chairs, solar light. bedding) provided. A taller person may find the bed too short, but for us it was just right. Helpful staff on call.
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South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Queenstown Township ▷
Shotover Jet
The jet reaches places in the canyon/river that are otherwise inaccessible.
Beautiful scenery, cheerful/funny commentary from the driver. An expensive activity, but worth it for both the thrill and the landscape.