Luis Vigil Vidal
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Turangi ▷
4.0/5
You are right in the middle of the forest...secluded area and quite calm.
At 20:00 it begins to get busy and fill up. There are like 10 spaces. Basic drop loo. Just keep in mind is bumpy road to arrive, maybe not best for big caravans. Very good option for free camp next to Tongariro.
North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Paraparaumu ▷
4.5/5
Perfect spot.
Right next to and amazing beach. In theory just space for three vans but we were like 10 there. Its a parking area in front the beach. Nice toilets but only open from sunrise to sunset. Very nice sunset at the beach. Just a bit of light and noise from the restaurant nearby. For a free camp its just perfect!!!
North Island ▷ Ruapehu ▷ Tongariro / National Park Village ▷
5.0/5
Really nice place!!
Perfect for staying after climbing Tongariro. Great clean hot shower with plenty of space, no limit of hot water. Fully equiped kitchen with nice area to eat and chat. Free wifi and very big areas for vans. Also a convenient store where to buy staff. Laundry machine there perfect for cleaning after excursions! Its a bit of money but worthy after long day at Tongariro...better do reservation, as it was fully booked the night we stayed!
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Twizel ▷
5.0/5
Such a great location to stay!!
Amazing views and if no cloud just mind blowing star gazing!! There are public toilets only at the Salmon Shop (could be quite far away) Just have clear that The Pines is not an specific place...it means that all the east part of the lakes (full of pine trees) is a free camp area...so basically anywhere you feel like camping that looks safe and ok it’s a fine place to stay. Just look for your spot and enjoy! In the south or east south you’ll have amazing views of the lake with giant Mount Cook!
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Omarama ▷
4.5/5
Great location with amazing views.
Very cozy place between the trees. Great sunrise and very quiet area. Nice and clean drop loo. Just after 5pm many sunflies...but what can you do? In general great place to stay at!
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Lake Tekapo ▷
1.0/5
The views and the place is nice!
But charging $10 per person seems way too much for what you have here. Just an old and completely dirty toilet, water supply (which is brown, better don't use it). The environment is nice ...and if it was free camp it would be very good. But the DOC can not charge $10 for a camp that is completely unmaintained!! Also when you park, and then you pay at the honesty box you feel a bit like a fool when you use it because after a lot of people is just parking outside of the camp, not paying but coming in to use the facilities...it does not make any sense to then to pay! Better look for another option...but it could be hard because Lake Tekapo doesn’t look very free camp friendly!
North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Rotorua ▷
3.0/5
It's free, its well located at the city centre and public toilet walking distance (open from sunrise till sunset).
There is vigilance at night. Ok place to stay in Rotorua.
North Island ▷ Taranaki ▷ Mt Taranaki ▷
5.0/5
Perfect place to stay with your camper.
Amazing location with the best views to the Tongariro summit. Plenty of space for a lot of people. Best is to go to the upper parking where less people and couple of dining tables. Best star gazing of NZ!! Great toilets open 24/7 as they are at the I-Site centre. One of the best campgrounds of our entire 28 days trip around NZ!!
North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
5.0/5
Perfect place to stay at Wellington.
Just 10 minutes away from the city. Very nice and clean flush toilets. Right into a beach with cliffs, amazing location. Place for around 20 vans, but we also saw campervans in the normal parking. Nice walk at the nearby beach and nice coastal road to get to Wellington.
South Island ▷ Southland ▷ Lumsden ▷
5.0/5
Great village!!
friendly village that has transform the old train station into a campervan friendly area. Flush toilets and lots of spaces, for campervans and tents. It was full by 21:00. Very convenient if travelling to or from Milford Sound. Also you can get wifi from library and small cleaning area, and dump station and water supply. If would help the place if you can use some of the local shop to support the indicative so they can keep it on: like the nice bakery, some restaurant etc.
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Omarama ▷
4.0/5
Would be a 10 if not for the sandflies!
They were everywhere!! We had to stayed at the van. But for the rest great place! In the middle of nowhere just next to the lake. Great star gazing, long drop toilet. Some dirty road until arrive but easy and accessible. Totally worth the detour!!
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Lake Tekapo ▷
3.0/5
The camp itself is nice and with good views to the Lake McGregor.
But for 10NZD per person (honesty box) the facilities are awful. Toilet is super dirty and very bad mantained. Brown water from
the tap. Lots of spaces. But you feel a bit stupid when you pay but then people just park outside, don’t pay and get into to use facilities without having paid! If free camp would be great, but for 10dollar per person it’s a robbery!
North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Paraparaumu ▷
4.5/5
Amazing sunset!!
Great place to stay if getting or leaving Wellington. Nice and long beach just in front of you. Only self contained and in theory just 3 spots allowed. We were like 7 when we were there. Toilets located in front but closed early (like 20:00).
North Island ▷ Taranaki ▷ Mt Taranaki ▷
5.0/5
Amazing view to the Taranaki!!
Star gazing at night is mind blowing!! Go to the upper small parking and you’ll be just in front the volcano. Public toilet open 24/7 and clean. Nice place to stay if you are going on trek next day.
South Island ▷ Kaikoura Region ▷ Kaikoura ▷
4.5/5
The only free place around Kaikoura.
Great location just in front of the ocean. Super big area where you can just pull off and choose your place. there were a lot of vans but always easy to find a spot. Toilet was not very clean but does the job! Totally recommend this place!
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Motueka ▷
4.0/5
Good place to stay one night to break the drive on the way to Wharariki.
Drop toilet which was ok. Next to the road but not much traffic at night. Nice lookout just 5 min walking track. Perfect for one night...around 10 spaces so arrive early
South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Hanmer Springs ▷
4.5/5
Good place to stay.
Nice clean flush toilet. Next to the town. Just get early as it was fully packed when we arrived and was hard to get a spot. There were around 35 vans.
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Golden Bay ▷
4.5/5
Reading previous reviews I don't know what people expect from a camp.
This place is great!! Many places to park. Kitchen with stuff you can use. Rest area to charge your things. Clean shower (for hot you pay 2 dollars I think) and drop toilet (totally normal being where they are). Amazing stars at night and super close to the best beach at the whole country!!! Totally worth it to stay here!!!
Exactly with you the Luis, we are privately owned on the only piece of private land left in the Kahurangi National Park, the largest National Park in the South Island. Thank you for your positive review.
Glenda
South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Murchison ▷
3.0/5
OK place to stay one night, just because its free.
Right next to the road a bit noisy. Drop toilet was full of flies and mosquitoes. Only for self contained. It does the job for one night on the way north or south.
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika ▷
4.5/5
Nice and lovely place.
Super calm area to stay. Nice views to the lake, star gazing at night and lots of spaces. Flush clean toilets. A bit of sandflies but ok. Totally recommend it!!
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Fox Glacier ▷
4.5/5
Great location!
Totally worth the long unpaved road. Great beach and amazing view to Aoraki! Honesty box, clean drop toilet, not drinking water supply. Couple of nice treks around the area. Maybe in high season will get full early, around 20-30 spaces.
South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Te Anau ▷
4.0/5
Huge place!
Probably they can fit all the campervans from the country. Many drop toilets, clean. Nice walk to the lake. The best option if going to Milford Sound next morning as it is the last free camp on the way. Honesty box and the ranger pass at afternoon to check everything.
North Island ▷ Rotorua Region ▷ Rotorua ▷
3.0/5
OK place to stay one night.
It's in the middle of a parking area. Toilets close at 20:30 or so. Not too big arrive early to get spot. Convenient as in the middle of city and free. It does the job!
North Island ▷ Ruapehu ▷ Tongariro / National Park Village ▷
5.0/5
One of the best camps we stayed in the whole month in NZ.
A lot of spaces. 42NZD two pax on unpowered. Perfect place to finish the day after doing Tongariro, perfect and clean hot showers, washing machine room, kitchen, dinning room, wifi (limited), convenient store. Better to make reservation if in high season; it was full when we were there.
North Island ▷ Taupo Region ▷ Turangi ▷
3.5/5
Very convenient if doing Tongariro next morning.
Drop toilet, quite clean. Dirty road to get there but ok, we did it with a Toyota Hiace campervan and no problema. But maybe with heavy rain not good idea. Couple of easy trecks nearby and fireplaces. Around 10-15 spots! It got quite full by 19:00
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Twizel ▷
4.5/5
Great place.
But The Pines is not a certain place. Its the whole east and south area of the Lake Pukaki. So it means you can pull off and choose your spot where you like it more! Great to be able to stay so close to the lake!! Toilets at the visitor centre and at certain locations around the lake. Careful with some places if heavy rain as can get slippery. Be respectful with the environment and take your rubbish. We even got a swim at the lake!!
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Greymouth ▷
5.0/5
Definitely the best camp in NZ after a month with the campervan.
Amazinglly new and super clean hot showers and toilets. Lots of spaces in the middle of the grass and surrounded by local bush. Animals around, which is lovely. Kitchen with everything you need to cook, table games, bbq... The owner and manager is so lovely!! Helps with everything. Also convenience store, and they prepare morning bread which you can order the afternoon before, also they have free range eggs to sale! The best is they have a small walk where you can see the glowworms! Totally worth it!! Best place to stay and totally recommend it to everyone!
Hello Luis & Family, thank you for your kind words and we hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday in New Zealand and we look forward to your next visit,
All the best Toni
Maxim Vassiliev
North Island ▷ Waikato ▷ Waitomo ▷
4.5/5
Super friendly people.
Basically it’s the parking from a family restaurant. They allow campervans to sleep there for free! And you can use their toilet but only until 21:00 that they close. They also offer an all you can eat meat stew with rice and chips for 15NZD, we ate there and was delicious and also happy hour on beer and spirits...great place!! Loved it!! Totally recommended after a long trek journey at Taranaki or before or after Waitomo Caves.
Hi Luis,
Thank you for taking the time to review us, we appreciate your feedback and glad you enjoyed your stay here.
Leonie
South Island ▷ Queenstown Region ▷ Arrowtown ▷
5.0/5
One of our favourite camps in entire Nz.
4 flush toilets, very clean. You park just under the trees and next to the lake. Great sunset and great vibes at the camp. Totally recommend it. A lot of spaces available and close to Queenstown and next to Arrowtown.
North Island ▷ Wellington Region ▷ Wellington ▷
5.0/5
Great place!!
Amazing views and amazing location!! Only for selfcontained though there is 24hours open public toilet (clean and modern). Perfect place to stay for free if visiting Wellington. Take a walk on the beach and do the road on the coast to
come back to the city. Arrive early tomsecure your spot. It was full by 20:00