The Camping Guide in New Zealand.

Campsites can be crowded during the high season: If you do not want to spend a good part of your stay driving endlessly to find a place to park your vehicle, you must locate and book the best campsites long before departure.

If some campsites are free, most of them (and usually the best) are to be paid. In return, they are mostly located in the countryside among dream landscapes.

The price depends on the number of passengers and their age (reduced price for children, and free for babies), but there are also free campsites you should use to save money.

There is something you must know: it is difficult to realize an entire stay without having to pay from one time to another to spend a night. Motorhomes must be plugged to a power supply to recharge their batteries, and sooner or later you will be happy to enjoy a hot shower.

The art of camping in New Zealand is to alternate the free and paid locations, which is not difficult if you follow Kiwipal's advice.

In contrast, an unorganized motorhome trip can be more expensive than expected and you might regret not having opted for a car tour and hotel nights. This exhaustive guide presents each camping solution in detail to help you organize your stay.

And in conclusion, I will introduce the essential mobile apps to plan your itinerary in New Zealand.

Each campsite, even within a same chain, fixes its own rates and offers a variety of subscription cards or promotions based on the number of nights booked: a lack of consistency which does not facilitate the organization of the stay! Fortunately, the “Wheelaway Holidays” solution recommended by Kiwipal simplify everything.

Fortunately, Kiwipal suggests two simple and effective methods for booking campsites.

Kiwipal gives you access to a New Zealand's local service known“Wheelaway Holidays” which gathers the best campsites in New Zealand, with locations in every great tourism area in the country. You can book several campsites at the same time through a secure payment form.

But you can also book prepaid vouchers, valid in the whole camping network and that you can use whenever you want.

Warning: these two offers are designed solely for travelers visiting the country with a "self-contained" vehicle, a standard certifying that the vehicle can hold its waste water for at least three days.

This solution consists to select camping on a map, while specifying the desired reservation date for each night. You pay online all reservations at the same time and travel with a free mind. You also keep the possibility to cancel your order if needed. However, the amount refunded depends on the proximity with the booking date, and the sooner you cancel and the more you will be refunded.

This second solution involves purchasing vouchers (valid throughout the entire campsites network) that you can print and use whenever you want.

Each coupon is valid for one night and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

Every “open date vouchers”, have the same value, but they do not guarantee a place in a campsite, especially at the last minute. There must be an available ground for your vehicle. That's why I recommend to always confirm your arrival at least 24 hours in advance.

But the main benefit of vouchers is to allow you to keep your freedom during the stay! If the weather turns bad, and to the express condition that you have no other commitment to respect, you retain the ability to change your route: a flexibility that perfectly matches the spirit of the camper van.

The Wheelaway Holidays campsites respect the classic hotel schedules in New Zealand, with a reception open from 8 am to 8 pm (7pm during low season). However, you can negotiate a late arrival if you notify the staff in advance (but a surcharge may apply).

In addition to providing power supply to recharge vehicles in electricity, the camping network provides complimentary services, such as access to a shared kitchen, hot showers and often a swimming pool!

Wheelaway Holidays campsites offer parkings equipped with power outlets. Once the camper connected, you recharge the auxiliary battery as well as your smartphones and tablets. You can finally use energy consuming devices, such as the oven or heating on some less powerful camper van models.

Most motorhomes are equipped with LPG gas bottles, essential to provide energy for the mini kitchen's stove, the heating system and, of course, the hot water for the shower. Most campgrounds allow gas bottles refill, but the service is always charged as an extra.

Swimming pools are sometimes included in the booking, but are usually proposed as a paid option, like the spa services if available.

Internet access is almost always proposed as a paying option. An annoying practice, but which is not dictated by greed, because New Zealand is still far from having high broadband capacity on the entire territory: a situation that should change in the coming years with the programmed deployment of the optical fiber.

If the laundry is not free, the price is fortunately quite cheap (expect $4 per cycle and an additional $1 for the dryer). The only real problem is that you have to queue during the high season if the campsite is crowded.

Each campsite can store the wastewater and you can drain the camper van in few minutes before filling the tank with drinking water.

With pleasant or gorgeous surroundings, always located close to the main wonders of the country, the Wheelaway Holidays' camping selection is truly exceptional.

You always know what to expect, with clean facilities and friendly staff at your service.

The atmosphere is very friendly, with groups that form around improvised barbecues to taste sausages bought at the local supermarket. An undeniable advantage if one wants to make friends, but a potential downside if one is trying to escape screaming children during the days and want nothing but calm in the evenings.

It is best to avoid the paid campsites during school holidays if one seeks tranquility above all. That said, the most isolated campsites are quiet. Of course, there is always the risk to endure the invasion of a noisy tourist groups, but the clientele is usually fairly discreet after 9pm.

In summary, if your budget allows it, the solution “Wheelaway Holidays” removes the unexpected and allows to visit the country in the best conditions when you travel in a camper van, with perhaps a slight monotony (there are no real surprises from one camping to another). That's why I recommend not put all your eggs in one basket, and to alternate with other campsites solutions that I'm going to present right now.

The DOC provides a search engine to help you locate campsites in national parks. A practical tool whose consultation is quite slow (New Zealand is after all at 18,000 km from Europe).

Contrary to what one can read on the Internet, the DOC's campsites are far from being all free, and they are even paid ones most of the time!

There are actually four types of DOC's campsites that can accommodate vehicles including motorhomes.

If these campsites are free, it's because there are nothing but dry toilets and water taps on location. Of course, you won't be able to plug your motorhome to a power supply.

To prevent the fifty camping distributed throughout the whole country from turning into dumps, only the camper vans certified “self contained” are allowed to park there.

While it is theoretically possible to spend every night without paying a dime, free camping attracts a crowd of tourists and finding a free spot in summer may be difficult. It is definitely a good deal during the low season, but you can’t rely on this trick the whole year. A solution to handle with care!

Let's switch without delay to the paid category, which offers minor improvements compared to free campsites. The presence of picnic tables is the only significant difference, with the availability of some kitchen utensils (but, if you are traveling in a motorhome fully equipped, this service is not needed).

The “Backcountry” is to be paid, up to $6 per adult and $3 per child, but the price varies from one location to another.

As it is already less crowded than the free camping, you're more likely to find a place to park, but backcountry attracts mostly unorganized travelers who found nowhere else to go.

So this is a solution to be considered in unforeseen circumstances, but without forgetting that you won't find any power supply on location.

Well located but crowded during the high season, these campsites cost a bit more than the Backcountry ones and you'll spend an average of $8 per adult and $5 per child to park there.

Good news! you'll finally find power supplies there, but in limited quantity! The presence of toilets and showers will be appreciated if your motorhome is not equipped.

A relative advantage because the showers only provide cold water! You won't be surprised if I say that this solution is not to be considered during winter, especially if your motorhome isn't equipped withe heating and hot showers.

These are very desirable locations, even if they do not offer more services than standard campsites, but they are located in the heart of exceptional panoramas.

The beautiful scenery makes you forget the lack of installations, even if the price reaches $10 per adult and $5 per child (with an increase of $3 for connection to the electricity if it is available, with limited places) . Nevertheless, these camping should be your first target if you want to save money, because they offer a good compromise.

The “Serviced Campsite” is almost equivalent to paid campsites from Top 10 and Holiday Parks, with beautiful landscapes as a bonus.

There are hot showers, real toilets, laundries, kitchens and picnic tables.

The rate increase is important, and you will have to pay $15 per adult and $7,5 per child. A rate that may be increased by a few dollars if you want a power supply for your camper van.

This is indeed the most interesting camping solution of the country (without Internet access however) and one of the most popular in New Zealand.

Perfect? Alas, no! because it is impossible to book a place! Under these conditions, you cannot bet on this solution without taking risk. To deal with any eventuality, you must always have a plan B based on the other solutions presented in this guide.

Whether free or paid, the 200 campsites DOC will accommodate their customers on a first come, first serve basis.

You cannot therefore rely on this solution at 100%, and I advise you to always identify in advance a secondary camping, just in case there would be no more space available to accommodate you with your camper.

Despite its defaults, the DOC campsite is a classic, and I do not see how one could make a full road trip in New Zealand without using them at least a few times.

Above all, the scenic beauty and the peaceful surroundings are marvelous.

It is also an opportunity to meet the locals who know the area by the heart and can advise you about the best activities. There are, of course, some disadvantages! If you have read the description of each kind of camping, you already know that the shower will be cold or even absent except in equipped campsites (which are the most expensive, by the way).

Consequently, and to the extent that one does not always find power supply, your camper need to be fully loaded before your arrival, otherwise you can forget your hot shower in the late afternoon after a long trek!

If you decide to organize your stay by using the DOC campsites for several nights, you may consider buying a discount card from the Department of Conservation, which can be profitable quickly. The card represents a 50% saving on average compared to the regular price.

But in practice, the pass is mostly interesting for New Zealanders on holiday and less attractive for travelers in a road trip, because it is only valid for seven consecutive nights!

Of course, you can switch from one category of camping to another, but that implies anyway that you spend seven consecutive nights in the DOC campsites (assuming they are not complete).

A process that goes against the solution recommended by Kiwipal, which is to alternate between free and paid campsites.

Insofar the card is only valid at the campsites from the categories “standard” or “ scenic ”, you won't always be able to connect your motorhome to a power supply (to charge the auxiliary battery).

And if the campsites you are interested in are not equipped with hot showers, it may be a good deal on the paper, but that won't suit everyone in reality!

Despite these drawbacks, the discount remains interesting because even if you waste a few nights on the seven allowed, you still save some money and you pay standard rate otherwise.

If you want to get this discount card, you can order it online from authorized retailers because the DOC itself does not sell it directly to foreign travelers.

I recommend you to buy the pass on Rankers' website, where you will only be asked to specify your model of motorhomes. The pass is to be printed, then displayed prominently on the windscreen of the vehicle where it will be checked by the DOC camping staff on location.

The pass is personal and is activated at first use, allowing you to buy it in advance and to start using it later whenever you want. You'll just have to write the activation date on the pass with a pen.

Okay 2 Stay offers you to park your motorhome in the fields of small olive producers, honey, cheese, fruit, coffee ... and even beer or wine!

Almost free to be precise, because you need a membership card and you must commit to buy at least one product from the business you are visiting.

Okay 2 stay is a perfect example of “responsible tourism”, where each traveler lives an authentic experience while helping a small producer to live his passion.

Of course, the service cannot compete with true paid campings! The lack of amenities requires a “self-contained” camper van.

Although some places are not open all year, there is room to build an exceptional gastronomic route.

To give you an idea, I suggest you look at the website of “Mike Organic Brewry” an excellent brewer from Taranaki that welcomes you on his property.

The annual membership for a motorhome (regardless of the number of passengers) costs only $45 for the year (with no commitment or automatic renewal) and grants unlimited access to 115 camping distributed throughout the country (69 on the North Island and 46 on the South Island).

To make yourself an idea, you can check the distribution of the camping on a general map, but without accurate contact information (you will gain access to contacts after the sign-up process).

You also benefit from the possibility to read the reviews from other registered members to make your choice. Of course, you cannot consider building your entire itinerary on this unique camping solution. One must plug the camper to a power supply sooner or later, which is unfortunately not yet possible in the okay 2 stay network.

But this original approach allows you to meet New Zealanders, discovering quality products while making great savings on yourholiday budget.

The welcome is usually very warm and friendly but using a professional's domain to spend the night does not come without some basic common rules. This is a place where people work, you cannot just come and go everywhere as you please.

You must thus remain in the assigned area and be discreet, not letting children running around in complete freedom, because no professional wants his property to looks like a campground in the eyes of regular customers.

You cannot either invest the place anytime like you would in a hotel. If there is no conventional booking service, you still need to contact your host the day before your arrival (to notify your schedule).

Once on location, you should introduce yourself at reception and you must not park in the property spontaneously without knowing the places reserved for motorhomes.

Present your membership card and the landlord will explain how to proceed with a smile.

Producers who adhere to the program do so for the pleasure of the exchange with travelers.

For the network to live, you must purchase at least one product (a beer bottle, a lavender sachet, a fresh cheese ...), but I assure you, there is no expensive products. That said, the prospect of saving money should not be your only motivation!

Do not sign up if you are just searching for a place to park your vehicle without speaking to anyone.

Despite these imperfections, okay2Stay is Kiwipal's crush, one of our favorite solutions.

This is a service I do not hesitate to describe as essential if one wants to meet New Zealanders during his vacation.

However, if your budget is too tight, it is even possible to give a chance to Freedom camping.

Wild camping consists of using a free site to plant your tent or park your camper van ... if you are authorized to do so, of course!

New Zealand has always been a safe haven for Freedom camping, but the situation has evolved since the past ten years.

The development of tourism and the rise of bad behaviors committed by a minority of stupid travelers forced the authorities to react. Exasperated by the greasy papers and the trash, some regions decided to vote a prohibition against Freedom camping at the proximity of the most tourist areas.

Cynics will say that the prohibition of camping is primarily motivated by greed. A selective ban, essentially targeting the major tourist areas of the country, such as Rotorua, Queenstown or Wanaka… But if there is perhaps some truth in this claim, one must recognize that the motorhomes parked anywhere in the country were altering the beauty of the dream landscapes.

The amount of the fine fixed at about $200 must be paid immediately or within eight days (depending on the region). Non-payment leads to prosecution and one could be blocked at the airport beforeleaving the country if a customs officer consult the register of offenses (which is also available for fines resulting from a non-respect of the driving Code).

Freedom camping is still legal in most of the country. Contrary to what one might think, tourist centers (iSites) are always happy to indicate the locations where you can park for free.

However, improvising a campsite in the wilderness involves not relying on the absence of any prohibition signs.

When in doubt, always ask the owner's permission if he lives nearby, or the advice of a local resident. A great advice that remains valid even in town.

Please note that if the backpackers have always exchanged tips on good locations, they travel mostly in mini vans which are more discreet than motorhomes. The police run night patrols and you would not be the first to be awakened by the flashlight of a police officer.

Low-end campsites are cheap, and the Department of Conservation even offers fifty free camping grounds.

One does not come to New Zealand to drive for hours in search of a proper camping to park the vehicle or to spend a night on a supermarket car park!

The beautiful land located along a nice river looks like a bargain... But one does not compromise with the notion of private property in New Zealand, and the authorities know from experience what are the places to control by night. The need to improvise on location is often a proof of an itinerary hastily organized.

I therefore recommend the Freedom camping only if one takes the time ensure that the parking is allowed. By leaving the place even cleaner before leaving, we might escape the outright ban of Freedom camping, which is unfortunately on the horizon!

When considering a trip in a motorhome the first time, most people generally assume that the vehicle rental will be the sole expense of the stay.

In practice, it is often necessary to book paid camping nights, and the reputation of the camping, supposed to be the cheapest solution to visit New Zealand, is a kind of exaggerated.

For if it is possible to make an entire stay in free campgrounds, such holidays are like an obstacle course with a great deal of time spent to find places to park the vehicle.

A young couple without children could consider such a Spartan trip, but without hot showers neither electricity, it can turn out to be a nightmare for most travelers.

Nevertheless, a well-organized motorhome trip is cheaper than a road trip by car with hotel nights.

Mostly because the price of a campsite is more affordable, but also because you will spend (waste?) less money in restaurants.

And the more the number of passengers increases, the more the price decline! Therefore, one must accept the idea of paying sometimes to save time and enjoy beautiful facilities within the best tourist locations.

The holidays will be more enjoyable and you will keep better memories... this is part of the game in a way.

You must find a balance between the free campsites of the DOC, and the paid campsites or Holiday Parks which are better located on the map, more comfortable and allow to plug a camper van to a power supply.

For example, you could book the 2/3 of your stay with the “Wheelaway Holidays” and fill the gaps in your schedule with free nights in the Department of Conservation's camping.

Or else, you can also subscribe to the “Okay 2 Stay” service and punctuate your stay with gourmet steps. Meeting true locals would make your trip even more interesting.

Whatever the solution chosen, you must build your own itinerary all by yourself rather than asking a third party to do it for you! Of course, you can seek inspiration among our list of well-crafteditineraries, which intend to present the must-do of New Zealand, but the choice the campsites should always be personal, otherwise you may lose the charm of a motorhome trip!

You must be the master on board, which means not to delegate the organization of your stay to a travel agency!

For New Zealand campsites you have plenty of choice. But do not be afraid, because there are handy mobile applications (for smartphones and tablets) to help you find campsites in New Zealand.

At Kiwipal, we have tested every New Zealand app, and only two of them are reliable enough to allow you to organize a motorhome itinerary, and improvise on location if necessary!

Paid apps from CamperMate and Rankers are of equivalent quality and receive frequent content updates.

All campgrounds are listed, as well as gas stations and dump stations. Buying a single application will do, and you can even use it without an Internet connection.

To conclude this guide, and whatever your choice of camping, there are basic rules that you should always follow during your trip to New Zealand.

Once your itinerary established, you need to book your motorhome.

Kiwipal provides a comparator and an easy way to book online.

You'll get a vehicle rental with unlimited mileage, free cancellation and the guarantee of the lowest price on the market!

If you have any question about campsites, do not forget to look below at the question and answer section managed by our friend Ben the Kiwi.

I wish you a great stay in New Zealand!