Camping Bases for New Zealand's Best Day Walks

How to pick a base

A good base is close enough to start early, because the car park at the trailhead fills by mid-morning on a fine summer day, and has a plan B nearby for a wet day. For most of these walks that means a campsite or holiday park within 30 minutes. The camping guides for Tekapo, Queenstown and Christchurch cover the towns, and the winter camping guide covers the cold-season walks.

Check the weather the night before, because the high walks need clear conditions and the lower ones suit a poorer day. The guide to walks closed for lambing covers the spring closures, since some farm-crossing tracks are shut from August to November.

Hooker Valley, Aoraki Mount Cook

The Hooker Valley Track is a flat walk to a glacier lake with the mountain behind it, and the most popular short walk in the national park. Sleep at DOC's White Horse Hill Campground in Aoraki Mount Cook Village, which is a few minutes from the start and books out in summer, or in Twizel or Tekapo, each under an hour away.

Mountain weather changes fast, wind can be strong on the swing bridges, and the village has few shops, so stock up in Twizel. The camping guides for Tekapo and Twizel cover the choices on the way.

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The crossing is a long day walk through volcanic country and needs a shuttle, since it starts and finishes in different places. Bases are the holiday parks and motels at National Park Village, Whakapapa and Ohakune, DOC's campsites inside Tongariro National Park, or Taupō and Tūrangi about an hour north. KiwiCamping's DOC data (11 August 2026) lists 5 DOC campsites in Tongariro National Park.

The weather decides the day, so keep a spare day, and carry warm clothes, water and sun protection. The guide to camping in Taupō covers the northern base, and the volcanic safety guide covers the hazards.

Abel Tasman National Park

The coastal track's day walks and kayaking start from Marahau and Kaiteriteri, and the holiday parks and campgrounds around them fill from Christmas to the end of January, so book early. Nelson and Motueka are the bigger towns, 45 to 60 minutes away, with holiday parks and shops.

Water taxis let you walk one stretch and be collected, which is how most visitors do a day. The Abel Tasman Coast Track campsites guide covers the overnight option, which needs a DOC booking.

Roys Peak and Rob Roy Glacier, Wānaka

Wānaka is the base for the Roys Peak Track, a steep climb with a famous view that closes from 1 October to 10 November for lambing, and for the Rob Roy Glacier walk at the head of the Matukituki valley. Wānaka has holiday parks and lakeside campgrounds, and the guide to freedom camping in Wānaka covers the council's rules.

Roys Peak is long and exposed, so start at dawn in summer and carry water, and in the lambing closure use the nearby lakeside tracks or the Rob Roy walk instead. The valley road to Rob Roy is gravel with fords, so check the conditions.

Milford and Kepler day walks, Te Anau

Te Anau is the base for the Milford Road's short walks, and for day sections of the Kepler Track from the lake. Camping is at the holiday parks in town or at DOC's Fiordland campsites, since freedom camping is not allowed, as the guide to freedom camping in Te Anau explains. Thirteen DOC campsites in Fiordland appear in KiwiCamping's August 2026 data.

The Milford Road can close for snow and avalanche risk, so check the status before driving. The Fiordland road trip guide covers the loop and the Kepler Track guide covers the Great Walk huts and campsites.

Cathedral Cove and Arthur's Pass

On the Coromandel, Hāhei is the base for the walk to Cathedral Cove, and the holiday parks there fill months ahead for Christmas and New Year. Access to the cove has changed after storm damage, so check DOC's current status. Whitianga is the larger base, 20 minutes away.

In the Southern Alps, Arthur's Pass village is the base for short walks to the Devil's Punchbowl and for the harder climbs, with DOC campsites around the national park, which KiwiCamping's DOC data (11 August 2026) counts as 4 within Arthur's Pass. The Arthur's Pass camping route covers the drive from Christchurch to the West Coast.

Using KiwiCamping to pick a base

To pair walks with beds, KiwiCamping shows the holiday parks and DOC campsites near each trailhead, plus the dump stations, with a filter for campervan access. Save a base and a backup for each walk, put them in a dated trip, and use each stop's forecast to choose which walk goes on which day.

Many trailheads are out of range, but your saved bases keep their details offline; the map, routes and photos need signal. The app is free, with in-app purchases.

Μέρη στη διαδρομή