Looking to travel New Zealand in a campervan but totally overwhelmed because of what campsites to choose? My list below is every site we stayed at on the South Island! 

Kiwi Camp / Riverlands (Blenheim) – Low Cost Site $15pp 

This was our first campsite of the South Island. We didn’t want to go to far from Picton as due to heading to Elaine Bay the next day and we arrived pretty late in the day too, so we chose this site as it was about 20 minutes from the ferry terminal. The sites in Picton didn’t have great reviews and they were really expensive. This site was our first proper Kiwi Camp and it was more expensive than the others we had seen, but by far cheaper than than the paid campsites. It had washing machines, hot showers, proper sinks for washing up and cute individual camp spots. It was really secure and a good spot to regroup and get some washing done.

Elaine Bay Reserve (Elaine Bay) – Department of Conservation Site $8 per adult

A DoC site that we had seen recommended so we definitely wanted to go here. I would recommend it, the location was incredible. It takes about 2 hours each way from Blenheim to the campsite, and as it is the only one in the area, I would recommend heading early as if you can’t get on the site you would need to drive back quite a way to find an alternative site. That being said, it is worth the risk as the site was so beautiful. Located in Pelorus Sound, it is incredibly picturesque. A small jetty provides access to the water for fishing and boats, and sometimes sting rays can be found swimming there. 

New World Car Park (Nelson) – Freedom Site 

This was possibly our roguest site, but if you are wanting a free night in Nelson then this is a good spot. The other car parks that become freedom sites over night, were rammed and there was such little space between vehicles as they had to fit in to get a spot. However, the New World (supermarket) car park is huge, you can park wherever and it felt really secure as it was lit up. We headed to the far corner and seemed to set the trend as we were joined by many other vans. It was NYE which maybe made the whole thing busier and so you might find the other sites quieter and more appealing. 

Murchison Motorhome Park (Murchison) – Paid Site – $44 Non Powered 

This is another fave site of mine. I stopped here in 2020 and had a lovely stay so when we were debating where or what to do, as we approached this site I thought it would be good to stay here and make the most of the showers and facilities. There is a really lovely communal kitchen with seating, nice showers and situated right on the river. This time, we discovered that there were swimming holes to use too, so this is such a nice spot for a sunny afternoon. 

Lake Pearson Campsite (Moana Rua) in Arthur’s Pass  – Department of Conservation Site $10 per adult 

The in or around the Arthur’s Pass National Park were pretty much all DoC. We chose this one as it was well reviewed on CamperMate and it worked with our route. It was a really nice site, a big area for visitors and it was a mixed site, meaning that non-self contained campers could stay too. You can pitch up right next to Lake Pearson ready for a morning swim or further back in the shelter of the trees. There are no facilities other than drop toilets, but they were really well maintained and the ranger made regular appearances to clean them. 

Whataroa Gorge Road (Whataroa) – Freedom Site

As we headed closer and closer to Franz Josef, the sites got more sparse and more expensive. This site was only around 35 mins from Franz Josef and worth staying at for the sake of staying somewhere free. The small township that manages the freedom site are really supportive of the freedom site, so please be respectful and do not park on the riverbed, it floods. There aren’t any actual facilities on the site, but there are public toilets in the town. They were spotless and we witnessed them being cleaned twice. The site itself is so quiet, as it’s 5 minutes out of the township and you can only hear the river. There were a lot of sandflies (a nuisance in the summer) but it was so peaceful that it was a decent compromise. 

Orange Sheep Campervan Park (Franz Josef) – Low Cost Site – $15pp

This was the most reasonable paid site in Franz Josef and it was actually really nice. We didn’t know what to expect, it looks small from the front but it opens up and there’s so much space. Due to it being so quiet at the time we arrived, we were able to pick our spot, but when things got busier, the owner took people to their pitches. It’s a good location for exploring Franz Josef, almost much opposite the visitors centre and walking distance to bars. The facilities were good too, hot showers, sinks for washing up and WiFi. 

Paringa Salmon Farm Cafe (Paringa) – Freedom Site

We didn’t intend to stop at this site but we had a bad couple of days of weather and didn’t want to get too ahead of ourselves. It is just a gravel spot at the end of the Salmon Farm’s carpark, but it was sheltered and quiet. We had a meal in the farm cafe, which we felt was only fair for staying at the site for free and having use of the toilets. It actually turned out to be a popular spot, it was full of campers by evening. We had a good night here and they were building outside facilities too, so if it works on your route, this is potential a good spot. 

Bendigo Freedom Camp (Bendigo) – Freedom Site

Another lakeside camp. This one was not far from Wanaka (it’s about 30 minutes) but was free, which was what we wanted. There were public toilets and a dump station so it was a really good free site. We arrived late, after we had had dinner in Wanaka, and we had no issue with getting a spot so this is definitely a good one to save when you are around and about Wanaka but don’t want to stay in a paid site. 

Kingston Lake Camp (Kingston) – Freedom Site

This was a loveeeeely site. We had an incredible sunset over the lake here. It is the closest site to Queenstown that is a freedom, as all free sites have been banned in the city and it’s surrounding area. It is about 30 minutes out, but it’s such a lovely site that it’s worth staying here one night just for the sunset/sunrise. There were toilets which were fairly clean and plenty of space so you can just park up wherever. Some of it is quite uneven so we had a bit of a faff finding a level spot, the best ones seem to be by the water’s edge but they require you to arrive much earlier in the day.

Kiwi Lakeview Holiday Park (Te Anau) – Paid Site – $25 pp 

If you’re heading to Milford Sound, this a great spot to stay at. We needed a site with showers and laundry, so this one worked for us. It’s located right beside a lake so we had a chance to swim and relax the day we arrived. It is 1 hour 50 drive to Milford from Te Anau which seems a lot, but we couldn’t get a space on a site within the National Park and they were also all really expensive so this was a better choice for us. We booked our tour of Milford Sound online and drove from the site the morning of. P.S make sure you have enough petrol before heading to Milford Sound! 

Clifden Swing Bridge (Clifden) – Freedom Site

After our day in Milford Sound, we needed to get a bit of a drive done so this is why the next campsite is quite a jump down. This was a pull over and sleep stop for us, but it was actually a lot nicer than we expected. It was a gravel car park, but it was at the end of a road – the bridge used to be passable but is no longer, so no one really came down other than to park up and sleep too. The bridge has a lot of history, the sunset was good and a field of deer were just across which was nice to stop and watch for a while. Also, there were toilets which is always a bonus. 

Waikawa Recreation Reserve (Waikawa) – Freedom Site

We planned to stop at Curio Bay for penguin spotting so if that’s on your list, this is a good spot for that. Toilets on site, and a popular fish & chip spot just in the township. It’s a fairly big site, so plenty of spaces but it did fill up as it is a really good location. 

Brighton Domain (Brighton) – Freedom Site

We were hoping to stay on another freedom, and this one worked perfectly with our journey route. It is a good spot, on the coast with beach access so if you fancy having a beach day or a swim, there’s lots of options. This site was really quiet, a few dog walkers but secluded and secure on the whole. Access to portaloo’s were also available, and they were surprisingly ok but make sure you’ve got toilet roll in your van as the portals are not as well monitored as the DoC drop loos. 

Katiki Beach North Reserve Rest Stop (Katiki) – Freedom Site

Another lovely beach site. I have recommended this many times as it was just so perfect. Right on the sand dunes, you can pitch up facing the waves – we even had a swim! Theres toilets that are managed by a ranger so they are nice and clean. And to top it off, the nearby township has some of the best fish and chips! 

All Day Beach Reserve (Oamaru) – Freedom Site

This is a good spot if you want to be close to the beach and park up on a grassy pitch. We stopped here because it was one of the closest freedom site’s to Oamaru, which was essential as our trip to a penguin colony (the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is amazing, and I 100% recommend adding this to your itinerary!) finished late and we wanted to get back to somewhere quickly that had lots of space so we would definitely get a spot! 

Lake Pukaki Reserve/Overnight Campervan Parking (Mount Cook National Park) – Freedom Site 

Another 10/10 site for us. I would recommend if you are visiting Mount Cook to stay here for a night. You can only stay here for one night – just a PSA. The facilities are decent – clean drop loos, and the views are incredible. Seeing Mount Cook over Lake Pukaki was one of the best sights of our trip. It is just stunning. Loads of campers stay here, it’s a really big site and quite sociable – we even made friends here! It can be a bit windy so just keep this in mind, but that stops the sandflies from being a bother so it’s a win in my opinion! 

Lake Wardell (Mount Cook National Park) – Freedom Site

We had to find a site to stay at within the National Park as we had 2 days of exploring. This was an alternative freedom as we were only able to stay at the previous site for one night. It is a really quiet site, in the trees so it’s much more sheltered. Unfortunately though, because of this, it doesn’t have the views of Mount Cook. We wanted a place to just snooze so it worked for us, but I would actually recommend staying at the paid DoC site at the base of Mount Cook instead. The White Horse Hill Campground has great facilities; showers/toilets/a communal eating area and is a fab location for the walking trails such as Hooker Valley. It costs $18 per adult in the summer but is well worth it. If you stay overnight, it saves you the drive in and out each day as it takes around 50 minutes to reach the Mount Cook car park from Twizel, the nearest town. 

Sawdon Edwards Stream Overnight Campervanning (Lake Tekapo) – Freedom Site 

We really struggled in Lake Tekapo to find a site, but luckily this one on Rankers was just outside of the township and was a really nice spot. It is situated next to a mainish road, but there wasn’t a lot of traffic and through the night there was only a few passing lorries. Facilities include picnic benches and a drop loo. A highlight for us was the amazing sunset, it seems like you get a pretty good one most nights at this site. If you’re staying around Lake Tekapo, definitely take some time to star gaze, as this whole area is a dark sky reserve so on a clear night you can see the some of the milky way – it was incredible, and is one of our best memories from New Zealand. 

Coes Ford Freedom Camp (Coes Ford) – Freedom Site

Making our way back north, this spot was a good place to rest. It’s a popular spot for holiday campers as you can stay here for up to 4 weeks, so there were lots of families around. The facilities were basic but clean and it was really quiet. We only chose it as we needed to get north but had to stop somewhere and this was a great spot, so if you’re following a similar route, this might work for you too. 

Scarborough Street Reserve (Kaikõura) – Freedom Site

Kaikõura has a few freedoms, a couple which are beach front/sea facing. Unfortunately, they are very limited and are often full – we saw people leaving at 9:00am as it has strict timings and limits of staying one night only, and new people taking the empty spot’s as those vans left. We headed to this site instead, which is about 10 minutes away from these other sites and was completely empty. It’s situated on a hill, so some spots had a slight slope but we were able to level ourselves out and gave a great view over the whole of Kaikõura. It was perfect for a night before the early morning whale watching trip we booked. 

North Beach Car Park (New Brighton/Christchurch) – Freedom Site 

This was our last spot of our New Zealand roadie and was a great site if you’re not wanting to spend your last camping night (or first) right in central Christchurch. I have stayed in one closer, right in the city centre but this one was free & next to the beach which was much more enjoyable. The sites are located across a few different lay-by’s along the road, so just read the signs and you should be fine. The toilets were public loos for the beaches and parks, so they were also dotted around. We were able to pitch up with friends and didn’t find the road noise disturbing as it dropped off pretty early. It was a really great spot to organise ourselves before returning the van the next day. 

Camping Top Tips

Use CamperMate & Rankers. CamperMate has the best maps for water refills etc but Rankers has way more freedom sites as it’s a NZ app. Also can use it to find dump stations, public toilets, wifi spots etc. 

We used McDonald’s for WiFi as you can get unlimited WiFi if you make an account. Great for downloading movies, planning routes, checking campsites and booking activities etc but there’s lots of places with no signal. 

Google Maps – download offline because again, no signal. 

Check the next petrol stations – some towns don’t have them and sometimes they only accept kiwi bank cards. We were ok, but a couple of times I decided we should turn round and go back to get petrol. 

Shops – Pac’n’Save is great as it’s like a bulk buy shop. You also get vouchers to use at their petrol station. We also used The Warehouse or Bunnings for extra camping bits. 

Follow the Scenic Highways – Forgotten World Highway was one of the best (30km of unpaved road) but so fun to do. There’s loads and they give you the best views/roads 

Water – use CamperMate to find the water refill places. Potable water is drinking water. We filled up our van so we could use the tap but we also filled up 2 x 10L bottles which we got from pac n save. 

Get a Kiwi Tag – this isn’t essential but gives you access to showers with hot water and toilets! The token is $5 and can be found in most petrol stations. I’ve put a link to their website here https://www.kiwicamp.nz/how-it-works/ if you want to have a look at that! 

I really hope that the list of our South Island campsites has been helpful. I found it quite hard to navigate which site to choose here and there, so thought a slightly more comprehensive list may be better for route planning! Any questions, just leave me a message below or find me on Instagram: @hannahshildrake // @hans_travels_

lots of love

Han x