16 places to go camping at Lake Tekapo & Central Otago

We spent several days in Lake Tekapo and honestly you should too! It’s incredible.

There’s only 3-4 places to go camping in Lake Tekapo itself. I recommend checking out the Lakeside Edge Holiday Park OR Alexandrina Camping Grounds for some freedom camping.

We decided to go camping in Lake Tekapo as we were doing an epic road trip across South Island and it’s honestly one of the most beautiful places on South Island.

Weather you are visiting Lake Tekapo for the incredible cyan blue lake or the incredible experiences you get to have when you are stargazing in the world’s second largest dark night reserve or if you want to visit Tekapo Springs honestly there is something for everyone.

It’s definitely a great pitstop you should make in South Island and it’s a good halfway point between Queenstown and Christchurch.

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Quick Mini Guide To tekapo

Don’t have a lot of time? Here’s a quick mini guide to Tekapo.

Where to stay

• Peppers Bluewater Resort
• Grand Suites Tekapo
• Budget Tekapo: Lake’s Edge Holiday Parks

Top sights

• Hot pools!
• Stargazing in the dark sky reserve or Mount John observatory
• The stunning blue lake itself
• Book an air safari to see Mt Cook from above
• Go offroading

How to get there

• Rent a car from Queenstown

Stay connected

Purchase an eSim with Airalo on your phone – Use discount code A&M3 for $3 off your first purchase.

Best activities & tours on South Island

Here are some of the best New Zealand South Island tours! I always compare tours on Viator and Get Your Guide to check prices and different tour availability.

Camping at Lake Tekapo; where should you go?

Because it was the height of summer a lot of the camping grounds were actually fully booked so we had to move between different campsites and here is the full review.

I have a full guide on Things to do in Lake Tekapo, plus do not forget to visit Tekapo Hot Springs and the incredible Stargazing in Lake Tekapo.

Before we get started; if you fancy some glamping on South Island, you can’t miss out on the glamping with Llamas!

Lake Tekapo Campsites

Lake Edge Holiday Park

Lakes Edge Holiday Park is an exceptional camping ground in Lake Tekapo. You know what you’re getting with this campsite and it always includes very clean toilets, Wi-Fi, hot water in the showers and excellent view of the cyan blue waters of Lake Tekapo.

There is usually a good amount of space between you and the next person meeting you’re not living on top of each other which is great and they have some great wooden tables and chairs around outside so he can eat eat dinner as the sun goes down.

They have a mix of tent pitches, powered sites and non-powered sites.

Just be warned that some areas of Lakeside holiday camping has pictures and sites which aren’t the most tent friendly – you do get some patches of rocky ground which are quite hard and fellow travellers told us that it was a little bit uncomfortable to sleep on even with camping mattresses.

However this is only in some of the area so just be aware and pick your sites well. Request a change to your pitching site if it doesn’t suit you!

Still, very central and a great place to go camping at Lake Tekapo. Don’t miss the Tekapo Lupins (pictured below) if you[‘re visiting around November, December or even January.

Alexandrina camping Lake Tekapo

So we stayed in the Alexandrina camping grounds near Lake Tekapo on one of the nights they were fully booked out in many of the other campgrounds in the height of summer.
The Alexandrina campgrounds are much cheaper in costa around NZ$10-NZ$15 and it operates via and honesty box.

Whilst you’re in Alexandrina, don’t miss the Tekapo Lupins – the famous purple flowers – that you can find on the shores by this campsite!

The facilities are fairly limited and whilst you get some basic toilets amenities there is no running water so just bear in mind it’s great if you have a self-contained campervan but if you don’t, you might struggle to stay here for more than one night. This is essentially free camping at lake tekapo.

It is about a 10-15 minute drive from the centre of Tekapo and it is definitely worth the price.

One thing to bear in mind is that some of the ground here is slightly slightly angled so choose your camping spot wisely and try and get there somewhat early to grab a good spot on the campsite.

McGregor Campervan Site

There is also the lake McGregor Campervans site right next to Lake Alexandrina and this one is generally full of long-term Campers.

The bathrooms are exceptionally clean however you will need to bring your own toilet paper and there is no flushing water. It cost NZ$10 per person per night and there is an honesty box, but honestly, honestly the view is unreal.

There are quite a few cute ducks and black swans swimming on the lake and you have to go through kilometre of dirt together. It’s really nice. Definitely recommended for a cheaper option and if you have a self-contained camper.

Lake Tekapo NZMCA Park

There is also one mobile home park which is the NZMCA Park, great for camping at Lake Tekapo.

We decided not to camp here because you have to be a member of the NZMCA organisation and as we were only passing through we felt like this was maybe too much commitment.

However, if you are a long-term camper or you are travelling around New Zealand for an extended period of time it might be worth looking into getting a membership with NZMCA.

The views here are pretty spectacular the same of any that have of view of the turquoise Lake Tekapo.
And of course, the sunsets are pretty unreal.

That is it for camping grounds that are actually in Lake Tekapo. There are more camping sites just outside.

Lake Tekapo Motels

There are a tonne of Lake Tekapo motels you can choose from – take your pick! The Tekapo motels that stand out include:

• Lake Tekapo Village Motel – Right on the lakefront – don’t miss it!
• Haka House Tekapo Motel – with incredible views of the beautiful lake and floor to ceiling glass windows
• Lake Tekapo Cottages – a gorgeous and quaint little stay.

Some of the best accommodation options out there.

Mackenzie Waitaki

So one of the closest camping grounds that is not in Lake Tekapo town itself is the McKenzie Waitaki RV camping ground. It is great for freedom camping although there’s no particular great views but it’s good to get the job done particularly if Lake Tekapo is all booked up.

There’s only a single toilet here and we were told that it smells pretty bad so just be aware. It’s probably better for self-contained camping units. I would also recommend bringing your own toilet paper.

In a nutshell, it does the job. But that’s about it.

Lake Pukaki Campsites

So a bit further on from lake Tekapo is Lake Pukaki and there are probably three noteworthy campsites here.

One of the great things about Lake Pukaki is that it has the most incredible views of Mount Cook, which is the highest mountain in New Zealand. I’m talking out of this world views it is incredible.

One of my favourite views in all of South Island and in fact all of New Zealand was the Lake Pukaki viewing point so make sure you stop by and have a look it is literally on the way from lake Tekapo .

Lake Wardell campsite

Lake Wardell campsite is probably a favourite for the Lake Pukaki area and is generally one of the higher rated campsites in the Central Otago region.

It’s close to the main road and the trees that line the area make you feel like you’re not right next to the road traffic and there is great signal if you want to use mobile data, the clean toilets are absolutely fine and there are plenty of parking spaces.

Lake Wardell campsite is really good for campervans and self-contained units however the soil is a little bit on the hard side meeting that you might need an air bed or some very thick camping mattresses.

Lake Poaka Campsite

The Lake Poaka campsite is a great little spot right next to Lake Pukaki and on the way to Mount Cook. There are a ton of sites and car parking spaces where you can set up for the evening if you’re lucky you get to park right in front of the lake and it’s a very peaceful camp, there is a gravel road to get to this campsite so just be aware of the road might be bumpy

This is mostly a freedom campsite and there are two clean toilets which do you have toilet paper inside.

This is great for self-contained units however some people do recommend just swimming swimming in the lake to shower off.

Pinetree campground for self-contained units

This does what it says on the tin and it is a site for self-contained campers.

It is essentially a freedom camping spot /wild camping spot. It’s right next to the lake. There’s lots of places to park amongst the trees and it’s very peaceful.

There is one toilet which apparently isn’t the best.

Right next to this is the Pukaki canal and it’s a great place to fish.

Freedom camping ground

A bit feather along the road is the freedom camping ground right next to Twizel.

It has a great walkway and cycling track and fishing is also a good activity to do here. It also has some spectacular sunsets across the lake and apparently you can even see the Aurora, at night if you’re lucky and the conditions are alright. There is quite a lot of space and there is a lot of great views.

Omarama top 10

Even feather along is the Omarama Top 10 Holiday Park however I would say this is getting a little bit far from Lake Tekapo, it is probably about an hours drive.

If you’re in Omarama, don’t miss the Omarama Clay Cliffs – they’re incredible!

First of all there is the top 10 holiday park.

If you have camped at all in New Zealand you’ll know about Top 10. Top 10 parks are essentially a chain of campgrounds across the entire entirety of New Zealand and are located in many of the major tourist points.

The facilities in the Omarama Top 10 Holiday Park are pretty much the same which make it a great, predictable and reliable campsite; there is always a kitchen. There is always a shared lounge where you can relax on sofas. There is always a TV sometimes you will find that it comes with additional facilities like pools or hot tubs sometimes you might need to book extra for those but you always know that the campgrounds are going to be very clean very well managed And are generally great to stay at

This being said it is a little bit more pricier than some of your other campgrounds so it depends on your budget where you would like to stay, and how comfortable you would like to be. Expect to pay somewhere around $55 or $60 NZD for 2 people (around $25-30 pp)

This is not to say that other camping grounds aren’t as comfortable. It’s just that it might not be as predictable.

However, if you are really limited for choice and everything else is booked out then the Top 10 Holiday Park here is a great choice because you can always know what to expect from the facilities.

You can also sign up and become a member and get consistent discounts on all of your Top 10 Holiday Park bookings and they are frequent enough all over north and South Island New Zealand so this means that there’s always a good quality Top 10 Campsite nearby.

Lake Ruataniwha Holiday Park & Motels

A bit feather along from Lake Pukaki there is Lake Ruataniwha Holiday Park & Motels which is a really popular site for Campers.

You can opt to get a little cabin or you can have a powered site or non-powered site and there are some pretty spectacular views of Lake Ruataniwha.

For the Lake Tekapo Motels, you may need to bring your own bedding because the cabins, do not come with any. It has some of the largest camping grounds in the central Otago region and there are pretty basic amenities

Lake Benmore campground

The Lake Benmore View campground is a smaller and lesser well-known campground on Lake Benmore. This definitely means that it’s a lot quieter some lovely spectacular views but definitely a bit more of a drive from Tekapo.

Lake Ohau

There are three camping grounds on Lake Ohau. There is the Lake Middleton Camping Ground the Round Bush Camp and the Temple Campsite.

Lake Middleton Camping Ground

The Lake Middleton camping ground is probably the most popular of the three as it’s closest to the main road and it is fairly low cost, there are some great views of how , and depending on where you park the toilets can be a little bit on the long side however the toilets are flushed toilets.

It costs NZ$10 per adult per night and there is a registration slip and box on the road before you drive up to the campsite itself.

Round Bush Camp

The round bush camp is an amazing free camping site and you can basically choose your own spot and build your camp This is for self-contained campers only and is the perfect serene and quiet location. There are a ton of spots so you should be able to find space. You also get views of Mount Cook which is an added bonus.

Temple Campsite

Then there is the Temple Campsite which is more remote but exception of view to beautiful views of the mountains tons of sheep and livestock however just be warned of the sandflies and it is a little bit isolated so you prefer being closer to civilisation then this might not be the one for you otherwise otherwise incredible .

Pioneer pioneer Park campsite

The pioneer Park campsite is on the way from Christchurch to Tekapo if you would like to stop before you reach Tekapo then this is probably the best choice there is pretty basic facilities and no reception whatsoever however it is set and a beautiful scenery, there are long toilets and running water. This is best for self-sufficient and self-contained Campers.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Adriana! I’m constantly searching for the best places to travel to so you don’t have to! Think hidden gems but all over the world. That means I’m constantly on the road and exploring new places to visit and I have a love for photography, so it made sense to write travel guides on all the places I visit. I was born in Australia and spent my childhood in New Zealand, Poland, Dubai and England growing up and I decided to take my love of travel to the next level! Read more about me here and see my articles here.

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Car & Campervan Rental

It’s recommended that you either hire yourself, a camper van or a car, so you can explore North Island at your heart’s desire..

Depending on what time of year it can be really busy so it is worth looking at your stay well in advance. Bear in mind cost of hotels on your itinerary North Island New Zealand.

North Island Weather

Summer in NZ

Read more about the summer weather in NZ.

Temperature: In January, when it’s summer, the weather is warm on both North & South Island! The temperatures are around 23°C (73°F), while the South Island is a tad cooler, sitting at around 19°C (66°F).

But honestly, on some of the days it was BOILING in the summer, and reaching highs of 30°C (86°F) if not higher. Think, you’ll burn in 15 minutes outside without sun cream.

Rain: Both islands get about 8 rainy days, but you’ve got heaps of daylight to play with, around 15 hours a day. It’s like the sun just doesn’t wanna quit!

Winter in NZ

Read more about the winter weather in NZ.

Fast forward to June, when it’s winter in NZ. Things start cooling down a bit, especially in the South Island. You’re looking at around 11°C (52°F) down there, while the North Island is still a bit milder, hovering around 15°C (59°F).

It’s a bit wetter too, with around 14 rainy days, but, you still get some solid daylight, about 9 hours or so.

So, that’s the gist of it! Both Islands have their pros & cons but frankly, they’re both beautiful.

New Zealand Weather in January

• Average temperature on North Island: 23°C (73°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 19°C (66°F)
• Average rainy days: 8
• Average daylight hours: 15
• Average sunrise time: 6:15 AM
• Average sunset time: 9:30 PM

New Zealand Weather in February

• Average temperature on North Island: 25°C (77°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 20°C (68°F)
• Average rainy days: 7
• Average daylight hours: 14
• Average sunrise time: 6:45 AM
• Average sunset time: 9:00 PM

New Zealand Weather in March

• Average temperature on North Island: 23°C (73°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 18°C (64°F)
• Average rainy days: 9
• Average daylight hours: 12
• Average sunrise time: 7:15 AM
• Average sunset time: 8:15 PM

New Zealand Weather in April

• Average temperature on North Island: 20°C (68°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 15°C (59°F)
• Average rainy days: 11
• Average daylight hours: 11
• Average sunrise time: 7:45 AM
• Average sunset time: 6:45 PM

New Zealand Weather in May

• Average temperature on North Island: 17°C (63°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 12°C (54°F)
• Average rainy days: 12
• Average daylight hours: 9
• Average sunrise time: 8:15 AM
• Average sunset time: 5:30 PM

New Zealand Weather in June

• Average temperature on North Island: 15°C (59°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 9°C (48°F)
• Average rainy days: 14
• Average daylight hours: 9
• Average sunrise time: 8:30 AM
• Average sunset time: 5:15 PM

New Zealand Weather in July

• Average temperature on North Island: 14°C (57°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 8°C (46°F)
• Average rainy days: 15
• Average daylight hours: 9
• Average sunrise time: 8:30 AM
• Average sunset time: 5:30 PM

New Zealand Weather in August

• Average temperature on North Island: 15°C (59°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 9°C (48°F)
• Average rainy days: 15
• Average daylight hours: 10
• Average sunrise time: 7:45 AM
• Average sunset time: 6:00 PM

New Zealand Weather in September

• Average temperature on North Island: 16°C (61°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 10°C (50°F)
• Average rainy days: 13
• Average daylight hours: 12
• Average sunrise time: 6:45 AM
• Average sunset time: 6:30 PM

New Zealand Weather in October

• Average temperature on North Island: 18°C (64°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 12°C (54°F)
• Average rainy days: 11
• Average daylight hours: 13
• Average sunrise time: 7:15 AM
• Average sunset time: 7:45 PM

New Zealand Weather in November

• Average temperature on North Island: 20°C (68°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 14°C (57°F)
• Average rainy days: 9
• Average daylight hours: 14
• Average sunrise time: 6:00 AM
• Average sunset time: 8:30 PM

New Zealand Weather in December

• Average temperature on North Island: 22°C (72°F)
• Average temperature on South Island: 16°C (61°F)
• Average rainy days: 9
• Average daylight hours: 15
• Average sunrise time: 5:45 AM
• Average sunset time: 9:15 PM

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