Thread: Where To Camp over night

Hey is there anywhere that You can just pull up in the Vehicle and have a snooze for a few hours over near Wanaka- Omarama areas ?
i noticed everywhere is NO freedom camping, or a no freedom camping zone etc and all i wanna do is pull up for a few hours and have a sleep---

once out of the Parks would i be right to just find a quiet spot somewhere ?

i see in the parks there is $8 fees for campgrounds which is sort of Ok, ok a little bit.... but not ideal-


Any info or tips would be appreciated on locations to pull up an throw the sleeping gear on the ground or in the back of the car----

or do ya just risk it for the biscuit and hope no authorities drop in while you;re snoozen ??

let me know please

Thanks ya

Driving from Cromwell to Tara's on the way to the Toby shoot. First few picnic grounds were no camping and then I passed a couple where it must be allowed as there were 40-50 cars / vans / tents etc all over the show. Council must know about it as there was half a dozen portable toilet parked up for people

how do they define camping and stopping for a sleep because youve been driving for a while and need a rest

Try the Ahuriri bridge campsite just north of Omarama. Not sure if there is a charge.

There are a couple of rest areas on the southern side of the Lindis Pass where you often see camper vans etc. No toilet facilities though so take a shovel to avoid the wrath of us locals! I do a bit of prospecting/fossicking on a mates claim in that area so I'll know who come visit if I find anything left behind!

Just pull over anywhere. Bit of a difference between just having a snooze and speaking french or german and parkin up your van for three days whilst you find novel places to leave your human landmines

Originally Posted by northdude

how do they define camping and stopping for a sleep because youve been driving for a while and need a rest

Happy to be corrected but I believe that if you are pulled off the road safety sitting in the driver's seat with a jacket over you, you can say you are too tired to keep driving and it isn't safe..... Camping would involve having the intention to sleep for the night, air bed blown up sleeping bag out etc

yeh thanks for the replies, its a bit of a catch22.... alot of the campgrounds that are 'freedom camping' say somethin bout self contained only, whilst most are "managed" campsites where you pay the fee in the honesty box.....

i got a heap of coins together so i can do the right thing before i go into the hut- i purchased a 12 month hut pass today so im good to go in that respect- it doesnt cover any other camping scenerios..


do anyone on here live in them areas who would be somewhat keen to let me pitch a tent for a night or two while im inbetween hunting areas?

alternatively i can drive into one hut which is sort of in a hunting area i would like to tackle an if given enough time il just go right up to it an pitch my tent outside.

i guess there is ways around it an what not but being this time o year im suspecting the authorities will be out an about checking on everyone hey?

ha bit of a spew, after checkin a majority of huts it all seemed like $5 was the norm, Since i bought a hut pass, all the others i am looking at are free -- standard isnt it..

i'll get my moneys worth out of the huts in the areas il hunt for now as they seem to be standard huts, alot of serviced huts which still need to be paid/booked and then theres a bunch of free ones ay... donation to doc..

put your mates plates on and let him have the fines.

I’ve never really thought about it as camping, just ducked up a side road and had a snooze a couple of times getting tired while driving.

what would you class , Back seat down, legs in the boot an you;re in a sleeping bag..........? a comfortable way to have a snooze an break the drive, or is that camping.

its a difficult one when theres $200 between Yes an No lol

Maybe, ask if a forum member living in the area you travel would welcome you on his property for an overnight snooze? ( although it is a bit tricky in this time of the year with Christmas and family reunions) . Bringing a few beers along as a thanks would probably help.

just before omarama on twizel side of river turn in on upstream side...loads of guys park caravans there for opening of fishing season.

If you are looking somewhere in Omarama send me a pm. Maybe able to help