9 Best Wanaka Camping Spots
As avid campers who live in Queenstown, my partner Ty and I have spent our fair share of time camping in Wanaka.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, Wanaka is a fantastic destination for camping.
You can spend your days enjoying Wanaka’s epic hikes, gorgeous walking and biking trails, and pristine lakes and rivers before retreating to your campsite at the end of the day to crack into a cold beverage and fire up the camp stove. Can you think of anything better?!
In this guide, I’m sharing the best camping spots around Wanaka, including holiday parks and a very scenic DOC campsite—all of which are suitable for tents and campervans.
I’ve also included the best freedom camping spots in Wanaka if you’re travelling in a self-contained campervan.
Here’s my guide to camping in Wanaka!
Wanaka Camping Map
Holiday parks & private campsites in Wanaka
Wanaka has an abundance of holiday parks and private campgrounds that are suitable for both tents and campervans.
Most of these places have camping cabins, too, which can be a great option for staying in Wanaka on a budget.
1. Hampshire Holiday Park Wanaka
- Types of camping available: unpowered & powered campsites; camping cabins
- Facilities: camp kitchens, drinking water, bathrooms with flush toilets and hot showers; laundry; free unlimited WiFi; coin-operated BBQs
If you’re after a campground right in town, you’ll want to head to the Hampshire Holiday Park Wanaka.
This fairly spacious campground is one of the more expensive options for camping in Wanaka, but it has a fantastic central location. Its walkability factor is hard to beat.
From the campground, you can walk to the lakefront in about 5 minutes, and into town in about 10 minutes. The famous Wanaka tree is also walkable from here, making it easy to head there for a golden hour photography session.
I love being able to walk down to the lake for sunset, and then head into town for dinner—all without needing to drive. Hot tip: I highly recommend heading to the Brownston Street food trucks if you’d like a break from camp cooking!
2. Albert Town Campground
- Types of camping available: unpowered campsites
- Facilities: flush toilets
For a cheap campsite close to Wanaka, the Albert Town Campground is the best option.
This is a no-frills, basic campground set alongside the beautiful Clutha River, located between Wanaka and Lake Hawea. It takes about 10 minutes to drive from the campground to Wanaka.
From this campground, you can easily access the Lake Wanaka Outlet Track and Upper Clutha River Trail, where you’ll find gorgeous walking and biking trails with hidden swimming spots and nice stops for a picnic.
It’s also just a short walk from the campground to the Albert Town shopping centre, where you can pick up a morning pastry and coffee from Pembroke Patisserie, or pop into the Four Square supermarket if you forgot any supplies for your camping trip.
This campground is first-come, first served, and you can pay on arrival using Eftpos at the self-service payment kiosk at the campground entrance.
3. Hampshire Holiday Park Glendhu Bay
- Types of camping available: unpowered & powered campsites; camping cabins
- Facilities: camp kitchen; drinking water; bathrooms with flush toilets and coin-operated hot showers; free unlimited WiFi
The Hampshire Holiday Park at Glendhu Bay is the only lakefront campground on Lake Wanaka, and it’s a gorgeous spot to go camping in Wanaka.
This is a spacious campground with loads of campsites, but I do need to warn you that it becomes absolutely jam-packed in summer, particularly between Christmas and New Year’s. If you prefer quiet camping like I do, I’d camp here outside of the busy summer season.
This campground is located about a 15-minute drive from the Wanaka town centre, and it’s close to some of the best hiking trails in the area—the trailheads for Roy’s Peak and the Rocky Lookout tracks are just a short drive away.
Another great trail nearby is the Glendhu Bay Track, a gently undulating walking and biking trail that follows the shores of Lake Wanaka.
My partner and I love bringing our kayak and SUP to this campground since you can access the water right from your campsite. It’s also a popular spot for boaties.
4. Tasman Holiday Park Wanaka
- Types of camping available: unpowered & powered campsites; camping cabins
- Facilities: camp kitchen; drinking water; bathrooms with flush toilets and hot showers; sauna and spa; free WiFi
The Tasman Holiday Park Wanaka (formerly the Wanaka Top 10 Holiday Park) offers a camping experience with a boutique feel.
This is a smaller campground located a 5-minute drive from the town centre. The grounds here are park-like and lovely, and the limited number of sites can make it feel less busy than some of the other campgrounds around town.
You’ll get nice views of the mountains from here and I find that it has a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere (with the onsite spa and sauna an added bonus!). That said, it’s not easily walkable to much, so keep that in mind if walkability is important to you.
5. The Camp at Lake Hawea
- Types of camping available: unpowered & powered campsites; camping cabins; glamping
- Facilities: camp kitchen; drinking water; bathrooms with flush toilets and hot showers
Located in a woodland setting on the shores of Lake Hawea, the Camp at Lake Hawea feels like an all-ages summer camp.
This campground is located a 15-minute drive from Wanaka, just off State Highway 6 on the way to Haast Pass. It’s a good place to camp if you’re driving from Franz Josef to Wanaka (or vice versa), but it’s also a fun destination in and of itself.
You can access Lake Hawea right from camp, or simply gaze out at the lake and mountain views while enjoying your morning coffee or evening beverage.
If you’re keen for a walk or bike ride, the Hawea River Track is close by. And right at the campground is a special spot: the Secret Sauna, where you can book a sauna session to alternate with cold plunges in the lake.
My partner and I really enjoyed our stay here at the tiny Lakeside Cabin, a wee cabin with the most incredible lakefront location.
DOC campsites near Wanaka
There’s only one DOC campsite near Wanaka, and it’s a real goody!
6. Kidds Bush Reserve Campsite
- Types of camping available: unpowered campsites
- Facilities: non-flush toilets (currently portaloos); cooking shelter
If you’re after a camping experience near Wanaka amongst nature, the Kidds Bush Reserve Campsite is the perfect spot.
This basic but scenic campsite is located right on the shores of Lake Hawea, and it’s one of my favourite campgrounds in the South Island. The grassy sites are surrounded by trees, and there’s a sandy beach that’s perfect for soaking up the sun in between dips in the lake.
Getting to this campsite does require driving on an unpaved road with quite a few bumps, but it shouldn’t be an issue even for 2WD vehicles. One other thing I should mention is that the sandflies can be quite prolific out here, so make sure you pack your insect repellent.
Since this is a basic DOC campsite with minimal facilities, you’ll want to arrive prepared with everything you’ll need, including a camp stove and drinking water. And don’t forget to pack out any rubbish and recycling you bring in.
Freedom camping around Wanaka
Wanaka has strict rules about freedom camping, and you can’t just park up and camp wherever you’d like.
In order to stay at a freedom campsite around Wanaka, you’ll need to be in a certified self-contained vehicle.
Around Wanaka, you’ll find several designated sites for freedom camping. These operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and I do need to warn you that they fill up fast, particularly in summer.
Personally, I prefer staying at one of the campsites mentioned above, simply for the peace of mind of having a campsite secured.
That said, if you’re willing to try your luck at securing a freedom camping spot, these are the places I recommend checking out.
7. Wanaka Recreation Centre Carpark
- Types of camping available: unpowered parking spots only for certified self-contained vehicles
- Facilities: none
The Wanaka Recreation Centre Carpark is the largest freedom campsite located within the town of Wanaka.
There are only 18 parking spots designated for freedom camping here, so you’ll need to be lucky to get a spot as it’s a very popular location.
Make sure you read the signage when you arrive and follow the rules on where you can park, or else you risk getting a fine.
This freedom campsite is essentially a big parking lot and the sites are quite packed in. However, the location is quite handy—you can pay a small fee to access the rec centre for the pools and showers, and it’s also just a short walk to the New World Three Parks supermarket.
8. Red Bridge Reserve freedom campsite
- Types of camping available: unpowered parking spots only for certified self-contained vehicles
- Facilities: non-flush toilets
Located in Hawea Flat, the Red Bridge Reserve freedom campsite would be my top choice for freedom camping near Wanaka.
This freedom campsite is located a 15-minute drive from Wanaka, and it’s essentially a gravel parking lot right off the side of the road (which I know doesn’t sound the most appealing).
What I like about this spot, though, is that it’s right near the Clutha River, and there’s also a fun (and free) disc golf course onsite.
As you might expect for a freedom campsite near Wanaka, this spot is very popular and spaces fill up quickly. I’d try to arrive earlier in the day if you’re hoping to get a spot, and also be prepared for a fairly crowded camping experience (but hey—it’s free!).
9. Raspberry Flat Carpark
- Types of camping available: unpowered parking spots only for certified self-contained vehicles
- Facilities: non-flush toilets
The Raspberry Flat Carpark is located within Mount Aspiring National Park, about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Wanaka.
This carpark sits at the trailhead for the incredible Rob Roy Glacier Track, one of my favourite day hikes in the South Island. So, it’s a good place to park for the night if you’re planning to go hiking out this way.
That said, I do need to warn you that getting out here is a bit of a mission.
To get here, you’ll need to drive for almost an hour on an unpaved road, with several fords to cross. If it’s been raining a lot recently, the fords may be too high to drive though. I’d check with the DOC Visitor Centre in Wanaka before heading out this way.
Some campervan rental companies prohibit driving their vehicles on the road to Raspberry Flat, so if you’re hiring a van, check the T’s and C’s if you don’t want to risk it.
If you can make it out this way, though, you’ll be in for a treat. It’s a pretty special feeling to wake up to the mountains around you, with incredible hiking right at your doorstep. I rate this as one of the best spots for freedom camping in the South Island.
Thanks for reading my guide to camping in Wanaka!
I truly hope this has helped you plan your visit to Wanaka.
As always, please leave a comment if you have any questions or feedback for me—I really love hearing from you!
Planning a South Island adventure?
If you’re planning a road trip and/or camping adventure around the South Island, you may also enjoy these articles on my site:
