Lake Paringa Campsite
Haast, Paringa and Moeraki rivers area
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Lake Paringa Campsite
Enjoy boating, fishing and swimming in the lake and walk the Haast to Paringa Cattle Track.
This small campsite is placed right next to Lake Paringa, a serene lake with good fishing and boating. The lake is set in a mature forest backdrop - a great view.
This is quite a basic campsite which requires you to get your water from a stream. There are mega sandflies here, so definately cover up during dusk and dawn.
North of Haast - enjoy!
DOC Campsite Pricing
Lake Paringa Campsite is categorised as a DOC Standard Campsite. The following pricing indicates usual pricing. Prices vary for some campsites and may include seasonal pricing. Visit the DOC website for exact pricing.
DOC Standard Campsite
Standard campsites have a more limited range of facilities and services than Serviced campsites. These campsites have toilets, a water supply that could be treated or untreated tap water, or from a stream or lake, and vehicle or boat access. Bring your own soap for washing hands. Untreated water should be boiled before use to ensure it's safe. Wood BBQs and fireplaces, cold showers, picnic tables, a cooking shelter and rubbish bins may be provided; this will vary from site to site.
| Feature | Value | Value |
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| Unpowered Site | Adult | $10.00 to $15.00 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Child | $5.00 to $7.50 per night |
| Unpowered Site | Infant | $0.00 per night |
Adults are 18+ years, children are 5-17 years, infants are 0-4 years.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC West CoastCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Haast |
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Basic Camping
Reviews
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5.0/5
Excellent DOC Campsite right on the lake.
Clean flushing toilets, non-potable water on tap but snowmelt drinking water from the stream running into the lake.
Moderate amount of sandflies, no hassle for us.
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4.0/5
Lovely spot right on the shore of the lake as a result there are quite a few sand flies.
Flush toilets are fine
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4.0/5
In need on help!
We forgot two bike front tires (hid them from keas under the car) in on of the pre-booked sites. Please please please if anyone is driving south tomorrow (15th Feb or 16th) and can take them with you please let us know!
Reach me at
WhatsApp: +46 761911233
Hellgren708@gmail.com
Hoping for a kind stranger!
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4.5/5
Very beautiful sites at the lake but awful amounts of sandflies.
If you are prepared it definitely worth to stay there. Toilets are okay.
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4.5/5
Great campsite, awesome swimming spots and spotted lots of Tūī.
Only complaint is there were quite a few sandflies, but other than that perfect 🤩
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4.5/5
Gorgeous little spot right beside the lake!
There was just me and a couple other vans when I came in May, so it was nice and quiet. No phone signal but I expected that for somewhere so remote. Toilets were nice as well, and for a site that's on a lakeside and in this region I was expecting sandfly central but there really weren't many at all.
I was woken up by Kea pecking on my roof a few times throughout the night which was a little spooky, but the DOC did warn me via email that they'd be there a few days before and that they are a very inquisitive bunch. Didn't get to see any of them though since they'd vanished by morning.
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2.0/5
At $30 for 2 of us this price was excessive, at least it goes to DOC.
Booked online but no need - loads of space and people in unbooked spots. (Total 5 cars/vans including us).
There are only toilets and a sink with non potable water. The sandflies were awful but it is pretty by the lake. Very humid in the forest here.
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4.0/5
Small and basic site but beautiful setting makes up for the $15 per person.
Sandflies are bad later in the evening so make sure you have bug spray.
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3.0/5
Decent enough, but $15pp is rich for the (lack of) services.
No picnic tables or shelter at all. Bathrooms are nice. Water from the stream is...fine? It's pretty disorganized, with people parking every which way. Bonus: plenty of sandflies.
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4.0/5
Updated flushing toilets, a few sites are bookable and there are a few spots suitable for a tent.
The lake is lovely. It was not busy at the end of January. No kitchen area or shelter. Also used as a boat launch area by locals.
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3.5/5
Very basic facilities.
The sandflies are pretty rough here, so don't expect to spend much time outside or have your windows open. I think this spot is a bit steep for $15 / night / person but there aren't a ton of options when you're coming up the East coast, so you have to take what you can get.
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4.0/5
Nice DOC campsite included in the campervan pass.one of the better ones we stayed in.
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5.0/5
Excellent DOC Campsite right on the lake.
Clean flushing toilets, non-potable water on tap but snowmelt drinking water from the stream running into the lake.
Moderate amount of sandflies, no hassle for us.
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4.0/5
Lovely spot right on the shore of the lake as a result there are quite a few sand flies.
Flush toilets are fine
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4.0/5
In need on help!
We forgot two bike front tires (hid them from keas under the car) in on of the pre-booked sites. Please please please if anyone is driving south tomorrow (15th Feb or 16th) and can take them with you please let us know!
Reach me at
WhatsApp: +46 761911233
Hellgren708@gmail.com
Hoping for a kind stranger!
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4.5/5
Very beautiful sites at the lake but awful amounts of sandflies.
If you are prepared it definitely worth to stay there. Toilets are okay.
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4.5/5
Great campsite, awesome swimming spots and spotted lots of Tūī.
Only complaint is there were quite a few sandflies, but other than that perfect 🤩
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4.5/5
Gorgeous little spot right beside the lake!
There was just me and a couple other vans when I came in May, so it was nice and quiet. No phone signal but I expected that for somewhere so remote. Toilets were nice as well, and for a site that's on a lakeside and in this region I was expecting sandfly central but there really weren't many at all.
I was woken up by Kea pecking on my roof a few times throughout the night which was a little spooky, but the DOC did warn me via email that they'd be there a few days before and that they are a very inquisitive bunch. Didn't get to see any of them though since they'd vanished by morning.
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2.0/5
At $30 for 2 of us this price was excessive, at least it goes to DOC.
Booked online but no need - loads of space and people in unbooked spots. (Total 5 cars/vans including us).
There are only toilets and a sink with non potable water. The sandflies were awful but it is pretty by the lake. Very humid in the forest here.
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4.0/5
Small and basic site but beautiful setting makes up for the $15 per person.
Sandflies are bad later in the evening so make sure you have bug spray.
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3.0/5
Decent enough, but $15pp is rich for the (lack of) services.
No picnic tables or shelter at all. Bathrooms are nice. Water from the stream is...fine? It's pretty disorganized, with people parking every which way. Bonus: plenty of sandflies.
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4.0/5
Updated flushing toilets, a few sites are bookable and there are a few spots suitable for a tent.
The lake is lovely. It was not busy at the end of January. No kitchen area or shelter. Also used as a boat launch area by locals.
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3.5/5
Very basic facilities.
The sandflies are pretty rough here, so don't expect to spend much time outside or have your windows open. I think this spot is a bit steep for $15 / night / person but there aren't a ton of options when you're coming up the East coast, so you have to take what you can get.
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4.0/5
Nice DOC campsite included in the campervan pass.one of the better ones we stayed in.
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3.0/5
nice place in nature but many sandflies.
we are not sure whats the difference between scenic doc and a all the freedom campsites arround NZ. so 13$ for nothing but the views is too much.
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4.5/5
Stayed because the two free ones further north were already full.
Grateful for a place to stop really! $13 each but that's not bad considering it was a fantastic view and the money goes to Doc so I don't mind seeing as they maintain all these beautiful places.
It poured with rain whilen we were there so didn't have to content with the flies. The section for tents near the lake got waterlogged very quickly, so keep an eye on the weather if you stay here.
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3.0/5
Nothing special about that place and quite small so many people end up staying in the car park.
We just stayed there because it was included in the DOC Campsite Pass.
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1.0/5
I would only advise staying here if you have no where else to go.
The sand flies are nothing like I’ve ever experienced, got bitten to death. Also no service until you get to fox glacier - north or Albert town South way.
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3.5/5
Facilities were good and clean, campsite very small but next to the lake.
The tent location was a bit squishy and possibly exposed, and overall it was very busy on a mid January Thursday.
The view over the lake was great for sunset, we didn't find many sandflies but there had been a small rain shower earlier which may have something to do with it.
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4.0/5
Lovely view, toilets well kept.
Sandflies in abundance, a lot of people arriving till late at night made it quite noisy.
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4.5/5
Lovely spot, clean toilets, yes there were a million sandflies but there was also a flock of raucous Kea visiting in the morning that we're pretty special to watch!
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5.0/5
Great place, beautiful view, lots of sites, new toilet block with flushing toilets, pontoon for the kids to play off
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4.5/5
20Oct18.
Looked in but didn’t stay.
3 new loos that we’re perfectly fine. Hand washing but soap empty. 2 large sinks.
Not to many sandflies.
$13 per person. It says powered sites are available although we didn’t see any. They were, I think, $21 per person.
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4.0/5
Decent place to stay the night, there aren’t really many other free options in this area.
A DOC ranger will be round VERY early to collect fees if you don’t leave money int he box... so don’t try get away with it cos we thought we could! There’s a nice cafe a little further north on the main road by a salmon farm which serves nice fresh salmon and breakfast. Can’t comment on toilets as didn’t use them. Nice location and nice views of lake
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2.5/5
13$ for each person.
And for that u get a nice lake view, a toilet and MILLIONS of sandflies.
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2.5/5
Lovely Lake, stream & forest, but.....
NO WORKING TOILETS. All 3 toilets were flooded and with floating _____! Campsite too small for the need. No others for many kilometres . Vans park on top of vans on top of cars on top of tents. Noisy half the night. Incompatible to have Jet boats roaring around swimmers. Jet boaters shooting off fireworks in evening and launching in droves in morning. Sandflies.
DOC, this is currently one of your worst.
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4.5/5
One of my favourite campsites on the West Coast because of the location next to the lake.
Sites along the lake are nice, but if you walk a bit to the left of the campsite there's a small river and from there you'll have a beautiful sunset. A great place for a swim. Water (has to be boiled in order to drink) and toilets available. Sandflies. 13 dollar p.p.
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1.5/5
Beautiful spot but very expensive for what it delivers.
The toilets backed up and were unable to cope with the numbers on site. The site also got very crowded. We were in a campervan and arrived early enough to get a decent pitch - but those camping didn’t fare so well; the only space to pitch a tent is a small field right next to the lake, but in the (admittedly heavy) overnight rain that area got quite flooded. Oh, and the sandflies...so many sandflies!!! The DOC inspector was onsite very early to check payments.
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4.5/5
Great campground.
Toilets were brand new and clean, with a sink and access to water. There are great views on the lake and also a little hidden river. Of course there are sandflies but to be honest in this area it’s hard not to have them.
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2.5/5
Lake is nice for a swim.
Not a place that I would camp at again. The toilet block was new but horrendously smelly. The sandflies and mozzies made it impossible to cook outside, let alone use the toilet anytime in the evening. I wouldn't class this as a 'scenic' ($13pp) sight - it is standard($8) at best, bordering on basic($6). Perhaps it is the boating access (for fishing) that warrants the price? Better off freedom camping in Haast Pass if you're self-contained and not doing activities at the lake.
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3.0/5
The sandflies here are terrible, the worst we've experienced on the West Coast so far.
Sure, the view of the lake is nice but it's not worth the $13 'Scenic' fee as you can't enjoy being outside here due to the sandflies. This should be an $8 'Standard' campsite. We left first thing in the morning without even eating breakfast as there was no way we wanted to cook outside the car there. We visited 9th December.
The saving feature is that the toilet block is new and nice, with big washing up sinks, running water and flushing toilets.
