Lake Paringa Campsite

Haast, Paringa and Moeraki rivers area

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15 Haast

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Photos

The jetty at Lake Paringa
Ahhhh, the serenity
Lake Paringa - wow!
nice spot for a BBQ

Information

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
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

Organisation

DOC West Coast

Central government organisation

Location

South IslandWest CoastHaast

Categories

  • Activity__basic_facility_campingBasic Camping

Directions

To Coordinates

Coordinates

-43.72198271

169.4121336

Take a peak
Latitude
-43.72198271
Longitude
169.4121336

Websites

Reviews

    ✓ Beautiful lakeside location

    ✓ Clean flushing toilets

    ✓ Plenty of camping space

    ✓ Quiet and not crowded

    ✓ Good for swimming and spotting wildlife

    𐄂 Sandflies can be bothersome

    𐄂 Non-potable water supply

    • Lake is nice for a swim.
    • In need on help!
    • Not a bad DOC camp.
    • nice place in nature but many sandflies.
    • 20Oct18.
    Rating Count Percentage
    10/10 12
    13%
    9/10 16
    17%
    8/10 22
    24%
    7/10 13
    14%
    6/10 9
    10%
    5/10 12
    13%
    4/10 4
    4%
    3/10 2
    2%
    2/10 1
    1%
    1/10 2
    2%
  • 4.5/5

    Has flushing toilets, sinks, a covered rest area and lots of both reserved and open camping spaces.

    If you didn't reserve online there is place to fill out your own tag and put payment into the provided plastic bag then place into the drop box. Make sure to have your Bushmans big spray ready!

    Reviewed 4 months ago

  • 4.0/5

    Nice sheltered camp.

    If you get here before 5pm you might get a lake view site. There has been flooding near the lake edge, reducing the number of sites (mid Nov) leaving maybe 3 tent sites. There is a near new shelter with 3 picnic tables under it. The water supply for drinking is a stream that is very muddy to access and needs boiling.

    Reviewed 5 months ago

    P
    Phil's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed 6 months ago

    J
    Jen's avatar

    Jen

  • 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

    Reviewed about 1 year ago

  • 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!

    Reviewed about 1 year ago

    MH
    Minou H's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed over 1 year ago

  • 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 🤩

    Reviewed over 1 year ago

    S
    Sophie's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed almost 2 years ago

    UNITED KINGDOM
    B
    Basil's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed about 2 years ago

    T
    Tom's avatar

    Tom

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 2 years ago

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 2 years ago

    E
    Evan's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago

    J
    JT's avatar

    JT

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in March 2020

  • 4.0/5

    Nice DOC campsite included in the campervan pass.one of the better ones we stayed in.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in August 2019

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2019

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2019

    J
    JT's avatar

    JT

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2019

    J
    Jeremy's avatar
  • 4.0/5

    Lovely view, toilets well kept.

    Sandflies in abundance, a lot of people arriving till late at night made it quite noisy.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in October 2018

  • 4.5/5

    Has flushing toilets, sinks, a covered rest area and lots of both reserved and open camping spaces.

    If you didn't reserve online there is place to fill out your own tag and put payment into the provided plastic bag then place into the drop box. Make sure to have your Bushmans big spray ready!

    Reviewed 4 months ago

  • 4.0/5

    Nice sheltered camp.

    If you get here before 5pm you might get a lake view site. There has been flooding near the lake edge, reducing the number of sites (mid Nov) leaving maybe 3 tent sites. There is a near new shelter with 3 picnic tables under it. The water supply for drinking is a stream that is very muddy to access and needs boiling.

    Reviewed 5 months ago

    P
    Phil's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed 6 months ago

    J
    Jen's avatar

    Jen

  • 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

    Reviewed about 1 year ago

  • 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!

    Reviewed about 1 year ago

    MH
    Minou H's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed over 1 year ago

  • 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 🤩

    Reviewed over 1 year ago

    S
    Sophie's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed almost 2 years ago

    UNITED KINGDOM
    B
    Basil's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed about 2 years ago

    T
    Tom's avatar

    Tom

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 2 years ago

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 2 years ago

    E
    Evan's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago

    J
    JT's avatar

    JT

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in March 2020

  • 4.0/5

    Nice DOC campsite included in the campervan pass.one of the better ones we stayed in.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in August 2019

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2019

    J
    JT's avatar

    JT

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in February 2019

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2019

  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2019

    B
    Breeze's avatar
  • 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.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in January 2019

    J
    Jeremy's avatar
  • 4.0/5

    Lovely view, toilets well kept.

    Sandflies in abundance, a lot of people arriving till late at night made it quite noisy.

    Reviewed over 3 years ago and experienced in October 2018