Whataroa Gorge
Overnight Campervan Parking
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Whataroa Gorge
+++ CLOSED FOR OFF SEASON - SELF CONTAINED VEHICLES STILL AVAILABLE TO STAY +++
Being so close to the river there may be a risk of flooding in heavy rain and campers are asked to use caution.
Please monitor weather forecasts as there is a risk of flooding.
Please keep your vehicles off the riverbed, there is a risk of getting stuck.
Locals have been supportive of getting this site up and running and we don’t want them being inconvenienced/annoyed having to pull campers vehicles out of the riverbed.
Self contained vehicles and non self contained vehicles allowed.
Details
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Organisation |
Westland District CouncilCouncil organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Hokitika |
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Categories |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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4.5/5
Overall nice little area for the night.
No amenities and self contained vehicle camping ONLY. Google maps says it’s right at a curve on the road but that’s incorrect, keep going into the gravel pit and just don’t park in front of the gravel mounds or equipment. Watch the forecast and if there’s heavy rain predicted make sure to park as far from the river as possible as it may flood.
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5.0/5
The views alone are well worth it!
Plenty of spaces here. Pay attention to the map there for exact spot locations. There are a few fire rings to use. Very quiet and excellent sunrise and sunset views and mountain views.
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5.0/5
Only Self Contained Vehicles are able to camp here free.
The site is monitored twice daily. If you are not self contained you will have to move on, ($400 fine). Its a great place
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4.5/5
Great spot, not the easiest to get to but trust the directions and the road.
Room for about 10-15 vans. If the river is low enough you can walk on the bed and take some stunning pictures of sunsets over the mountains. One of the locals did say to be wary of the river levels so if it’s rained or in winter be careful and ready to evacuate if necessary. Lost a mark because so many sandflies.
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4.0/5
Such a beautiful place, amazing view .
It's a lost place so you can be alone ^^
You just have to close your campervan when the sun is gone because of the thousand mosquitos...
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4.0/5
Really nice secluded little self contained spot next to the river.
Only a few campers there when we went but plenty of space for more
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4.5/5
This is a great hidden spot to camp.
In order to get there, follow Whataroa Flat road until it turns into Adamson road. Continue until the road splits and both branches turn into gravel. At the split, turn left on Whataroa Gorge road. It will follow some turns to become a gravel pit by the river. It's an excellent place to pull up for the night, isolated and peaceful. No amenities, just a place to camp. Not too many sandflies, though the mosquitoes came out in force around 9pm. Still a lovely place to camp and fewer bugs than we've seen at other paid campgrounds.
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2.0/5
We only used this site to sleep.
Terrible sandflies in the morning, but amazing stars at night. As soon as you turn off the road, take a right towards the river after the no camping sign (which is a little confusing). If you hit a bunch of homes or mobile homes you have gone too far. It is difficult to find in the dark, but there are plenty of spaces and it is right on the river.
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4.5/5
Overall nice little area for the night.
No amenities and self contained vehicle camping ONLY. Google maps says it’s right at a curve on the road but that’s incorrect, keep going into the gravel pit and just don’t park in front of the gravel mounds or equipment. Watch the forecast and if there’s heavy rain predicted make sure to park as far from the river as possible as it may flood.
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5.0/5
The views alone are well worth it!
Plenty of spaces here. Pay attention to the map there for exact spot locations. There are a few fire rings to use. Very quiet and excellent sunrise and sunset views and mountain views.
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5.0/5
Only Self Contained Vehicles are able to camp here free.
The site is monitored twice daily. If you are not self contained you will have to move on, ($400 fine). Its a great place
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4.5/5
Great spot, not the easiest to get to but trust the directions and the road.
Room for about 10-15 vans. If the river is low enough you can walk on the bed and take some stunning pictures of sunsets over the mountains. One of the locals did say to be wary of the river levels so if it’s rained or in winter be careful and ready to evacuate if necessary. Lost a mark because so many sandflies.
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4.0/5
Such a beautiful place, amazing view .
It's a lost place so you can be alone ^^
You just have to close your campervan when the sun is gone because of the thousand mosquitos...
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4.0/5
Really nice secluded little self contained spot next to the river.
Only a few campers there when we went but plenty of space for more
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4.5/5
This is a great hidden spot to camp.
In order to get there, follow Whataroa Flat road until it turns into Adamson road. Continue until the road splits and both branches turn into gravel. At the split, turn left on Whataroa Gorge road. It will follow some turns to become a gravel pit by the river. It's an excellent place to pull up for the night, isolated and peaceful. No amenities, just a place to camp. Not too many sandflies, though the mosquitoes came out in force around 9pm. Still a lovely place to camp and fewer bugs than we've seen at other paid campgrounds.
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2.0/5
We only used this site to sleep.
Terrible sandflies in the morning, but amazing stars at night. As soon as you turn off the road, take a right towards the river after the no camping sign (which is a little confusing). If you hit a bunch of homes or mobile homes you have gone too far. It is difficult to find in the dark, but there are plenty of spaces and it is right on the river.
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2.0/5
This site is shown as a camping area but is in fact an open gravel pit on the side of the Whataroa River with no facilities.
The directions are quite clear and it is easy to find but maybe because it doesn't look much like a campsite people don't realize they have arrived. This has got to be one of the ultimate wilderness campsites and on a nice day the views of Mt Cook to the south add majesty to the feeling of remoteness and isolation. A local farmer told me of the number of motorhomes he has towed with his tractor after they got stuck in the loose gravel of the riverside. DO NOT attempt to use this area if heavy rain is falling or predicted... the Whataroa is not a river to trifle with.
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2.5/5
The description is kind of misleading.
When you hit the end of Whataroa Flat Rd(dont go forward, otherwise you'll be on Adamson Rd and it leads you to nowhere), turn left onto Whataroa George Rd and drive for another few hundred metres then follow an turn-out on the right until reaching to the river side open place. Downside is clouds of mosquitos and sandflies. Got most our bites there.
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3.0/5
Very hard to find, we ended up driving around for a fair while and in the end after turning down some roads off the main drag we found an opening to the river - people had been camping there before us
judging by the human waste around!
Lots of sandflies and mozzies so remember to keep doors closed, we had a buzzing roof all night!!!
Was still good to get away from the crowds and fish along the river.
