Lake Pukaki Overnight Campervan Parking
Southern end of lake
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Lake Pukaki Overnight Campervan Parking
Free Campsite
Amazing views over Lake Pukaki for self-contained campervans. Basic facilities for no cost.
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Lake Pukaki Overnight Campervan Parking
Lake Pukaki Freedom Camping
This is one of the great Freedom Camping locations. On the right afternoon / evening, life is good as you watch the sun go down.
There's lots of space, but earliest arrivals get the best spots.
The lake makes for an invigorating swim (in glacial water....yeeeeaaaah)
Self Contained Vehicles only
Has toilets
No lighting fires
Use the rubbish bins provided
Maximum night stay N/A
This map pin is accurate. The only legal freedom camping spot on Lake Pukaki is at this one, near the power station (see photo). All previous freedom camping spots down Haymans Road are now not allowed.
Details
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Organisation |
Toitū Te Whenua (LINZ)Central government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Twizel |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Freedom Camping
Nearby
Reviews
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4.5/5
Great spot, amazing views and a nice walking track by the lake.
Lots of space for many campers. However, it was very very windy at night. I’d recommend getting there early to get a lower down spot! Toilets are clean, no drinking water.
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4.5/5
Loved this camp site.
Other people have mentioned the wind- they weren’t joking! I wondered in the middle of the night how much windier it would need to get to tip my van over… would do it again for the views.
Toilets were clean and well serviced. This was a popular camp spot- can’t imagine how busy it would be in peak season.
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4.5/5
Stunning views.
Really just a big gravel parking area. Some of it not flat. Worth it for the view.
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5.0/5
Views are unreal!!!
Best campsite for the views, we got there at 4 filled up very early for the good spots by 5:30. Still plenty of uneven surfaces available though if you are a little late. Toilets are very clean. HOWEVER, the wind was crazy by nightfall, it hit 143kms/hr. We managed to fight the wind until 2am then ended up moving closer to the toilets for shelter and the wind was completely blocked. Worth staying just make sure you move your car to the toilets for a good sleep! Would come again :)
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5.0/5
10 stars all for the views!
Basic campsite but clean toilets, lots of space and those views for free is amazing!
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3.5/5
This was one of our favourite spots especially when the weather is right for a million dollar view up the lake to Mt Cook .This time spoiled by the over use of illegal campers and inconsiderate parking
.The very new toilet block couldn’t cope with the overuse.
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4.5/5
What a view!
Straight down Lake Pukaki to Mount Cook. A large area with plenty of room, but very few flat spots. Toilets clean and open all night but at one end of the site, so may be a long walk. Remember your torch!
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5.0/5
Wonderful Place.
Best view onto Mount Cook!
Road is a bit gravely and place full but still quiet
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0.5/5
It's a shame to ban tents in favor of vans.
A well-informed camper will do far less harm to the site than a 4-ton van.
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4.5/5
Great spot, amazing views and a nice walking track by the lake.
Lots of space for many campers. However, it was very very windy at night. I’d recommend getting there early to get a lower down spot! Toilets are clean, no drinking water.
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4.5/5
Stunning views.
Really just a big gravel parking area. Some of it not flat. Worth it for the view.
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4.5/5
Loved this camp site.
Other people have mentioned the wind- they weren’t joking! I wondered in the middle of the night how much windier it would need to get to tip my van over… would do it again for the views.
Toilets were clean and well serviced. This was a popular camp spot- can’t imagine how busy it would be in peak season.
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5.0/5
Views are unreal!!!
Best campsite for the views, we got there at 4 filled up very early for the good spots by 5:30. Still plenty of uneven surfaces available though if you are a little late. Toilets are very clean. HOWEVER, the wind was crazy by nightfall, it hit 143kms/hr. We managed to fight the wind until 2am then ended up moving closer to the toilets for shelter and the wind was completely blocked. Worth staying just make sure you move your car to the toilets for a good sleep! Would come again :)
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5.0/5
10 stars all for the views!
Basic campsite but clean toilets, lots of space and those views for free is amazing!
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3.5/5
This was one of our favourite spots especially when the weather is right for a million dollar view up the lake to Mt Cook .This time spoiled by the over use of illegal campers and inconsiderate parking
.The very new toilet block couldn’t cope with the overuse.
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4.5/5
What a view!
Straight down Lake Pukaki to Mount Cook. A large area with plenty of room, but very few flat spots. Toilets clean and open all night but at one end of the site, so may be a long walk. Remember your torch!
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5.0/5
Wonderful Place.
Best view onto Mount Cook!
Road is a bit gravely and place full but still quiet
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4.5/5
Very basic free campsite but the view of Mt Cook and sunset compensate.
Definitely recommend before your hike to Hooker Valley
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4.5/5
Great views.
If the toilets aren't full then it would be almost perfect. Place for 100/200 vans
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5.0/5
Just beautiful!!
We loved the spot. 4 clean toilets, a lot of spots (some are uneven), but the view is priceless
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0.5/5
It's a shame to ban tents in favor of vans.
A well-informed camper will do far less harm to the site than a 4-ton van.
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5.0/5
Amazing and wide parking area right by the lake.
Plenty of space. Toilets available. Possibility to have a dip in the lake and wonderful scenic view. Definitely to recommend!
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4.0/5
huge space with clean toilets over to one side, quite a trek to them if you want to park on the side with the views but very satisfying to pop open my boot and look out on to Aoraki Yes to phone signal
too
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5.0/5
10/10 - best place we freedom camped!
Quite away from the road - incredible views - so peaceful and quiet with zero bugs and a beautiful sunset
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5.0/5
Self contained vehicles only, no bathrooms or public facility.
Great place to stay away from the main sites, nice sunrise, not as many mosquitoes. Do recommend this site to anyone looking for free camping close to Lake Tekapo
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5.0/5
Super free camp Vues incroyables Beaucoup d'emplacements Nombreux toilettes propres
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4.5/5
Really lovely spot just by the lake.
Plenty of space when we were there in early September time. Easily accessed from the highway. Perfect for self contained and very quiet.
We did have a camping ambassador who came round the following morning to say that the area was no longer going to be open to free camping. This wasn't a problem, as we only stayed the one night and he wasn't there fining anyone.
Maybe just something worth noting if you are planning on staying here in the future - might be worth checking the latest info.
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5.0/5
Many stops along the shoreline.
Can be a bit uneven for camper and which we noticed. Lots of space between spots which made for privacy. Not a lot of shelter which was no problem for us. Well worth a stop as the scenery is to die for of Lake Pukaki.
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3.5/5
Park area is fairly plain but lots of space.
Hard to find a flat area in the dark. Lovely lake view. No facilities so self contained only. App was not current on how full it was. We visited in July and app said it was 93% full. It was more like 2% full.
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5.0/5
Wonderful site.
We kept goin along the track past the power station, about half a mile along the gravel track and had our wee site to ourselves which was fantastic.
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5.0/5
Simply an amazing place to camp.
At 1700 plenty of space to pull down from the road to the lakeside on one of the numerous tracks. Us and one other van in our largish pull off. Perfect for a swim! No sandflies with all the wind! Only drop toilets at the end of the lake so must be self contained really.
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5.0/5
Amazing views, although there’s only one spot listed, it’s free to camp all along the side of the lake.
We stayed one night and it was lovely, only downside is no toilets but you’ll need to be self contained anyway. Very peaceful and quite.
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4.5/5
Stunning views and the stars at night are breathtaking.
Open space campsite so windy and cold - be sure to wrap up! Public toilet at entrance, but depending on where you end up parking, might be 5-10 minute drive to get to.
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0.5/5
This was once my favourite spot.
Ruined by the logging - looks like a wasteland. This is not a nice place to make a base try the other freedom spot past MT Cook Salmon Shop. Has beautiful trees and a nice pond.
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5.0/5
Stayed at one of the many sites on the road to this site.
Gorgeous mountains and lake all to ourselves. Milky Way and stars in abundance at night! Probably our favorite spot in our 2 weeks on the South Island.
Only 45 minutes to the Hooker Valley hike.
Pit toilet at the entrance.
