My absolute favourite place in New Zealand to sleep.

Visited Jan 2018 on a beautiful clear night with full moon visible above the peak of mt cook. Next day, sunny and hot with snowy peaks and no wind. Also stayed here in Feb 2016 during 100kph wind and heavy rain...loved it just as much. Epic views and atmosphere no matter what the weather. Access to great tracks. Basic facilities - better to shower in self-contained than contend with the lines for the paid showers at the village. Nearest dump site and fresh water is Twizel, so go prepared. Sometimes the toilets get thrashed when it's busy...but if you are self contained the views alone are worth $13pp.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

Feb 2106: If you think the carpark view is gorgeous at 760m elevation, just wait until you get to the top of the track.

STUNNING views on a clear day! But nothing in life is free - you will pay for this view the next day - 1800+ stairs will challenge your legs and your fitness. A dip in the alpine lake at the summit is a chilly reward.

Jan 2018: Went at a much busier time of year and had to contend with a lot more people on the track. Pays to go nice and early if it is a sunny day. Those that started late had to contend with almost unbearable temperatures and no reprieve from the sun. There are no facilities at the tarn - no toilet, no shelter, no tap - please be prepared! Too many people at the top appeared to be lacking in food, water and sun protection.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

Right next to the beautiful lake.

Stayed 1 night, then ventured on a day trip to Milford Sound from here. Stayed another night after a cold rainy day in the Fjords. New Years celebration in the community park (5min walk) included bonfire, music and impressive fireworks over the lake (better fireworks that I've seen in many Auckland celebrations). Clean, modern facilities. Plenty of kitchen space, BBQ, clean toilets and hot showers - just what you should expect from a Top 10 park. Powered sites are quite close together - also found this to be the case at other Top 10 parks. Location and standard of facilities are reasons to stay here - good after a wet day in Milford or after playing on the lake all day. If you are self contained and want to splurge on a nice powered facility with dump/fresh water, this is a good pick - found lots of little extras: hairdryer in bathroom, vacuum for motorhomes, free bikes and a delightful mix of 90s jams playing in the showers/bathroom 24/7 - so thoughtful! Also, lovely staff.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

We came here for 1 reason: it was the closest option with fresh water before heading through Glacier Country.

We will return on future adventures for many reasons: proximity to lagoon and walk (+dolphin spotting and kayaking), the trig walk, wildlife/bird spotting, the gorgeous beach sunset with views of snowcapped mountains, friendly helpful hosts, plenty of space and simple adequate facilities. Payment supports community and environmental projects - may seem expensive to some, but consider some of the southern 'scenic' DOC campgrounds (Lake Paringa for example) where the facilities are simpler and/or disgusting. At $15pp this is a lovely, quiet, interesting little stop-off for a day or two.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

One of my favorite places for a dip/swim!

The water is too beautiful to deny on a hot, sunny day. Cold? Yes. Do-able? Totally. Don't be a pussy. The sandflies will eat you alive, so either cover up or keep moving! Witnessed some bridge-jumpers and monkey-style bridge-crossings - not advisable activities for the average visitor, but fun to be had for those who are capable. If you plan on having a picnic, don't leave your food scraps on the rocks you filthy foreign fucks! Sitting on the primo photo spot while you dip chips is fine, but consider the next visitors before you ruin their experience of paradise with your sloppy guacamole and salsa everywhere. Don't give a fuck that it's 'biodegradable' - bad karma bro. Drive there is nice. Plenty of parking, but when it's busy it can be tight and difficult on sloped gravel for larger 2wd motorhomes.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

1 of our favourite spots to stop in Haast Pass.

If you camp in the area you can avoid the midday tourist hordes who stop for a quick look. Hang around a while, explore up and down the riverbanks and attempt your own rock stack. Some fun/challenging canyons to explore nearby - if you're in the know. Fun place to photograph at different times of the day. The river can be crossed - go barefoot or wet shoes...don't lose your jandals! The pool at the base is nice for a dip. The track to the left of the falls leads up to some reasonably easy to navigate ledges - don't bring grandma or baby...but enjoy the adventure and the photo ops!

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

Conveniently located between Wanaka and Haast Pass.

Incredible mountain vista - lovely at sunset. Basic toilet facility - quite dirty when we were there, though it's not DOC's fault that people piss all over the seat and floor...get it together people! $8pp is reasonable for lovely views and decent flat spaces, even better if freedom camping with a DOC pass.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

Well maintained track, loop around lake can be done in either direction.

We were lucky enough to be in the right places at the right times to catch reflections - worth the early morning wake-up call.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

Pricey.

Long queues for such short rides. Worth doing the gondola for the views, but only if it is your only means of reaching a high plateau in Queenstown. Good place to take a family...leave granny at the cafe/viewing platform, entertain the kids for a couple of hours. If you are paragliding or sky diving in the area, this is probably not for you. If you just drove down the Crown Range Summit road the luge will seem like a lame and tame tourist trap.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

If you are coming from the south and have visited the fjords or any of the signposted waterfalls in either of the passes, then you may not be impressed with Dorothy Falls.

If, like me, you're a waterfall-whore and enjoy swimming and bathing in nature, then this may be a nice detour on the way to/from Hokitika Gorge. Waterfall is a 5-10min drive from Hans Bay on an unsealed road. Do-able for a car/van/small camper, but not advisable for large,rented, 2wd motorhome. If you're sleeping at Hans Bay, you can walk the road early morning/early evening. Across the road from the falls is a short walk to the lake - well worth a look. In total ~3hr return walk from Hans Bay. Or if you're driving through, total stop-off time ~20min. Add on time for swimming - both the waterfall and lake are good options and you can often have the place to yourself.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

So gorgeous, so tempting!

Great swimming spot. It IS cold. Witnessed plenty of jumps from the swingbridge...not so keen on being introduced to the temperature of the water that way. A gentle dip can be had down below the bridge. Amazing place for rock skimming and stacking. Photo ops from all angles.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

At only $8pp, the facilities, views and vibes here are a bargain.

Better scenery and facilities than some of the $15 'scenic' DOC camps. We stayed here on Xmas Eve and the place was relatively full, but we still found space. The toilets were kept clean, recycling facilities and bins throughout and the lake provided a crisp early-evening bath. Lake is gorgeous, perfect for skimming rocks at sunset. Bring your kayak or go for a swim....watch out for a nippy eel by the boat-ramp area of the beach. Community group rocked up on the back of a pickup truck singing xmas carols and spreading good vibes.

The unsealed road to Dorothy Falls is only 5-10min by car, but was not an option for our large, rented, 2wd camper. Managed to walk to Dorothy Falls early on Xmas morning. 1hr walk to falls + 10min more to the lakeside. After rock skimming and swimming, return the same way for a leisurely 3hr round trip by foot. Walk early to avoid traffic on the road.

Reviewed almost 7 years ago

The jet reaches places in the canyon/river that are otherwise inaccessible.

Beautiful scenery, cheerful/funny commentary from the driver. An expensive activity, but worth it for both the thrill and the landscape.

Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in February 2016