The Guide to Camping in Wellington
Save money on accommodation for the stuff that really matters (like these Wellington Must-Dos)! Wellington is a great place to do that with a wealth of camping options from the city centre across the Wellington region. Whether you’re looking for a free beachfront camp spot or something with facilities to charge your campervan batteries, Wellington can provide. However, like the rest of New Zealand, there are certain places where you can and cannot camp in Wellington. We’ll go over where to camp in Wellington in this article.
There are five types of camping options in the Wellington region: holiday parks, paid car parks with no facilities, council campsites, Department of Conservation campsites and freedom camping. Although having a self-contained vehicle does widen more camping accommodation in Wellington, some districts like Wairarapa are more non-self-contained and tent friendly.
So take a look at the directory below to find the perfect place to park up your van or pitch your tent for a night in Wellington.
Holiday Parks and Campsites in Wellington
Holiday Parks
Holiday parks in Wellington have a range of facilities of a high standard. Unsurprisingly, this comes at a higher price than other types of campsites. They also offer a number of accommodation types, but campers can always rely on holiday parks to have powered sites to plug up your campervan and tent sites (providing there is availability). For more on what to expect from a holiday park, check out Accommodation Guide to Holiday Parks in New Zealand.
Paid Overnight Parking with No Facilities
A car park in the city centre where you can park and camp in a vehicle overnight for a fee. No facilities.
Council Campsites
Council campsites are maintained by the Greater Wellington Council. Kaitoke Regional Park campsite has a wealth of facilities including toilets, treated drinking water, electric barbecues, electricity sockets, powered sites, cooking shelter and more. Other campsites are basic with water and toilets.
Department of Conservation (DOC) Campgrounds
The Department of Conservation (DoC) maintains one campsite in Wellington. The fee indicates the variety of facilities included with the free campsites having a water supply to NZ$15 campsites having facilities such as toilets, hot showers, barbecues and phone.
Freedom Camping
In Wellington City you can freedom camp in the areas stated below for four-night per month, prohibited freedom camping areas can be seen on the Wellington City Council’s website. In Porirua, you can stay in designated areas for three nights per month. In Wairarapa, all types of vehicles and tents, with the exception of tents only on the South Tora Campsites, can stay for up to 21 days.
© NZPocketGuide.comHoliday Parks in Wellington
Wellington City Centre
- Capital Gateway Motor Inn, Johnsonville -NZ$46 per night for two people in a powered site.
- Cuba Street Motorhome Park, City Centre -NZ$29 per night for two people in a powered site.
Porirua
- Camp Elsdon, Elsdon – NZ$10-20 per person for a tent/powered site
Kapiti
- Kapiti Holiday Resort, Paraparaumu Beach- NZ$20 per person for a tent/powered site
- Paekakariki Holiday Park, Paekakariki – NZ$16 per person for a tent/powered site
- Lindale Motor Park, Paraparaumu – NZ$42 for two people in a tent/powered site
- El Rancho, Waikanae – NZ$28-$34 for two people in a tent/powered site
- Byron’s Resort, Otaki Beach – NZ$38 for two people in a tent/powered site
Lower Hutt
- Wellington Top 10 Holiday Park, Seaview – NZ$50 for two people in a tent/powered site
- Wainui Park Camp, Wainui – NZ$10 per person for a tent site, NZ$20 for two people in a powered site
Upper Hutt
- Wellington’s Kiwi Holiday Park, Timberlea – NZ$16-$40 for two people in a tent/powered site
Wairarapa
- Greytown Campground, Greytown – NZ$14-$18 for two people in a tent/powered site
- Martinborough Top 10 Holiday Park, Martinborough – NZ$44-$56 for two people in a tent/powered site
- Lake Ferry Holiday Park, Lake Ferry – NZ$15 per person for a tent site, NZ$25 for two people in a tent site
- Mawley Holiday Park, Masterton – NZ$36-$40 for two people in a tent/powered site
- Kawakawa Camping, Cape Palliser – NZ$30 per self-contained vehicle
- Castlepoint Holiday Park, Castlepoint – NZ$23 per person for a tent/powered site
- Carterton Holiday Park, Carterton – NZ$32 for two people in a tent/powered site
- Tauherenikau Racing & Events Centre, Featherston – NZ$15 for two people in a non-powered campervan site.
Note that prices are approximate and subject to change.
© NZPocketGuide.comPaid Overnight Parking with No Facilities
Wellington City
- Barnett Street Car Park, on the corner of Barnett Street and Cable Street – NZ$4/h, NZ$12/12 hours, or NZ$24/24 hours (Note: Avoid overnight parking here on Saturdays due to the Sunday Market.)
- [Update: this car park has now closed]. North Kumutoto Carpark, next to Bluebridge Ferry on Waterloo Quay – NZ$4/h, NZ$15/12 hours, NZ$25/24 hours.
Note that prices are approximate and subject to change.
© UnsplashCouncil Campsites in Wellington
Porirua
- Battle Hill Forest Park, Pauatahanui – NZ$6 per person
Upper Hutt
- Kaitoke Forest Park, Waterworks Road – NZ$6 per person for a tent/non-powered site, NZ$14 per person for a powered site
- Ladle Bend and Summit along the Rimutaka Rail Trail – Free (Ladle Bend lies below the Rail Trail near the Pakuratahi River).
Note that prices are approximate and subject to change.
© NZPocketGuide.comDepartment of Conservation Campsites
Kapiti
- Otaki Forks Campsite, Otaki – NZ$8 per person
- Waikawa Campsite, Waikawa – Free
Lower Hutt
- Catchpool Valley Campsite, Wainuiomata – NZ$15 per person
- Graces Stream Campsite, Wainuiomata – NZ$6
- Matiu/Somes Island Campsite – NZ$15 per person (tent site, access Matiu/Som by boat)
Wairarapa
- Bucks Road Campsite, Featherston – Free
- Corner Creek Campsite, Palliser Bay – NZ$8 per person
- Holdsworth Campsite, Holdsworth – NZ$8 per person
- Kiwiwhakapapa Campsite, Masterton – NZ$8 per person
- Putangirua Pinnacles, Cape Palliser – NZ$8 per person
- Waiohine Gorge Campsite, Greytown – NZ$8 per person.
Note that prices are approximate and subject to change.
© NZPocketGuide.comFreedom Camping in Wellington
Wellington City Centre
- The southern end of the Evans Bay Marina Carpark in Hataitai
- Te Kopahou Reserve entrance car park in Owhiro Bay.
Porirua
- Ngatitoa Domain
- Bradeys Bay Park
- Onepoto Esplanade Reserve
- Motukaraka Point Reserve
Upper Hutt
- Ladle Bend and Summit along the Rimutaka Rail Trail (Ladle Bend lies below the Rail Trail near the Pakuratahi River)- Free
Kapiti
- Waikawa Campsite, Waikawa – Free (suitable for non-self-contained and tents)
- Garden Road/Matatua Road car park, Raumati Beach (in front of Raumati Swimming Pool)
- Marine Parade, Paraparaumu Beach car parks opposite 54, 62 and 69 Marine Parade
- Waikanae River Mouth at the end of Tutere Street, Waikanae Beach
- Waikanae Park, Park Avenue, Waikanae
- Waimea Road beach car park, Waikanae Beach
- Field Way, Waikanae Beach car park on north side of Waimeha Stream
- North Bank, Otaki River, Otaki Beach
Wairarapa
- Ngawi Camping Area (on the coastal side of Cape Palliser Road, opposite Ngawi settlement)
- North Tora Camping Area (on the coastal side of Tora Farm Settlement Road, at the Awhea River mouth)
- South Tora Camping Area (on the coastal side of Tora Farm Settlement Road, south of Awheaiti Stream) – campervans and caravans not permitted.
- Te Awaiti Camping Area (between Te Awaiti Road and Oterei River)
- Lake Domain Reserve (on the northern shores of Lake Wairarapa just outside Featherston. Drive down Murphy’s Line and follow the Wairarapa Moana signs. The camping area is on the right when you get to the lake)
- Ocean Beach, Featherston (4WD recommended)
- Bucks Road Campsite, Featherston (DoC)
Plus, check out 15 Free Camping Spots in Wellington.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Tourism Export Council New Zealand (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- TIA (Independent tourism association - Updated [2024])
- NZ Māori Tourism (Official Māori Tourism platform - Updated [2024])
- Department of Conservation (Tracks, hikes, campsites and more - Updated [2024])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
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