The 5 Best Overnight National Parks Near Auckland

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. It is home to about 1,628,900 people and is New Zealand’s most populated city. While it may be one of the most expensive cities in the world, it has also been called one of the most liveable cities in the world. Auckland is also home to the Auckland International Airport which receives over 1 million visitors a month. 

Most people visiting New Zealand are coming to discover the dramatic beauty of New Zealand and what better way to do that than snapping up an RV or campervan hire and hitting the open road. Campervan hires in this small yet beautiful country is quite popular as you can pretty much drive anywhere on the North Island within a day or two. Auckland is perfectly situated near 5 of the best-protected lands and national parks on the North Island. These parks are the ideal location to set up camp and explore the surrounding area.

Tongariro National Park

Fun Facts: 

• 4.5 hours from Auckland
• New Zealand’s first and oldest national park 
• It was the 4th established national park in the world
• World Heritage Site
• It started with 2,640 hectares and has since increased to 79,596 hectares
• There are 3 active volcanoes in the park - Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu
• The last eruption was Tongariro in 2012
• Mount Ruapehu has the only ski fields in the North Island

Where to Stay:

Freedom Camping:

• Mangahuia Campsite: Adult (18+ years): $15 per night Child (5 - 17 years): $7.50 per night

This site offers shelter for cooking, toilets and tap water. No booking required and there is a self-registration stand for payment.

Directions and Coordinates: Off SH47, 6 km east of National Park village. E1813334, N5660336

Latitude: -39.18005851, Longitude: 175.46979208 

• Urchin Campsite: Free

This site has no facilities so a self-contained campervan or motorhome is a must. Also, ensure you have enough supplies. No booking required, first come first serve.

Directions and Coordinates: 15 km south of Turangi on SH1, turn off on to Kaimanawa Rd, after 3.5 km turn right and follow the signs. E1843946-N5662358

Latitude: -39.15418315, Longitude: 175.82306576

Want to Splurge?

Whakapapa Holiday Park is one of the most popular places for campervan hires near Auckland. The campervan site has power and drinking water as well as a kitchen area, hot showers, toilets, laundry, and drying room and even free, unlimited wifi. Whakapapa Holiday Park offers monthly rates during ski season and regular prices start around $23.00 per night. The park also offers shuttle services to some of the more popular activities in the area.

Things to Do:

• Tongariro Alpine Crossing
• Skiing/snowboarding
• Single and multi-day hikes
• Short walks
• Mountain biking
• White water rafting
• Kayaking
• Thermal hot pools
• Rock Climbing

Whanganui National Park

Fun Facts:

• 5.41 hours from Auckland
• Home to Whanganui River, New Zealand’s longest navigable waterway 
• protects one of the largest remaining tracts of lowland forest
• Very remote area filled with stunning gorges, bluffs, ridges, and valleys
• Home to the largest population of North Island Brown Kiwi in New Zealand
• There are eighteen species of native fish in the Whanganui River

Where to Stay:

Freedom Camping:

• Whakahoro Campsite: In the Great Walks season (1 October 2019 – 30 April 2020)

Adult (18 years and over): $20 per night, Child (under 17 years): free but booking still required. Drive-in campers Adult (18+ years): $8 per night, Child (5 - 17 years): $4 per night, Infant (0 - 4 years): free

This site offers boat ramps, a shelter for cooking, toilets, tap water and is wheelchair accessible. Bookings are required if you are staying between 1 October - 30 April as part of the Whanganui Journey and you can use the online booking system.

Directions and Coordinates: 44 km west of Owhango, off SH 4 at the end of Oio Rd. E1778918, N5669213 Latitude: -39.10924157, Longitude: 175.07087872

Want to Splurge?

Whanganui Seaside Holiday Park is one of the most highly rated and reviewed in the area and a perfect stopover site for your rented campervan if you are looking for more services than the national park offers. On-site, there is a fully equipped kitchen, bathrooms, lounge area, laundry, fish cleaning area, and dump station as well as a BBQ and even a spa and sauna. Whanganui Seaside Holiday Park starts at $39 a night.

Things to Do:

• Historic Bridge to Nowhere
• Walks and hikes of various difficulty and terrain
• Hunting
• Mountain biking
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Jet Boat Tours
• Kaiwhakakuka Waterfall

Egmont National Park

Fun Facts:

• 5 hours from Auckland
• Established in 1900
• The lands have been protected since 1881
• Home to a dormant volcano called Mt. Taranaki which last erupted in 1775 and has an almost perfectly symmetrical cone
• Receives a lot of precipitation and rainfall producing beautiful waterfalls
• Covered in lush rainforest

Where to Stay:

Freedom Camping:

• North Egmont Carpark: Free

There are no facilities available so a self-contained campervan or motorhome is a must. No booking required, first come first served.

Location: 2879 Egmont Rd Egmont National Park. The road end is at the top of Egmont Road, 29 km from New Plymouth. 

• Dawson Falls Carpark: Free

This car park has no facilities so a self-contained campervan or motorhome is a must. No booking required, first come, first served.

Location: Dawson Falls sits at the top end of Manaia Road 14 km from Kaponga. 

Want to Splurge?

Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park is an unforgettable place to stay for your campervans. It has beautiful, mostly seaview spots for campervans. The sites are $25 a night for adults and $15 for kids under 15. 

Things to Do:

• Short hikes
• Day and multi-day hikes
• Summit hike
• Mountain biking
• 4 wheeling

Te Urewera National Park

Fun Facts:

• 5.8 hours from Auckland
• Lost status as a national park in 2014
• Still a protected land
• Largest native forest in New Zealand
• Nicknamed Goblin forest
• Home to Lake Waikaremoana, formed 2200 years ago by a huge landslide
• Filled with rivers and lakes

Where to Stay:

Freedom Camping: 

• Mokau - Adult (18+ years): $8 per night, Child (5 - 17 years): $4 per night. Pay cash at self-registration stand

This site has access to boat ramps, camp fires, toilets, tap water and is wheelchair accessible. Bookings are not required, first come, first serve.

Location and Coordinates: From SH 38 at Aniwaniwa, drive west around the lake for approx 10 km. Road is gravel, narrow and winding. E1955532, N5704909 Latitude: -38.73296537, Longitude: 177.08975024

• Omahuru - Adult (18+ years): $8 per night, Child (5 - 17 years): $4 per night. Pay cash at self registration stand

This site has access to camp fires and toilets. Bookings are not required, first come, first serve.

Location and Coordinates: Waimana Valley, off SH 2 and then Matahi Valley Road, about 18 km from Waimana. E1960363, N5751447 Latitude: -38.31269811, Longitude: 177.12122256

• Orangihikoia - Free

This site has access to camp fires, toilets, tap water and is wheelchair accessible. Bookings are not required, first come, first serve.

Location and Coordinates: Adjacent to SH 38 between Te Whaiti and Lake Waikaremoana. E1951583, N5712311 Latitude: -38.66800556, Longitude: 177.04067767

• Rosie Bay - Free

This site has access to toilets and camp fires. Bookings are not required, first come, first serve.

Location and Coordinates: Lake Waikaremoana, SH38, 10 km south of Te Urewera Visitor Centre. E1958846- N5698878 Latitude: -38.7860251, Longitude: 177.13036813

• Te Pakau - Free

This site has access to toilets and camp fires. Bookings are not required, first come, first serve.

Location and Coordinates: Follow Bell Rd off SH2 near Waimana and then onto Matahi Valley Rd. Campsite is 27 km from SH2. E1960070, N5745740 Latitude: -38.36411615, Longitude: 177.1207896

• Te Taita - Free

This site has toilets and tap water and is also wheelchair accessible.

Location and Coordinates: Adjacent to SH 38, 4 km north from Lake Waikaremoana. E1952884, N5710637 Latitude: -38.68253639, Longitude: 177.05644572

Want to Splurge?

Waikaremoana Holiday Park is an excellent option for campervans. There are numerous facilities such as BBQs, boat launching areas, cookers, electric stoves, dump stations, fishing jetty, shelters for cooking, hot showers, toilets, tap water, wheelchair accessible. 

Things to Do:

• Boating
• Kayaking
• Fishing
• Swimming
• Hiking
• waterfalls

Coromandel Forest Park

Fun Facts:

• 2 hours from Auckland
• Comprised of Wentworth Valley, Kauaeranga Valley, and Broken Hills
• Filled with activities
• Has many relics of the gold mining era
• As well as the logging era
• Covered by temperate rainforest

Where to Stay:

Freedom Camping:

• Island View Reserve: Free

Self Contained campervans or motorhomes only. There are toilets and a bbq as well as a cold, outdoor shower and a tap - but if you've hired a motorhome with a shower, you can just have a hot shower in there - prefect!

Location: Island View Road, Whangamata

Want to Splurge?

Miranda Holiday Parks is an ideal place to stay. It is centrally located to all the best activities that the Coromandel has to offer and the park itself is a wonderful attraction, especially for families. They have mineral pools, tennis courts, BMX track, mini ziplines, bike and trike hires, playgrounds, recreation fields, BBQs, a mini store, table tennis, a lounge, board games and a Petanque Court. There also offer a laundry room, a kitchen, storage for caravans and they even have cheap wifi available. They are even pet-friendly!

Things to Do:

• Single and multi-day hiking
• Walks
• Pinnacles summit
• Abseiling
• Surfing
• Waterfalls
• Kayaking
• Paddleboarding
• fishing

Auckland is a great place to start a road trip of the best overnight national parks near Auckland. The city is centrally located to all the national parks and protected lands located on the North Island making it easy to visit numerous places in a short amount of time.