[wwwdot]

We are planning to spend xmas and new years in Wanaka climbing and tramping:clap The problem is that we don't know whether we should reserve a place in advance:confused: Are camping grounds really busy at xmas?


Can anyone recommend a good camp ground around Wanaka? Kiwi husband just told me Dept of Conservation one has no showers...don't know about that:uhoh

[nippa&pippa]

Well there is one campsite I would NOT recommend...I am trying to remember what is called, let me think and get back to you....

Here remember now

Wanaka lakeview - http://www.wanakalakeview.co.nz/index.htm

We stayed twice there, we made bad mistake to go back there second time thinking they must have update their campsite (well we got three young kids and their campsite is nearer to town that you just walk to shops/bars etc, there are 3/4 in wanaka, but not within reasonable walking distance when you got young kids) and found two years down the line, they are getting worse. It is desperate need to update/redecorate etc *clingy* and the ground was so dry and lack of grass that they haven't look after their land properly for tents....also there was lots of caravan around dump around that belong to someones who use this campsite to store their caravan? or campsite's own?
Also people actually "live" there in caravans/lorries etc at the campsite. My OH and I couldn't believe to see one of lorries still there, two years later in same spot :laugh

[wilson182]

I have already tried to book into a couple of campsites in Wanaka a few weeks and ago and they are booked. If you manage to get one see if they have some space left for us will you:laugh:laugh

Wanaka is the kind of place that is probably booked up before well before the end of January for the following year!!

[Moorf]

We've stayed at the Top Ten (Pleasant Lodge). It was okay but not the most up-to-date accommodation (we stayed in a motel chalet) - but was clean and quiet with lots of areas for kids to run around.

It's not really walkable to town (unless you're alcohol fuelled or walking fans) but it's a v. short drive. Makes for a nice quiet location....

Here's the link: http://www.pleasantlodge.co.nz/

You could always buy a tent :)

[wilson182]

That was for a tent :o)

[Moorf]

:eek:

[sizzlingbadger]

Might have a big problem finding anywhere in Wanaka at that time of the year.

We found a huge problem the first week of April, everywhere gets booked up so fast.

We were hoping to get away over the Christmas week this year, not a hope of that every where we've enquired to is booked already :o :uhoh

Was really trying to avoid Christmas at home but looks like it'll have to be :o

[wilson182]

We've managed to get the week after xmas in spencer park, but that was only because we put in for this year when we were there last year.

[Moorf]

Wanaka was heaving when we were there in Sept (skiers) and was hard to get into restaurants/cafes so maybe look at staying somewhere around Cromwell instead, away from the crowds?

Plus, have you checked out the tramping hut system? Could you spend most of your time tramping from hut to hut?

[wiki]

Yes Wanaka is already booked up - usually from the year before. It's a kind of "book before you leave last year" kind of place. Q'town and Te Anau are the same.

You might have more luck in Cromwell or Alexandra (Alex is v hot over Christmas) - or perhaps Naseby/Ranfurly...

Otherwise, if you fancy a bit of beach head down to the Catlins and either Owaka or Curio Bay. they're a bit quieter in that they don't have flashy restaurants and clubs ... really depends on what you are after.

Worse comes to worse, there are worse places to spend Christmas than toodling down to St Clair/Kilda beach each day (flat bit of Dunedin) or heading south a bit to Brighton beach.

[CatherineP]

Hi

We live in Wanaka, (perhaps I shouldn't have said that!!!!!) and yes it does get very busy during holiday periods. Christmas and New Year attracts a lot of youngsters coming to party hence the cheaper accomodation (campsites) tend to be fully booked very early in the year. You could try looking at Holiday homes as with the considerable number available prices are often extremely reasonable especially if there's a few of you. There are definately places available for Xmas and New Year and if you are not in the 16-20 yr old bracket you stand a good chance of finding somewhere pretty good.(Many owners do not want to rent their properties out to these partying youngsters just in case).

Best of luck and despite all my TLC with my grass it's still brown and bare!!! A consequence of our really dry climate here. I do however support the other comments made!!!!!

Catherine

[beth&rich]

We stayed in Wanaka for a few days over Christmas while we were doing our recce. We arrived with no accommodation booked and managed to find a FANTASTIC resort, the Edgewater, at really really cheap last-minute prices on wotif.com. I love that website.

Was rather more pricey than camping but I think it still only worked out at about £40-ish.
:raebanana

[thezorbster]

We were in Wanaka last Christmas at the top 10. We booked a motel room just the night before for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day having just been completely drenched in our tent at Franz Josef. The campsite itself was empty over Christmas - lots and lots of space if you just wanted to tent it so I'd say it is definitely worth ringing to check availability.

[wwwdot]

OMG, I seriously thought everyone would laugh at me for trying to book 6 months in advance:o

Thanks for all your input, I will seriously try to start booking NOW. We prefer Wanaka because we are into rock climbing and Wanaka has some of the best rock and climate in the world for that. :raebanana

We are in our mid-30s so are not so tempted to hang around partying 18 year olds so we might actually consider some of the upmarket resorts like Edgewater. Problem is I pictured us at a tent campground sipping sauvignon blanc with some meat on the BBQ:wah We're not really the upmarket restaurant types.

Maybe we'll have to stay at Kiwi's 80 year old Auntie Elsie's who lives around Wanaka:roll

[wiki]

Re-thinking my reply, it's actually New Year that gets really booked up.

Us Southland and Otago Kiwis tend to stay at home for Christmas and then take off to the campsites for New Year. :)

[wwwdot]

Us Southland and Otago Kiwis tend to stay at home for Christmas and then take off to the campsites for New Year. :)

Hopefully this is to my advantage and that we could book at least for xmas and go back to Dunedin for New Year:clap Dunedin has some great climbing at a beautiful beach location (Long Beach):yes

We are feeling selfish this year and try to avoid relatives at xmas:laugh

[Red Devil]

We are feeling selfish this year and try to avoid relatives at xmas:laugh

... nothing wrong with that :exit :laugh

[sizzlingbadger]

definitely nothing wrong with that ....... that's exactly what we're trying to plan :nice1

[aberdian]

Try the campsite at Glendhu Bay, just up the road from Wanaka towards Treblecone. Looks nice, but about 10k into town.

[wwwdot]

Thanks for this aberdian:nice1

10km from town sounds ok as hopefully the party youngsters will want to stay closer to town.

Cannot wait for the Wanaka climbing:raebanana The summer has been terrible here so far:no

[NZAussieGirl]

Hi

Have you looked at The Purple Cow backpackers website.

They have great self contained cabins reasonably priced, and 2 streets back from lakefront. We stayed there and loved it - not a noisy bakpacker hoste, just relaxed and quiet.

Cromwell is only 30 minutes by car, and if you wanted to it is 40 mins by car from Cromwell to Queenstown in the other direction. So very central.

You do really need to book well in advance in Central Otago for that time of the year, probably one of the most popular holiday spots in the Sth Island.

Good luck!