[smitjo]

Hi Guys,

Well as our exciting recce trip to New Zealand fast approaches we have decided to go down the route of camping :laugh We thought that it would be an exciting, cost-effective way of experiencing the country - we shall see :D .

Can any of you wise people advise us of any places that we can hire camping equipment from? We land in Welly and depart two weeks later from Auckland.

ALSO - any good NZ camping guides that anyone can recommend or good camp sites? :nice1

Thanks
Jo

[Charlosparky]

Not got to NZ myself yet but i'm assuming you will need to rent a car. If so then checkout www.rental.net.nz as they rent cars £39 a day, but for $50 a day they do 'microcampers', which are basicly an estate car with a double bed in the back, an awning on the tailgate, and a gas burner and coolbox, chucked in. Seems ideal for travelling and camping. They do camper vans for a bit more $$.
I've also seen sites that rent out a car with full camping stuff inc 6 man dome tent in the boot. Cant remmber the links but check google nz for 'backpacker campers' or search along those lines :nice1

[Oregonkiwi]

the Department of Conservation (DoC) runs a lot of campgrounds
http://www.doc.govt.nz/Explore/003~Huts-Cabins-and-Campsites/Conservation-Campsites/index.asp
and other forum members have recommended Top Ten campgrounds
http://www.top10.co.nz/index.html

Have fun!

[wilson182]

Top Ten camping grounds are very good, we always tend to stay there. The AA have excellent camping/accommodation guides also Jason's and these can be ordered online www.jasons.com.

Debs

[sizzlingbadger]

Some of the DoC camping grounds only have a toilet, no shower and are off the beaten track. Great for roughing it for a weekend.

Top 10 have full facilities and are usually in all the tourist spots. As you'll see on the website if you get fed up of camping they have basic rooms right up to the full self catering rooms :)

Not sure where you would be able to hire camp stuff though.

[StevieD]

And some DoC sites have no toilet at all, just a "long drop!!" - so beware, and some only have water from a stream too...

Top 10 look good too.

Steve

[Jenny & Mark]

With the DOC and Top 10, how isolated are the campsites? Some Ontario Provincial Parks have sites so close to each other it seems like suburb/urban camping :(.

Mark.

[sizzlingbadger]

A couple of DoC campsites I know of in the Wairarapa are quite isolated.

Waohine Gorge is a good 20 minutes from the main road, the other one at the Pinnacles down on the coast is near a main road but still feels isolated. Quite a way from shops and supplies. Although if you're camping in the summer holidays both places are full of campers, best time to go is week days, term time then no one is around :D

Some of the Top 10 parks are urban others on the outskirts of towns.