Our Best Eco-Friendly Auckland Camping Spots

Camping in New Zealand is an experience that you must experience! Looking up at the sky full of stars at night and waking up to the view of beautiful mountainous landscapes. There’s no better way to travel New Zealand than by campervan and staying at sustainable camping spots. 

Wanting to go camping near Auckland in New Zealand and keep your trip sustainable? Here is our list of the top sustainable camping spots for your next road trip! 

Raetea North Side Campsite 

The Department of Conservation are a government agency charged with conserving New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage. They have a webpage that shows all their campsites that offer a “back to nature” style camping experience. 

One of those found on their website is the Raetea North Side Campsite. This campsite is campervan friendly, perfect for your Travellers Autobarn Campervan! It is a bit further away from Auckland, being a 4-hour drive to the northern end of the North Island. The best activities there are bird and wildlife watching, and swimming in the Victoria River.  

This is the perfect camping spot for someone wanting a peaceful camping experience underneath a beautiful forest! 

Some other sustainable campsites that aren’t found on the Department of Conservation website include: 

Raglan – Waikato 

Raglan is about a 2-hour drive out of Auckland and is a sustainable camping location as the majority of the activities are out in nature and the ocean.  

If you enjoy surfing, then Raglan is the destination for you! Surfing is the main attraction in Raglan and the best locations to surf at are Nagarunui Beach and Manu Bays. Other water activities in Raglan are stand up paddle boarding and kayaking on the still waters, for more of a relaxing experience. There are also many walking tracks to explore in Raglan. An easy difficulty walk is the Bridal Veil/Waireinga Falls Walk, this is a 10-minute walk and is suitable for wheelchairs. A more difficult walk for the adventurous is the Mt. Karioi Summit Track, this is a 3-hour hike with awesome views at the summit! 

You can book a powered or non-powered camping site in the Raglan Holiday Park which is only a 2-minute walk from the beach! You can then leave the campervan in the holiday park while exploring Raglan by foot, to reduce your carbon footprint.  

Kai Iwi Lakes 

Kai Iwi Lakes are in the Northland and is about a 3-hour drive north of Auckland. This is the perfect camping spot to visit in the summer months. The best ways to spend your days at this camping location is by the lakes. Activities include swimming kayaking, windsurfing, and fishing. The fish you’ll most likely catch is Rainbow Trout! 

A campground that you can stay at while in the Kai Iwi Lakes is the Promenade Point Campground.  

Fun Fact: the Kai Iwi lakes were formed by the accumulation of rainwater in depressions of sand and with an underlying layer of ironstone, this prevents the water from leaking away.  

Waipu Cove 

Waipu Cove is a 2-hour drive north of Auckland and a perfect location to relax in paradise. It has a beautiful stretch of beach to go swimming, surfing and fishing, and there are many hidden rockpools to discover in the area.  

An attraction to make sure to visit is the Waipu Caves, it is only a 30-minute drive from Waipu Cove. Enjoy a free walk through the caves to see all the amazing glow worms.  

A sustainable and eco-friendly campground to stay at is Camp Waipu Cove. The campground is within walking distance of the beach and there are many facilities that creates sustainable living. Within the campgrounds they have an organic vegie garden that is available for customers and staff, and they have 110 solar panels to help power their facilities.  

When travelling New Zealand, choosing sustainable camping options will minimise the impact on the environment, promote environmental conservation and reduce your carbon footprint. Visiting these sustainable camping spots near Auckland listed above will point you in the right direction of choosing sustainable travel on your next road trip adventure! 

Don’t forget to check out the latest deals and offers on campervan hire in Auckland.

Wanting to discover more sustainable camping spots? Check out our Sustainable Camping Spots in New Zealand article.

To learn more about sustainable travel in New Zealand, check out our How To Travel New Zealand Sustainably article.