Camping near Gisborne

There are 30 DOC campsites within 150 km of Gisborne, and 16 of them are free. 21 can be reached by car. The closest is Anaura Bay Campsite, about 54 km away in a straight line.

Drive-in campsites (21)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
Anaura Bay Campsite Anaura Bay area	54 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Manganuku Campsite Ōpōtiki area	69 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Whitikau Campsite Ōpōtiki area	71 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Waikaremoana Holiday Park Lake Waikaremoana area	75 km	Serviced $25 per adult (tent site)	drive-in, hot showers, bookable
Rosie Bay Campsite Te Urewera	78 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Boulders Campsite Ōpōtiki area	81 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Mokau Landing Campsite Te Urewera	81 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, first come, first served
Te Taita A Makoro Campsite Te Urewera	83 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Orangihikoia Campsite Te Urewera	85 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Te Pakau (Eight Acre) Campsite Te Urewera	85 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Omahuru Campsite Te Urewera	87 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, first come, first served
Mimiha Campsite Te Urewera	95 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Waikari River Mouth Campsite Waikari River area	99 km	Basic Free	drive-in, dogs on a leash, first come, first served
Mid Okahu Road Campsite Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park	102 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Sanctuary Campsite Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park	112 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Lake Tūtira Campsite Tūtira area	116 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Glenfalls Campsite Mōhaka River area	128 km	Basic Free	drive-in, dogs on a leash, first come, first served
Rerewhakaaitu, Ash Pit Rd Campsite Lake Rerewhakaaitu Recreation Reserve	138 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Rerewhakaaitu, Brett Road Campsite Lake Rerewhakaaitu Recreation Reserve	139 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Matatā Campsite Matatā area	140 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, hot showers, bookable
Mangatutu Hot Springs Campsite Kaweka Forest Park	147 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served

Walk-in and boat-access campsites (9)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
Waiharuru Campsite Te Urewera	86 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Maraunui Campsite Te Urewera	90 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Waiopaoa Campsite Te Urewera	90 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Korokoro Campsite Te Urewera	91 km	Great Walk Great Walks prices, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Verns Camp Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park	116 km	Basic Free	walk-in, first come, first served
Everetts Campsite Mōhaka River area	123 km	Basic Free	walk-in, dogs on a leash, first come, first served
Lake Tarawera Outlet Campsite Lake Tarawera Scenic Reserve	142 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	walk-in, bookable
Hot Water Beach Campsite Lake Tarawera Scenic Reserve	146 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	walk-in, bookable
Humphries Bay Campsite Lake Tarawera Scenic Reserve	149 km	Basic Free	walk-in, first come, first served

*Straight-line distance from the city centre; the drive is longer.

Want a roof instead? Compare holiday parks on Holiday Parks NZ or stays near Gisborne on our Stays page.

Campsite list: Department of Conservation open data (CC BY 4.0), refreshed weekly. Fees are DOC’s published category fees; some campsites differ and prices can change. Always check the DOC page for alerts and closures before you go.

Plan the rest of the trip

Find a campsite by region → Packing checklist Cheap car hire

Questions

What is the closest campsite to Gisborne?

From DOC's list, Anaura Bay Campsite is the closest, about 54 km away in a straight line.

Are there free campsites near Gisborne?

Yes, 16 of the DOC campsites within 150 km are free basic campsites.

Do I need to book?

Many standard and serviced DOC campsites need booking, especially in summer. Basic campsites are usually first come, first served.

More camping guides: all camping guides