Camping near Kaikōura

There are 58 DOC campsites within 150 km of Kaikōura, and 5 of them are free. 36 can be reached by car. The closest is Molesworth Cob Cottage Campsite, about 49 km away in a straight line.

Drive-in campsites (36)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
Molesworth Cob Cottage Campsite Molesworth Recreation Reserve	49 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Acheron Accommodation House Campsite Molesworth Recreation Reserve	60 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Coldwater Stream Campsite Upper Wairau River area	73 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Lake Tennyson Campsite Molesworth Recreation Reserve	80 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Marfells Beach Campsite Marfells Beach area	87 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Kerr Bay Campsite Nelson Lakes National Park	95 km	Serviced $25 per adult (tent site)	drive-in, hot showers, bookable
Teetotal Campsite Nelson Lakes National Park	97 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs allowed, first come, first served
West Bay Campsite - Buller Zone Nelson Lakes National Park	97 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
West Bay Campsite - Jetty Zone Nelson Lakes National Park	97 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Mill Flat Campsite Mount Richmond Forest Park	101 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Deer Valley Campsite Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve	105 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, first come, first served
Onamalutu Campsite Mount Richmond Forest Park	105 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Boyle Campsite Lake Sumner Forest Park	107 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Lake Rotoroa Campsite Nelson Lakes National Park	112 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, first come, first served
Butchers Flat Campsite Mount Richmond Forest Park	114 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Rarangi Campsite Blenheim area	116 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Whites Bay Campsite Blenheim area	117 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Kawatiri Campsite Kawatiri area	118 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs allowed, first come, first served
Robin Hood Bay Campsite Blenheim area	120 km	Basic Free	drive-in, first come, first served
Marble Hill Campsite Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve	120 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Pelorus Bridge Campground Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve	123 km	Serviced $25 per adult (tent site)	drive-in, hot showers, bookable
Lake Taylor Campsite Lake Sumner Forest Park	124 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Aussie Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	127 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Momorangi Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	127 km	Serviced $25 per adult (tent site)	drive-in, hot showers, bookable
Whatamango Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	130 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Nikau Cove Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	137 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Picnic Bay Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	137 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Courthouse Flat Campsite Kahurangi National Park	139 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Siberia Flat Campsite Kahurangi National Park	140 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Wooded Gully Campsite Mount Thomas Forest Conservation Area	141 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Kenepuru Head Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	141 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Harvey Bay Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	142 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Godley Head Campsite Awaroa/Godley Head	150 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable
Elaine Bay Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	150 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Waimaru Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	150 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, bookable
Lyell Campsite Lyell area	150 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	drive-in, dogs on a leash, bookable

Walk-in and boat-access campsites (22)

Campsite	Distance*	Type and fee	Good to know
Angelus Hut Campsite Nelson Lakes National Park	96 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Lake Daniell Campsite Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve	115 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, first come, first served
Loch Katrine Campsite Lake Sumner Forest Park	126 km	Basic Free	dogs on a leash, first come, first served
Moetapu Bay Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	128 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	walk-in, bookable
Davies Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	130 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Putanui Point Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	132 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Mistletoe Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	133 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	boat access, bookable
Cowshed Bay Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	136 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	walk-in, bookable
Black Rock Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	137 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Ferndale Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	137 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Kumutoto Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	137 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Pipi Beach Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	137 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, first come, first served
Ngaruru Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	138 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Ratimera Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	138 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	boat access, bookable
Nydia Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	139 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Bay Of Many Coves Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	142 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable
Blumine Island/ōruawairua Campsite Blumine Island Scenic Reserve	144 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Jacobs Bay Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	145 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Wharehunga Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	145 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Camp Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	147 km	Standard $10–20 per adult	walk-in, bookable
Tawa Bay Campsite Pelorus Sound/Te Hoiere and Kenepuru Sound area	148 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	boat access, bookable
Schoolhouse Bay Campsite Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area	150 km	Backcountry Varies, see DOC page	walk-in, bookable

*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 Kaikōura 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 Kaikōura?

From DOC's list, Molesworth Cob Cottage Campsite is the closest, about 49 km away in a straight line.

Are there free campsites near Kaikōura?

Yes, 5 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.

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