In the days before easy air travel, summer camping was a national pastime.
Setting off to a favourite beach or lake front in the family caravan, or towing a trailer laden with camping equipment, has been the ultimate fun holiday for generations of Kiwi families.
This hasn’t escaped the increasing number of international visitors arriving here to experience the country's natural beauty close up. Hiring campervans, mobile homes, 4WDs, motorbikes, and even bicycles, these visitors can't get enough of the free-wheeling camping holidays we probably take for granted.
The backbone of this unique outdoor opportunity is the numerous camping sites and holiday camps around the country. The choice of sites around the country is huge.
Some have self-catering facilities and cabin accommodation. Others are simple grassed areas verging on a beautiful beach or lake, with public toilets facilities. But all are located in areas that best show off our natural assets.
There’s also 235 camping sites under DoC control. All of these conservation department grounds offer fantastic settings, from idyllic native forests to wild ocean beaches.
Some DoC sites have basic facilities, such as pit toilets and stream water, and others are fully serviced with ground management, flush toilets, showers, and barbecue facilities.