Rakaia Gorge Campground

Great place to stay. Lots of space, and choice between sheltered spaces or directly overlooking the riverbed. In the morning the sun rises over the river waking you up with its warmth. Facilities are very clean and there is running hot and cold water (drinkable). No power available. From the campground you can either walk into the gorge or to the riverbed, giving magnificent views. At night you can do stargazing, and there are information tablets explaining about the constellation you can see. Staff is super friendly. It's definitely a place to come back to!

What a spot! Magnificent views, beautifully maintained & attractive campground & helpful manager. Shows are spotless with great hot water. Good cell reception. Very much recommend.

Nice place to go — the toilets, showers, and kitchen were all clean. However, one downside is that there’s no playground or activities for kids, which was a bit disappointing.

Rakaia Gorge Campground is a serene Kiwi gem nestled by the braided Rakaia River, just 75 km from Christchurch along the Inland Scenic Route. Operating full‑service from October to April ($15 pp; kids under 10 free), it offers hot showers, clean toilets, a kitchen shelter, laundry tub, book exchange, and picnic spots overlooking the gorge . With around 58–73 unpowered grassy sites spread over 2.2 ha, you can expect plenty of room, especially during quieter periods. A TripAdvisor reviewer praised “clean facilities, nice and quiet, beautiful views” and noted the helpful, friendly management . Summer nights bring bellbird calls, river ambience, and star‑filled skies—ideal for unwinding . Recommended day hikes start right at camp: the 1.2 mile Gorge Lookout (33 minutes), the Lower Gorge (1 hr return), and the full 9.8 km Gorge Walkway (~3h 15m) . Many campers also enjoy salmon fishing or jet‑boating on the turquoise waters nearby . As one Redditor shared: “I just got back from Rakaia Gorge… Great views up the Rakaia river” . Winter (May–Sept) sees front‑camp sites open for $10 pp via honesty box, though only toilets are available—no showers or office . ✨ Final thoughts: This campground hits the sweet spot between comfort and wild beauty. It’s peaceful, well‑maintained, and perfectly located for walking, fishing, or simply soaking in the landscape. If you don’t need power and can rough it a bit, Rakaia Gorge Camp is a top‑tier spot for a restorative night or two in nature.

Beautiful, stunning location with unpowered grassy sites, toilets, hot showers and small camp kitchen. No power at all. Short walk to a wonderful water hole and river for a swim.

Very nice little camp. No power or water Planted up with lots of high hedges to protect from the nor westerly, which I can imagine would really pump through Certainly be going back.

This place was AWESOME. A little more organised than what we're used to but we arrived during business hours so it was no dramas, greeted by the loveliest owners that showed us to a beautiful spot with gorge views. After exploring a bit we found the most beautiful, secluded spot on the gorge to spend the next day at swimming and fishing. Beautiful bridge and just an all round great spot to stop over at travelling between Lake tekapo and Christchurch :))))

We stopped for the night and we are planning to return soon! The camp host is very welcoming. It’s a clean camp ground, taken care of restrooms, and kitchen with a view! No issue with sandflies 🙏🏼