New Zealand has long been known as one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world, filled with gorgeous forests, majestic mountains and enviable shores. With so much untouched splendor to take in, why would you ever want to restrict yourself to the confines of a hotel room?
You can enjoy the comforts of a hotel and the thick of New Zealand’s natural beauty by glamping (that’s luxury camping) your way across the country. Here are a few of your best bets for glamping across New Zealand.
Canopy Camping Escapes
There are currently four locations where you can soak up rural New Zealand from the comforts of a canopy with Canopy Camping Escapes. The original location in South Wairarapa offers private encampments on a 4,000-acre sheep station with luxury tents, an outdoor kitchen and a camp bathroom. And when it comes time to explore, you can take a 5-minute drive to Ngawi to check out the colony of fur seals or the Palliser Lighthouse. Canopy Camping Escapes also hosts glampers in the midst of a national park in Hurunai Jacks and on a kiwi farm in Tapuae. “Lord of the Rings” fans definitely won’t want to miss the hobbit-themed home in Underhill Valley.
Pagoda Lodge
If romance is on the agenda for your New Zealand getaway, book a glamping weekend at Pagoda Lodge in the picturesque Bay of Islands. This river-front lodge features your choice of luxury safari tent with river or garden views, a Chinese-inspired lodge, or gypsy caravan made with special timber (including a fragrant Japanese cedar). You’ll find your zen throughout the property, thanks to the ample Asian architecture and Buddhist statues. Te Araroa, New Zealand’s longest walking trail, also winds near Pagoda Lodge, so you can take in the surrounding beauty on foot.
Gypsy River Camping
If you’re looking for a glamping experience with a lot of character and a little quirk, book one of the gypsy caravans in Wairarapa through Gypsy River Camping. The colorful caravans provide all of your camping needs, and you’ll have access to a cookhouse, campfire and barbecue, depending on how you want to fix dinner. Plenty of brown trout swim in the nearby Raumahanga River if you feel like fishing, or you can go for a swim or kayak at the private river beach.
Have you ever gone glamping? Tell us about it in the comments below!
(Main image: Pagoda Lodge)
