[15 Days New Zealand Campervan with Kids] Day 5 – Hokitika to Glentunnel

After a long night of tackling laundry and getting everything sorted, it was finally time to load up the campervan again.

Honestly, by now, we are getting pretty used to the campervan life.

Finding a place to stay seems less necessary, but hauling luggage and toiletries is still quite a workout.

I must have gone in and out of our accommodation more than ten times. The good thing is, we get to park just outside the apartment.

The accommodation also cost like NZ$250 vs NZ$55 for the powered site. 

In hindsight, if we had just stayed in the camper, we would have saved about NZ$200.

But with the comfy bathtub and a space to dry our clothes, I really appreciated that little luxury after tackling our first laundry.

Today’s Plan

The itinerary was nice and easy.

A drive from Hokitika to GlenTunnel Campground, around 270 to 280 km, with a detour to the stunning Hokitika Gorge.

10am: Hokitika Beach

Just outside our accommodation was a lovely beach.

After yesterday's long drive, letting the kids play in the sand felt like a perfect morning.

As a parent, I always think a little beach time helps wash away the travel stresses.

It was a good way to kick off the day before hitting the road again.

11:30am: Explore Hokitika Gorge

Hokitika Gorge: Known for its stunning blue waters, this gorge features a scenic 2 km walk that leads to breathtaking views from a bridge. It's a fantastic spot for family photos and exploring nature together.

We planned to visit Hokitika Gorge the day before, so today was a great chance to fit it in.

The gorge was only about 30 km away, a winding drive that took approximately 45 minutes, which had its own scenic charm.

Honestly, I thought it would be a quick stop to look at the river.

But wow, this place turned out to be a little gem!

There is a lovely 2 km circuit route that loops back to the carpark.

No wonder we did not see many people walking.

The trail took us to a bridge where we enjoyed breathtaking views of the gorge.

The water was incredibly blue, and the weather was perfect, sunny and clear.

I felt quite proud as we took our time capturing photos and soaking in nature.

After probably spending around two hours there, I was especially relieved that my younger daughter completed the trail without needing a lift.

That was such a big win for my heart.

2pm: Lunch – Katsu @ Hokitika

Since we were still in Hokitika, it made perfect sense to grab lunch there.

The kids wanted udon soup again, so we indulged in some delicious Japanese food.

We shared a few dishes, and while the prices felt a bit steep to me, it was satisfying to see them so happy.

Ramen Noodle Soup was $24! 

4:30pm: Otira Viaduct Lookout

Otira Viaduct Lookout: A must-stop for its incredible valley views and the sight of trucks navigating the steep road. It offers a great visual understanding of the terrain you'll be driving through.

After our meal, we visited the Otira Viaduct Lookout on a whim. It's 95km away - just nice a pit stop to take a break.

This random stop became one of the highlights of the day.

The view looked over the stunning valley and the entire winding road that leads up to Arthur Pass.

We could see trucks working hard to make their way up the steep incline, which added to the drama of the landscape.

Definitely worth the stop!

5pm: Arthur's Pass Scenic Lookout

We continued our journey and reached Arthur's Pass just as the sun was starting to set.

We took a quick five-minute walk to snap some pictures.

Although we planned to see Castle Hill, the sun was already setting too low for that, so we had to skip it this time.

This iconic spot was used in The Chronicles of Narnia for filming, and I regretted missing it, but sometimes you just have to roll with it.

8pm: Check-in at GlenTunnel Campground

Finally, we arrived at GlenTunnel Campground around 8pm.

The owner welcomed us warmly and mentioned we were the only vehicle there, which felt quite special.

The fee was just NZ$25 per night, but the showers were pay-per-use, costing 50 cents for four minutes.

Knowing we had timer showers before, I planned for a no-shower night.

I told the family we would just do a quick wipe-down instead of risking a cold shower outside.

Since we had enjoyed the bathtub the previous night, we could manage for today.

The campsite was basic but totally fine.

We parked at the first powered site near the kitchen and whipped up a delicious dinner with minced pork, veggies, and rice.

The kids loved it, especially since they missed having rice from earlier.

I felt so glad we could prepare something wholesome together.