The Great Barrier Island Rooftop Tent Camping Adventure

You have to check out this Great Barrier Island rooftop tent camping adventure! I’d never done this style of camping before but it just looked too cool not to try. This island, home to just 1,000 residents, is still technically part of Auckland, but is a much more rugged island paradise-y part. I recently hopped on a last minute flight to visit the island for 3 days/2 nights and rented this beast from Stay High Island Camping Adventures Co., who just started their business in 2022.

They aren’t paying me to write any of this, nor did I get a free rental or anything. It was just so cool I wanted to share! However, this post may contain affiliate links. This means I get a commission if you buy/book something I’ve linked to, at no extra cost to you. But please know that I only ever recommend things I have used or would use myself. Thanks for your support!

Pros and cons to Great Barrier Island rooftop tent camping

Overall, I totally rate this experience, but there are a few things to consider before you book. Here are some major pros and cons of this unique Great Barrier Island rooftop camping trip:

The pros

- All in one. You don’t have to manage both accom and transport bookings.
- Cheaper than making 2 bookings. Hotels and Airbnbs are about $200/night, car rentals are $65/day+. Rooftop tent was $175/day for both!
- Comes with alllll the stuff you need. Cooking gear, drinking water, tea bags, comfy bedding, even fairy lights!
- Easy to get to once you’re off the plane. Just a 2-minute walk from the airport.
- Super fun to drive. Good for off roading, which you need to do a bit of to get to any campsite.
- Petrol consumption seemed decent. I didn’t even use 50% of the fuel and drove a lot. (However, petrol on the island is expensive. See below.)
- Not too buggy. Only 1 spider and 1 mosquito in my tent. K maybe this is a con depending on how bug-phobic you are, but pretty impressive really, for a tent in the sky.
- Pretty easy to set up. They said it would be 15-20 minutes, but I had to rewatch some parts of the video tutorial. (They give you an iPad with instructions!) I’d say it took me closer to half an hour on the first night, but the second night took just 15 minutes.

Click here to see how easy it was for me to set up (on the second night, lol)

The cons

- Not ideal if it’s windy. Unless you know how to tell where the wind is/will be blowing from, it’s kind of hard to know where to set up. My first night was blustery, and it was all shaky and loud, which made it a bit hard to sleep. The second night was peaceful and I slept like a baby.
- Once you’ve set up camp, that’s you for the night. Can’t move, go for dinner, etc. because, ya know, your house is on the roof.
- Same goes if you want to stay at the same campsite for more than one night. If you plan on doing activities (and obviously you’re going to do activities), you’ll have to pack up your whole camp to go anywhere, which means you might lose your campsite.
- There’s nowhere to charge anything. They do provide a charging cable in the car, but it’s not enough to keep your phone on full, especially because you’ll be taking so many photos of the beautiful landscapes! So prepare to be a little off-grid.
- They only have a few cars, so book early! I got lucky with a last-minute booking because I went before the summer season kicked off, but I expect they’ll start getting busy soon so I suggest checking it out ASAP.
- The rental is relatively cheap, but gas isn’t. I only needed to fill less than half a tank… and it was $98. ($4.78 per litre). The cost of rural life I suppose. But this would be the same for any car rental, so it’s not necessarily a con you can avoid.
- Cooking is essential. This isn’t necessarily a con, but just know that restaurant selection is sparse. You’ll be cooking on a gas stove, which is nice, but time-consuming, and who likes doing dishes when they’re on vacation?

Where to camp

There are 6 Department of Conservation (DOC) campsites on Great Barrier Island. None of them are powered, and only have very basic facilities. Think long drop, cold showers, and a communal shelter with a big table for a kitchen. The island has a whole thing about bins and they basically don’t exist, including at the campsites.

Fortunately, the car comes with everything you need in the back so setting up for some cooking, and I used the tupperware to hold onto my garbage until I dropped off the rental. Thankfully, Stay High does provide a garbage bin.

Here’s where to stay for your Great Barrier Island rooftop tent camping getaway:

- Medlands Beach: I stayed here my first night. It’s just behind the beach and had some nice shady trees and ducks roaming around! Not the most epic view from the tent though, just a regular grassy campsite.
- Akapoua Bay: I stayed here my second night. I was the only person at the whole campsite so I lucked out and got a spot right down at the beach! It’s also just across the road from the Warren Track trailhead that leads to a waterfall, and there were tons of interesting birds. Highly recommend.
- Awana: The woman who rented the tent car to me recommended this. Maybe I should have listened, but I chose my spots pretty randomly, just based on where I was in the evening. So I never set up camp here. BUT it’s pretty close to Claris (the main village by the airport) which makes it convenient. Always trust the locals’ opinions.

For DOC sites there’s also: Haratonga, Whangapoua, and The Green Campsite which I can’t weigh in on because I didn’t see them, but I’m sure they’re lovely.

You can find a few private campsites here.

All DOC campsites are $15/night

Akapoura Bay (near Port Fitzroy)

Tips for staying connected when camping

This trip made me realize how dependent I am on my electronics lol.

I had this cute vision of being all digital nomad-y and working from the tent in the evenings… but that was not a thing. I kind of got around it, but you’re better off going on this Great Barrier Island rooftop tent camping adventure with the intention of being off-grid for a few days.

However, if you’re like me, you can use these tips to stay somewhat connected:

Charge your electronics at My Fat Puku

Ok so they didn’t seem to *love* that I was charging two devices, but they were still friendly and the island doesn’t offer a ton of other options.

There’s the Pa Beach Cafe or Currach Irish Pub in Tryphena, and in Port Fitzroy you can try the Boat Club (though it wasn’t open when I was there.)

And of course, make sure you get breakfast or something more than just a coffee to pay your “rent” while you charge.

Use the iPad they give you

I used the iPad to take a video of me setting up the tent and a few photos of my masterpiece once I was done. This can help you conserve battery on your own devices, and you can easily Airdrop them to yourself.

Sorry Android users. I’m sure there’s a way for you to do it too, but probably a little more complicated.

Get a Vodaphone SIM

There’s no cell reception around most of the island unless you’re with Vodaphone. No Spark, 2 Degrees, or Skinny… and I mean 0 bars. There’s also not a lot of wifi.

BUT you can buy a Vodaphone SIM from the shops in Port Fitzroy, Claris, and Tryphena. Or grab a temporary one in Auckland before you head over.

I felt like an addict willing to do anything for another hit, but I bought an $8 SIM in Port Fitzroy. I could then call to add credit and gain access to that sweet sweet internet.

Forget Google Maps

There’s literally like, one main road so you can easily get around without a map, and this will save your phone battery.

I do not recommend this as a digital nomad destination.

I came across a couple huddled under the awning of a closed restaurant in the rain. They were out there because the wi-fi at their Airbnb wasn’t strong enough to let them work.

Things to do when camping on Great Barrier Island

You can use the rooftop tent car to see some of these epic sights on Great Barrier:

- Summit Mt Hobson for breathtaking views of the island
- See Windy Canyon, just 15 minutes from the main road on the way to Mt. Hobson
- Check out the Kaitoke natural hot springs for a swim or to dip your feet
- Stroll down the seemingly endless Kaitoke Beach
- Taste some local craft beer or gin at Aotea Brewing Co. and Island Gin
- Soak up the stars, Great Barrier Island is a Dark Sky Reserve
- Go surfing, kayaking, or snorkelling
- Walk the Warren’s and Bridle Tracks to find the waterfall