WAIKATO: SOUTH-WAIKATO

On a sunny day in late Autumn Hora Hora Domain is stunning. With plenty of room for parking on the grass right along the edge of the lake, it is a prime location for spending a peaceful afternoon far away from busy roads and towns.

It has the potential get get quite busy over the summer holiday season, with boat tours that leave from the reserve, and there is a boat ramp which can be used for water skiing. Fishing should also be good. There are clean toilets maintained by the Waipa District Council.

Only a few motorhomes there when we arrived. We met another couple who owned an Autotrail motorhome similar to ours, and we had an interesting discussion comparing notes. 

Self-contained caravans and campervans can stay the first two nights free then a camping permit is required for a longer stay. Camping in tents and vehicles requires a camping permit. This can be purchased from the South Waikato District Council offices or the district’s Information Centres. Click here for full details on the council website.

Overall, this is a great location - especially on a sunny afternoon in autumn.

5-Jan-2015: UPDATE

We returned to this domain late one afternoon during the mid-summer holiday season, and were pleasantly surprised to find plenty of room for parking right on the lake front.

This time we stayed overnight, taking in the brilliant sunset while having our dinner.

There was quite a lot of water activity, with rowers, and water skiers providing entertainment. A number of day visitors were picnicing on the waters edge. Overall, there a nice family outing type atmosphere, which we enjoyed.

It was really peaceful and quiet after the fizz boats packed up for the night.

The next morning we woke up to the mist hovering over the lake, providing an almost ethereal atmosphere.

This is a really special place - one of our favouriste locations.