New Zealand’s reputation as a home to truly exceptional luxury experiences is well known, but nowhere does this shine through more than in New Zealand’s one-of-a-kind glamping experiences. Picture lying under the stars in isolated mountain stations, or relaxing in wood-burning hot tubs with Alpine views, these experiences redefine nature connection while still being encased in luxury comfort.
The following selection is the very best compilation of New Zealand’s glamping experience, each property selected for its potential to deliver that perfect blend of backcountry excitement and high-end amenity that visitors desire.
New Zealand’s reputation as a home to truly exceptional luxury experiences is well known, but nowhere does this shine through more than in New Zealand’s one-of-a-kind glamping experiences. Picture lying under the stars in isolated mountain stations, or relaxing in wood-burning hot tubs with Alpine views, these experiences redefine nature connection while still being encased in luxury comfort.
The following selection is the very best compilation of New Zealand’s glamping experience, each property selected for its potential to deliver that perfect blend of backcountry excitement and high-end amenity that visitors desire.
North Island
Heartwood Hollow: Earth house magic in Bay of Plenty
Just 20 minutes from the city of Tauranga, Heartwood Hollow offers something unique, a magical earth house situated within a picturesque hillside surrounded by old native bush. The path begins on a winding cobblestone path to an arched timber entrance and a massive, rounded entrance. In this hobbit-like stay, discover luxury comforts, a king-size bed shrouded in luxurious linens, a lovely kitchen made of recycled Totara, and a large ensuite full of artisan detail throughout.
Every aspect attests to imaginative and careful craftsmanship, ranging from hand-cut wood beams, right down to the curve of the windows that overlook the woods beyond. Warmly lit by a hissing wood fire stove and filled with amber light that spills in, the hollow affords opulent comfort in every inch. Outside the hollow, two identical outdoor bath tubs stand facing stargazing out into New Zealand’s crystal-clear night sky.
Wild Canvas: Luxury tent experience in Te Kūiti
Located in the beautiful Te Kūiti, Wild Canvas’s Pōhutukawa stay is a luxury tented retreat. The most distinguishing feature of the experience is the spectacular 360-degree view, picture soaking in a perfectly heated spa while watching the sun go down over the rolling hills. The tent’s design is one that fuses luxury furnishings with the brilliance of the outdoors in creating spaces that are intimate in character but expansive in vision.
The Pōhutukawa tent is a family-friendly stay, and that is why it is ideal for luxury family vacations or group vacations in search of something unique from the typical, stock standard luxury accommodation.
South Island
Braided Point: Canterbury’s best-kept secret
Located on a high-country cattle station, just a 1.5-hour drive north of Christchurch, Braided Point sits on top of a rock outcrop formed when glaciers receded. The Rakaia River winds through the landscape, which means that the view is constantly shifting, with braided channels that create an ever-changing scene that is different every time from the last visit.
Braided Point is made up of two unique luxury pods connected by an outdoor kitchen without a cover; one of the large pods has a cozy living space, and another pod features luxurious bathroom facilities. It offers indoor-outdoor living with guests remaining connected to the rest of the world while enjoying luxurious comfort.
SkyScape: Twizel’s stargazing heaven
Just a 15-minute drive south of Twizel on Omahau Hill Station, SkyScape offers architect-designed, low-environmental footprint accommodation set among the hillside of the stunning Mackenzie Country. Relaxation and tranquillity are guaranteed in this haven aimed at creating a feeling of bond between earth and sky.
Each of these accommodations features inset floors and natural building materials that have you feeling in touch with the earth itself, with the glass ceiling and walls of the bedroom providing stunning views of the Mackenzie basin and heavens above. Better still is relaxing under the stars in a super-size outdoor bath, with a view across the open country.
SkyScape is totally off-grid, solar-powered, and perfect for digital detox in a sustainable environment. Located within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, clear nights provide centre-stage seating to one of the world’s most starry vistas, making this a moment to recall and move away from city life.
Skylark Cabin: Mackenzie Basin
Located at the base of the Ben Ohau Range south of Twizel, Skylark Cabin is a reimagining of boutique luxury living in New Zealand’s legendary Mackenzie Country. Perfect for couples or newlyweds seeking their own secluded hideaway, this award-winning micro house accommodates two in thoughtfully crafted spaces that optimise comfort and harmony with the environment.
What is special to the experience is the effortless combining of architectural refinement and Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve’s untamed natural beauty. The architecture of the cabins combines alpine restraint and contemporary luxury to create living spaces that are small in footprint but boundless in their openness to the great mountain ranges and extraterrestrial tussock grasslands that surround them.
Furnished with a personal hot tub and telescope to observe the stars, Skylark Cabin makes a night’s stay an active experience of New Zealand’s most extreme high country.
Whare Kea Chalet: Elevated Alpine luxury
Whare Kea Chalet is an alpine luxury retreat in one of New Zealand’s most exclusive locations. Located 1,750 metres (5,700 feet) high on the Albert Burn Saddle of the north face of Dragonfly Peak, getting to this mountain haven is a breathtaking 15-minute scenic helicopter journey, a treat in itself.
This exclusive alpine resort fluctuates throughout the seasons. For half of the year, the area becomes a winter paradise, and is an ideal location for ski-touring or heli-skiing expeditions. Summer offers guests the opportunity to partake in some trekking, stargazing, or simply relaxing, a high-altitude luxury experience in full.
Planning your luxury glamping adventure
These phenomenal retreats are doorways to life-altering adventures that redefine luxury and nature. Each residence is unique: river views and wildlife watching at Braided Point, mountain helicopter access at Whare Kea, earth house magic at Heartwood Hollow, and luxury family choice at Wild Canvas. We at Aroha Luxury new Zealand Tours specialise in privately guided and completely bespoke itineraries, so if luxury glamping in New Zealand is your passion, call on us.
These havens are true to the highest expectations of most discerning travellers while still facilitating real experiences with the country’s breathtaking vistas. The secret to choosing the ultimate experience is knowing what kind of luxury appeals to you, the older-world image of high-country stations, the architectural wonder of earth houses, the adrenaline rush of helicopter-serviced alpine chalets, or the straightforward perfection of glass pods against starlit skies.
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