1 active Westland Tai Poutini alert
- CautionActive landslide zones on Copland TrackDo not stop in either of Copland Track’s signposted active landslide zones; take extra care during and after heavy rain.Official details
Overview
About Otto/
Why stop
- Lake Mapourika offers swimming, boating and trout fishing.
- Two different settings suit tents and campervans.
Heads up
- All sites are non-powered, and bookings are required year-round.
Map
Where it is
Loading the Westland Tai Poutini map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide
Your drive to Otto/
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Westland Tai Poutini National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Westland Tai Poutini audio tourRecorded for this place
Otto/MacDonalds: a Night Beside the Lake0:00 / 0:32
“You're approaching the entrance to Otto and MacDonalds Campsite, beside the northern end of Lake Māpōurika. Choose it for a simple night by the lake, with swimming, boating and trout fishing close at hand.”
Plays as you drive up to Otto/MacDonalds Campsite in the Parkwolf Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Premier Who Painted the Glaciers
- Lancewood's Two Different Lives
- Jetty Bay: a Quick Look at Lake Māpōurika
- The Blue Duck's Soft Bill
- 49 audio storiesacross Westland Tai Poutini’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Blue Duck, Kererū, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 31 trails, 53 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Otto/
A two-part campsiteOtto/MacDonalds is a 20-site, non-powered campground at the northern end of Lake Mapourika,…
Otto/MacDonalds is a 20-site, non-powered campground at the northern end of Lake Mapourika, about 15 km north of Franz Josef. It covers two adjacent camping areas: Otto is smaller and more sheltered near the water, while MacDonalds is more open and sunnier, with more room for campervans. It's a good lakeside base if you want a night by the water, but expect a simple campground rather than powered holiday-park facilities.
Make time for the lakeLake Mapourika is right here for swimming, boating and trout fishing.
Lake Mapourika is right here for swimming, boating and trout fishing. At the MacDonalds side, MacDonalds Creek runs past a broad gravel bed and a campground shelter with picnic tables, a useful spot to spread out between time on the water.
Book before turning off SH6The campground is 15 km north of Franz Josef, reached by a short gravel driveway off the…
The campground is 15 km north of Franz Josef, reached by a short gravel driveway off the highway. Book online before you arrive: reservations are required year-round and mobile coverage is limited, with no spaces held for people who turn up unbooked. Your booking is for a site that is allocated or selected on arrival, so don't count on a particular area. A DOC Campsite Pass can be used with an online booking. There are no powered sites; fires and dogs aren't allowed.
Keep an eye out for keaKea sometimes visit the campground and may investigate camping gear or vehicles.
Kea sometimes visit the campground and may investigate camping gear or vehicles. Put away anything you don't want a curious parrot pulling apart; their visits can be a memorable part of the stay, or an interruption if they choose your camp.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Westland Tai Poutini
89 sightingsKeaMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
10 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
80 sightingsKererūMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
38 sightingsTūīMost seen around 5 AMSighting map
10 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
28 sightingsYellow-crowned ParakeetMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Westland Tai Poutini. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
