Maybe it’s because it was our first full day with our camper van in NZ. Maybe it’s because we aren’t used to driving up a mountain. Maybe it’s because we didn’t realize how early it would get dark. But the 100km/hr speed zones on the crazy winding steep roads in the dark was truly terrifying. It brought to mind Cool Runnings…”your bones don’t break in a bobsled. No…they shatter…” Once we got there, beautiful. Stars, glow worms! A few other campers. Just beware the drive there and back.

It was quiet at night and the toilet was clean with toilet paper. There were two other vans there. No lights, so it was very dark for stargazing.

Very good quiet campsite and great to see the light bulbs in the evenings... but only 4g therefore bad cell phone reception + the toilet leaves to be desired

Very quiet spot off the side of the road, with an easy walk which is lit up at night with glow worms. One long drop toilet, no sink. Some camping tables. Only 1 other van here with me at the end of May. Quiet, not much road traffic/noise either. Stars were out in force, can see the Milky Way. Quite cold at night so dress warm! Weak phone signal.

Very quiet spot, you should to do the walk at the night, for see a lot of glowworm Phone signal ok Lot of space

A good and quiet spot to spend a night watching the fireflies. Don't hesitate to take the slightly longer route at night, crossing the first two bridges. After that, you can see the fireflies from almost anywhere. The viewpoint at the very top is the most fascinating.

I echo what everybody else is saying. You should stay here for the night to enjoy the fantastic glow worms experience after the sunset. Quiet and chilly night, had one of the best sleeps of the trip. Avoid the toilet at all cost!

We stayed at the Mangapo Nature Bridge last night and really enjoyed it. The parking area isn’t very large, but there was plenty of space for everyone. It’s a very quiet spot with almost no traffic, and we even saw glowwurms. If you walk down the path to the bridge in the dark, you’ll definitely find some. The place is breathtaking both during the day and at night.

It’s a beautiful and peaceful place to stay, though I’m still unsure about how legal it is to camp here. There’s a no-tent symbol on the sign, and usually if self-contained vehicles are allowed there’s a blue label, which is missing. The area itself is lovely and quiet, with a gorgeous walk to the Natural Bridge and hundreds of glowworms at night that are absolutely breathtaking. Unfortunately, the toilet is genuinely terrible, really unpleasant. I’d estimate there’s space for around 10 cars.

Really good spot! Go for the walk at night and once you hit the main rail, turn off your lights and let your eyes adjust to see the colonies of glow worms. There’s a few vans here but since there’s no limit (at this stage) it feels really safe and the lot is pretty level. Highly recommend!