We're the School Camp Experts, located on the lower North Island
***COVID ALERT LEVEL 2***
Within Ministry of Education guidelines, School Camps of all sizes can still go ahead.
However our Holiday Park is currently closed to casual bookings until at least the 7th of March.
We continue to take the Ministry of Health advice around Covid-19 very seriously and accordingly, we have created policies that cover each of our departments.
We also have additional sanitising and cleaning practices in place, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our guests.
At El Rancho on the Kapiti Coast, just north of Wellington we've been designing and facilitating camps for primary, intermediate and high school students for decades. There are plenty of outdoor learning activities on offer to help meet your EOTC requirements with a maximum amount of fun.
We have a range of accommodation and catering options to suit your budget and preferences.
Ideally located right alongside the Waikanae River and just a short walk from Waikanae Beach...we can help you fulfill all of your EOTC requirements!
Thank you once again for an amazing camp! Our kids are still buzzing from all the new experiences
and we were so impressed with the friendly and supportive staff.
Porirua School
We're your 'Gateway to the Capital'
For schools outside of the Wellington region...why not stay with us, enjoy what we offer and as an added bonus discover the sights of our Capital city too.
There's our national museum Te Papa, the Beehive, the historic Cable Car, Adrenalin Forest, Weta Workshop...the list goes on! Find out more.
Why is El Rancho the #1 choice for so many schools?
- Our activities have been safety audited by OutdoorsMark NZ
- Our staff and instructors are friendly and professional
- We provide healthy & nutritious meals
- We have a dedicated Teachers Lounge
- An extensive range of onsite activities
- Close proximity to Waikanae river, Estuary and Beach
- Kapiti’s amazing climate
- Day trips to Wellington City and Kapiti Coast attractions
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Keen to book?
Simply fill out the Booking Enquiry form below and let us know your desired dates and requirements and we can then design a programme and provide you with a price quotation.
If you would like more information or to arrange a site visit please call us on (04) 902 6287.
Follow the link below to check out our accommodation options:
GROUP VENUES

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Off Peak Special Deal...50% off all Activities!!
Think you can only have fun during the summer months at El Rancho? Then think again!
Book your OFF PEAK school camp with us in either May, June or August 2021 and we’ll give you 50% off the price of your choice of exciting onsite activities. These could include Horse Riding, Rockwall, Air Rifles, Archery, Archery Soft, Go Karts, Wilderness Survival and more!!
We have heaters ready to keep you warm and just imagine how much fun you’ll have rugged up around our bonfire toasting marshmellows.
Please note conditions include: new bookings only; minimum 2 night stay; minimum 40 people; camp must be fully catered.
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What schools are saying about us....
We had a great time at El Rancho; the feedback from our staff, students and parents has been very positive. The accommodation and facilities at El Rancho suited our needs well. This was the first time Redwood School have used your venue; your staff’s help, guidance and hosting were fantastic. There was also high praise for the food! Please pass on our thanks to your kitchen staff.
Redwood School
El Rancho has been our schools choice for school camp for a number of years. The children have had some amazing experiences that will become life long memories at El Rancho. We have found the staff, facilities and activities on offer to be fantastic. As the organiser of the camp I have been very impressed with the communication that we have received when we have been planning our school camps. The range of activities that El Rancho provides are not only challenging but hugely rewarding to the children. A great measure of the success of our camps is the overwhelming amount of parents that we have wanting to attend, and the excited anticipation shown by the children.
Hutt Central School
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I was one of the parent helpers with the Wa Ora Montessori School group at El Rancho last week. No doubt the teachers will be sending you feedback, but I just wanted to say that the parent group really enjoyed the camp – the facilities are great, the activities are fun (tubing seemed to be a favourite!) and all the staff were really helpful and made our jobs so much easier. I have been on three school camps now and El Rancho is easily the best in all those factors.
And I must mention the food, which is far and away the best we have come across on a camp. The kids certainly enjoyed it, and it was great that you catered for them to have extra helpings.
Wa Ora Montessori
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Thanks so much for your organisation so far, last week's camp went without a hitch, weather was stunning and the activities we chose were fantastic. All parents commented on the great instructors at all activities and also how the camp ran so smoothly with so many other groups using it as well.
Very impressed parents!!!!
We had an amazing time - my number one school camp so far!!!!!
Kapanui School
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A BIG thank you for having us at your amazing facility. El Rancho has so many wonderful things to do and see. The cabins were nice, clean and warm. There was such a wonderful feeling at the camp surrounded by dense forest, green fields and paddocks.
We were really impressed with the instructors. They were kind, caring and generous with their knowledge. The instructors were positive and kept us standing tall when we felt challenged or scared.
Thanks to the kitchen staff too for cooking all the delicious meals for us.
Pinehaven School
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