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Our top 10 tips for campervan hire in New Zealand will help you get the most out of your New Zealand campervan hire. Our top 10 tips for camper hire will be a special help to first time campervan travellers. Campervan hire in New Zealand is a fantastic way to explore the many sights and sounds of this diverse country. But if you have never hired a campervan before, you may have a lot of questions about hiring a campervan, including what size motor home should I hire, what do I need to bring from home and where can I travel in a campervan?
Outlined below are our top 10 tips for New Zealand campervan hire and campervan rental. Feel free to contact us if you want any of your campervan hire questions answered by one of our friendly staff. |
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| Campervans come in all different shapes and sizes, so you first need to decide how many people will be travelling in your group. Remember that by law, everyone needs to occupy their own seat within the campervan, including babies and children. So for example, if you have a family of 2 adults and 3 children, you will need at least a 5 or 6 Berth campervan. Some motor homes have restrictions on the number of baby capsules (0-6 months), baby seats (6 months to 3 years) and booster seats (4+ years) that can be fitted, so check the campervan specifications carefully before deciding on a campervan. |
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| The 6 Berth campervans are the largest campervans available in New Zealand, so if you have 7 or more people travelling, you might like to consider splitting your group across two motor homes. Many people hiring campervans in New Zealand like a little extra space during their holiday and will often hire a larger motor home to spread out. For example, four adults in a 4 Berth can be a tight fit, so a 6 Berth campervan is often more comfortable and in many cases not much more expensive than a 4 Berth. Similarly, many couples like the extra space and freedom that a 3 or 4 Berth campervan offers.
For more information, please visit our Campervan Hire page for a full range of campervans. |
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Campervans are either Two-Wheel-Drive (2WD) or Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD). The 2WD campervans can only travel on sealed (bitumen) roads. They cannot travel on dirt or gravel roads. So if you want to travel off the sealed roads, you will need to hire a 4WD campervan. If you take a 2WD campervan off sealed roads, you void any insurance that you have taken and could be up for a lot of money if you have an accident or cause any damage to the motor home.
Some campervan hire companies offer 4WD campervans but most don't as the majority of attractions in New Zealand don't require 4WD access. For more information, please visit our Campervan Hire page for a full range of campervans.
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The beauty of campervan hire is that the campervans come with all of the equipment that you will need to enjoy your New Zealand holiday. All campervans come with basic facilities including a sink, fridge, gas stove and cold water. Your cooking utensils and crockery and cutlery are also included so you don't need to worry about bringing pots and pans and the like.
Some campervan hire companies (like Apollo) also offer a travel wallet containing road maps and campground guides, as well as a "Welcome Pack" for your first night. The Welcome Pack includes matches, mini shampoo and conditioner, dishwashing liquid, sponge, soap, salt and pepper, coffee, tea and sugar satchels. The larger campervans also offer toilet and shower facilities (with hot and cold water), TV and DVD players and air-conditioning/heating units. |
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So all you need to bring along are your personal belongings and any extra items like laptop computers and cameras. 95% of campervans have powerpoints to recharge your electrical items, but you will need to stay in a powered site at a campground to plug into main power (240V). Most campervans also have a 12V socket if your electrical items can be recharged with 12V. With your luggage, it is best to bring soft bags as they store away more easily in the campervans. The campervans come with cupboards and wardrobes but they generally are not big enough for hard suitcases. Given that a lot of travellers prefer the protection of hard suitcases, another option is to unpack your belongings in the campervan and then leave your bags at the campervan hire branch (not an option for one-way rentals). Please note that not all campervan hire companies offer this facility, so it is worthwhile to check with the hire company ahead of time.
Of course, you will also need to buy your own food and drinks and possibly some miscellaneous items like washing-up detergent and toilet paper. Note: campervans that have toilet and shower facilities generally offer a small supply of toilet paper and toilet chemicals, but you may need to buy extra, depending on the length of your campervan hire. |
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New Zealand is a small country and therefore the weather does not vary much regardless of where you are. New Zealand is split into two islands - the North Island and the South Island. New Zealand lies in the Southern Hemisphere so its seasons are opposite to the Northern Hemisphere continents, including North America and Europe. The New Zealandn weather seasons are: |
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Summer: December, January and February
Autumn: March, April and May
Winter: June, July and August
Spring: September, October and November
Regardless of the season, we recommend dressing in layers so that you can adjust to the changing weather. Bring a good waterproof jacket with a number of warmer thinner layers which you can take of when need be. That said, always be prepared for sunny days so bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
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| North Island - the North Island is home to Auckland in the north and Wellington (New Zealand's capital) in the south. Maximum daytime temperatures vary from 15 to 30 degrees (Celcius) in the Summer, 10 to 25 degrees in the Autumn/ Spring and 5 to 18 degrees in the Winter. Generally the North Island is a little wetter in Winter compared to the South Island. The Bay of Plenty on the east coast tends to have the most amount of sunshine.
South Island - Christchurch and Queenstown are located on the South Island of New Zealand. Temperatures for the South Island are similar to the North, but you can drop a few degrees of each range given that the South Island is further south! The South Island is also home to the best ski areas in New Zealand so rug up if you are visiting these areas during winter as the temperature can drop below zero degrees overnight in the ski regions. |
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| The main advantage of a campervan hire is the ability to travel at your own pace and stop when and where you like. So with a campervan, you are not stuck to a set schedule like you would be with an organised tour. If you want to relax by a lake or check out the shops for the day, then you can do it! Or if you want to drive to the next town and set up the campervan for the night, then this is your choice too! In general, campervans can go where standard cars go, with the exception of underground car parks and other confined spaces (due to height restrictions). The smaller 2 Berth and 4 Berth campervans can fit into normal car spaces, whereas the 5 and 6 Berth campervans normally require double car spaces for the length. A campervan can get you to the beach or take you into a rainforest (with proper access roads) so your options are endless!
Also, many campervan hire enthusiasts will often set up their spot at a campground and use public transport for their day trips, particularly in large cities. Sometimes it is not practical to drive a big campervan around a busy city so this is great option to enjoy your day. At night, you can cook up your favourite meal and relive the day's adventures, or enjoy a boardgame with your kids and watch a DVD together.
For more information on New Zealand destinations, please visit www.newzealand.com. |
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| You have a number of options when it comes to overnight camping in New Zealand with a campervans, including staying in a caravan park, national park campgrounds or "free camping". |
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| Staying overnight in a caravan park is recommended when travelling in New Zealand with a campervan. New Zealand has an extensive network of caravan parks in all major tourist centres and in most towns. Caravan parks have provision for you to plug the motor home into 240V electricity at a "powered site". Some appliances, such as microwaves, air-conditioning units and TV's, require 240V to operate. There is ordinarily no need to book ahead, however it may be wise to book ahead in peak periods (Easter, Christmas, etc). The approximate cost of a campervan powered site is $25 - $40 per night (depending on the time of travel).
For more information on caravan parks, please visit www.top10.co.nz, www.kiwiholidayparks.com, www.familyparks.co.nz or www.holidayparks.co.nz. |
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Most national parks have areas set aside for camping. There are often shower and toilets, barbeques and picnic areas and of course national parks provide a scenic and peaceful place to stay at overnight. However these areas generally do not have facility for you to plug the campervan into electricity. Please note that most national parks require a pass or permit for overnight camping.
For more information on camping in national parks, please visit www.doc.govt.nz.
Your final option is to "free camp" away from a caravan park or other facilities. Local council laws discourage overnight camping on the side of the road in the vicinity of towns. This includes beaches, rivers and lakes within the township or where "no overnight parking" signs are posted. Check with the town's tourist information centre or council if you are unsure about where you can spend the night. Outside the towns and in country areas it is generally allowed in designated rest areas or truck stops. Please note that only fully self-contained campervans with shower/toilet facilities) should be used for free camping. |
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| Driving a campervan in a foreign land can be daunting, but there are some basic driving tips that we can offer to help keep you safe on the road. In New Zealand, we drive on the left-hand side of the road. The driver and passengers must use seatbelts at all times, so it is against the law to walk around the campervan while it is in motion. All drivers must carry a valid driver's licence and be at least 21 years or older (some campervan companies make exceptions for 18+ drivers). Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is an offence so if you do need to make or take a call, pull over to the side of the road to make your call. |
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| On both islands the maximum speed limit on freeways and major highways is 100kph and local urban limits range from 50 to 80kph. All speed limits are clearly marked and all States operate speed detection equipment including speed cameras along with traffic Red Light cameras. Strong wind can also be a problem in New Zealand so take care not to drive too fast if it is windy. Campervans have been known to tip over due to strong wind.
We recommend that you do not drive your campervan at night outside of town centres or major cities. Wildlife can be very dangerous on our roads particularly at sunrise and sunset. Sunrise and sunset is when animals are most active because they are looking for food. |
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| We also recommend that you aim to cover no more than 150 - 250 kilometres per day to ensure that you experience New Zealand in comfort. Driver fatigue can be a problem in New Zealand, particularly if you are not used to driving long distances. It is far better to travel at a leisurely pace and visit the many attractions of New Zealand rather than spend each day driving long distances. |
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Everyone wants the best price for their campervan holiday and we know a few tips and tricks to help you get the best deal for your New Zealandn campervan hire..
- Book Early! Most campervan hire and campervan rental companies offer early bird discounts (normally 5%) if you book at least 120 days (approx. 4 months) in advance. 5% may not sound like much but if you are planning to travel for a longer time, this can certainly add up. Many overseas travellers normally plan their travel 6 to 9 months anyway so the early bird special is a great deal.
- Avoid Peak Holiday Periods - Nearly all campervan hire and campervan rental companies use "flex rates" which means their rates can increase and decrease depending on supply and demand. During peak holiday periods like school holidays and Christmas, rates normally increase due to more bookings and less availability. So if you can travel outside these peak times, then your campervan hire price will be lower.
- All Inclusive Packages - All campervan rental companies offer an "all-inclusive" package which bundles up most your rental costs into one price. So instead of paying for all the costs separately (rental price, insurance, one way fee, taxes, etc), taking the All Inclusive price rolls everything up into one price and generally saves you money. The All Inclusive package always includes the top Excess/Liability reduction option (normally reducing your liability to $0) so you also have extra peace of mind when on the road.
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| You may have heard of cheap campervan rentals for as little as $1 per day and wondered what they are. These are relocation rentals, where campervan hire companies offer super cheap prices for hiring campervans and campervans from one location to another. The New Zealand rental companies regularly need vehicles moved from one island to the other and are happy to offer cheap deals for travellers to take advantage of. |
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| We have a daily list of relocation rentals for you to look through and see if anything suits your travel needs. Please keep in mind that relocations are only offered for certain locations and certain time periods. So if you are looking to hire for 20 days, a relocation rental is not going to suit you. They are generally short-term rentals to get a campervan or campervan from point A to point B in the shortest possible time. We have a full list of terms and conditions for relocation rentals, as well as answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding relocation rentals. |
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| If a relocation rental is not sounding like your cup of tea, we can help with a normal rental. There are a lot of cheap campervans out there like Hippie Camper, Jucy Rentals and Spaceships. We are always willing to search for the best deal for your campervan hire, so please don't hesitate to contact us with your campervan rental requirements. |
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| Campervan hire gives you the freedom to travel where you want and when you want. But it is still a good idea to plan a rough campervan hire itinerary for your travels throughout New Zealand. With a rough itinerary, you will ensure that you don't spend days on end driving and not enjoying your time on the road. If you are travelling during a busy rental time, you may also need to pre-book caravan parks so you need to have some idea of where you will be. Planning ahead will also alert you to any important weather conditions (for example, you don't want to be travelling through flooded rivers in Cairns during the wet season).
We have put together a number of campervan hire itineraries for some of the most popular areas in New Zealand, as well as some of the lesser known but equally as interesting locations. Check out our campervan hire itineraries for some ideas of where you can travel across New Zealand.
We hope you enjoy your upcoming campervan hire in New Zealand! |
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Our helpful Frequently Asked Questions may also answer some of your other campervan hire New Zealand questions, such as:
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Salamanda Travel offers competitive quotes and instant bookings for your New Zealand campervan hire, campervan rental New Zealand, car hire NZ, 4WD rental, station wagon hire, minivan and minibus rentals, New Zealand hotel accommodation and inter-island ferry travel. We act as travel brokers to find the best deal for your holiday plans and budget.
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