Planning a New Zealand road trip? Here’s everything you need to know about renting a campervan in New Zealand, including vehicle options, what’s included, pickup locations, insurance, one way travel and helpful tips for exploring NZ by campervan.
Renting a campervan in New Zealand is one of the best ways to explore the country, giving you the freedom to travel at your own pace while experiencing more of NZ along the way. From choosing the right campervan through to understanding insurance, one way travel, pickup locations and what’s included in your rental, this guide covers everything you need to know before starting your New Zealand road trip.
We keep the booking process simple and personal so you can focus on planning your New Zealand road trip.
ell us your travel dates, pickup location and group size, and our team will help match you with the right campervan or motorhome for your trip.
Once you are happy with your campervan option, we’ll confirm your booking and guide you through the next steps including pickup details and travel information.
Pick up your campervan in Auckland or Christchurch, complete your vehicle walkthrough and begin exploring New Zealand with full local support from our team.
Choosing the right campervan depends on your travel style, group size and the type of New Zealand road trip you are planning. From compact 2 berth campers for couples through to spacious family motorhomes, we offer a range of fully equipped vehicles designed for comfortable travel across NZ.
Perfect for friends, couples or solo travellers looking for a compact and easy to drive budget campervan.
A practical option for 2 or 3 travellers wanting extra space and the comfort of a full bathroom on the road.
Ideal for families with one or two kids or groups wanting more room and amenities for longer New Zealand adventures.
Spacious family motorhomes designed for larger families and group for a comfortable road trip across NZ.
All our rentals include comprehensive insurance with your daily hire. This covers accidental damage to the campervan and public liability including overhead and underbody damage (the most common accidents), single-vehicle accidents (e.g. you reverse into a bollard at a campsite), windscreen damage, towing and recovery of your motorhome, fire or vandalism.
If the motorhome or any of its equipment is damaged, you are required to contribute to the cost of replacement or repair up to the excess amount.
The excess amount is:
If there’s more than one incident in which the motorhome or rental car is damaged, a separate liability applies for each incident.
You are required to take all reasonable steps to ensure the motorhome. We recommend you check out our Rental Terms and Conditions for any exclusions.
Our Basic insurance option is included with your rental. It covers you for accidental damage to the motorhome as well as damage to someone else’s vehicle or property, as long as you’re not being negligent or irresponsible.
The included Basic Insurance option has a NZ$7500 excess (or deductible) for campervans and motorhomes.
Our Premium Insurance Option for NZ$30 a day reduces your maximum liability per incident to $1000 for campervans and motorhomes.
If you wish to reduce your excess to zero, you can choose to purchase an additional vehicle excess reduction insurance: Explore Zero Excess Rental Car Insurance Here.
We require a valid credit or debit card to be securely held on file for the duration of your rental. The card holder must be present at pickup.
Prior to pickup, or during vehicle collection, we will process a NZ$1 card authorisation to verify your credit card details.
Please ensure sufficient funds are available on the card in the event of damage, infringements, unpaid tolls, cleaning charges or other costs covered under the rental agreement.
When booking a campervan or motorhome you can choose to pay in full or pay a 30% Deposit with the balance due 30 days prior to your booking. We will send you a payment reminder. If the balance has not been received 30 days prior to the booking, your booking will automatically be cancelled and no refund given.
We offer three payment methods:
| If cancelled 31 days prior to pick up | Refund of 70% of total reservation cost. |
| If cancelled within 30 days of pick-up | No refund is available. |
| Early Return | No refund for any unused portion of the rental is available |
We make campervan travel simple, flexible and memorable with great vehicles, honest service and support from a local team.
Fully Equipped Campervans
All the essentials are included, so you can relax and enjoy your roadtrip.
Unlimited Kilometers
Explore without limits, no hidden charges, no distance restrictions.
Unlimited Drivers
Share the driving and the adventure at no extra cost.
Auckland & Christchurch Depots
Convenient locations with easy pick up and drop off options across New Zealand.
One Way Rentals
Pick up in one place and drop off in another. Travel the country your way.
Family Owned Business
Friendly, local and passionate about helping you have the best New Zealand adventure.
From your first enquiry to the moment you return the keys, our goal is to make your New Zealand campervan adventure easy, flexible, personal and unforgettable.
New Zealand roads are scenic, windy and often slower than expected, especially in rural areas.
December to February is peak campervan season in NZ and campervans are often booked out from September.
If you are travelling between the North and South Island during peak times, we strongly recommend booking your ferry crossing well in advance.
Smaller campervans are easier to drive, while larger motorhomes offer more comfort for families. Only book what you feel comfortable driving.
Some areas allow freedom camping unless prohibited, others prohibit freedom camping unless explicitly allowed. Always check local regulations and use approved camping areas where required. If in doubt, opt for official freedom campsites.
Find answers to common questions about renting a campervan in New Zealand, including insurance, one way travel, pickup locations, vehicle requirements and what to expect during your road trip. Can’t find the information that you are looking for? Send us a message here.
Yes, we have depots in both Auckland and Christchurch and offer one way hires between those two locations. We may also consider accommodating One Way Hires to/from Queenstown, Wellington or Nelson if it fits into our booking calendar.
Absolutely. All of our campers are certified to be self contained and therefore allow you to freedom camp.
There is no limit on how many days you can freedom camp. As the campervans charge their battery during the day, you will have power permanently. You will need to empty the grey water and toilet every couple of days and top up the fresh water as well as the gas. We also do request that you plug into power at least once a week to fully charge the battery to ensure that the battery health is maintained.
New Zealand has public dumping stations all over the country. These are free and open 24/7. The free Campermate App shows you the locations of dumping stations. Dumping Stations usually have fresh water as well, but note that most of the time this is not suitable for drinking and should only be used for washing.
That absolutely depends on the campervan, the number of people travelling with you and your habits. With 4 people showering and doing the dishes twice a day, and using the toilet, the water and toilet lasts about 2 days. With 2 people and only mini showers you might be able to stretch the water to 4 days.
The gas lasts usually for at least a week if you are heating a lot, much longer if you don’t use much heating.
The free Campermate App has a range of Freedom Camping Sites. You can also search on Google Maps by zooming in on the area that you are looking and type in “freedom camping”. This will often bring up additional freedom camping spots.
No, all of our campervans come equipped with a power lead that let’s you plug in at a campsite.
While freedom camping you can use all of the appliances, USB ports and any 12v equipment. The 240v power points only work when connected to power at a campsite.
All of our campervans have an outdoor table and camping chairs.
No, however we do require a valid credit or debit card to be securely held on file for the duration of your rental in case any damage occurs.
Rental charges for rental campervans & motorhomes are calculated per calendar day, regardless of the actual pick-up time.
Our prices include:
No, the campervans do not have Wifi, however we offer the Wifi as an add on with unlimited data for $10/ day.
Get unlimited wireless internet on the road with an onboard router. Wifi is a better solution than a mobile data plan for most users because
All listed drivers must be at least 25 years old and have had a valid full license for at least 12 months. Your driver’s license must allow vehicles up to a GVM of 3.5t. You will be asked to present you driver’s license at vehicle collection.
If your overseas driver license or permit isn’t in English, you must provide an accurate English translation when you are driving. The translation must be provided by:
Yes, the minimum hire period is depending on the season. We sometimes may be able to accommodate shorter rentals if they fall between existing bookings.
New Zealand law stipulates that all children under seven years of age must use an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and size.
We have child seats and booster seats available.
Don’t worry, we have very comprehensive training videos that make you a Campervan Pro in no time. They cover everything from using the fridge, heating, emptying the grey water, using the cassette etc. Check them out here: Training Videos
If you have NOT selected the “Quick Drop Off” Option, we expect the following has been done before returning the camper:
Should you have selected the “Quick Drop Off” Option, we expect the following has been done before returning the camper:
Yes, you are welcome to leave your car at our storage facility for $10 a day.
We do not offer delivery of the campervans to the airport as it is very hard to do the training and handover there. The easiest way to get to our Auckland or Christchurch branch is to take an Uber from the airport or hotel.
Yes, you will have roadside assistance through AA.
If the Campervan breaks down, or has a mechanical problem that cannot be mobilised at scene, the AA will tow the campervan to the nearest place of safety or repair, where arrangements for its repair can be made or where it can be safely stored. Breakdown service does not cover any breakdown cost due to incorrect fuel, lost keys or if you have locked yourself out of the vehicle.
Yes, all raised beds have a safety net to prevent your little ones falling out.
Anyone using New Zealand’s roads contributes towards their upkeep. Most road users pay levies when they buy fuel. Others, such as drivers of light diesel vehicles and heavy vehicles like trucks, pay through road user charges (RUC). Road User Charges will be calculated based on the kilometers that you have travelled. During the handover we take note of the odometer at the start of your trip and then calculate the distance travelled when you return the campervan. Road User Charges are charged at $9/100km travelled and can be paid in cash or via credit card at the end of your trip.
Whether you are planning a short getaway or a full New Zealand adventure, our team is here to help you find the right campervan for your journey. Send us an enquiry and let’s start planning your NZ road trip together.