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Looking for a place with untamed wilderness to rich culture? Discover New Zealand in the driver’s seat with a campervan rental. Hiring a motorhome in NZ gives you the freedom to experience this wonderful country at your own pace.
New Zealand is a gorgeous country - picturesque, spacious, and spectacular - a dream pick up location for motorhome rental adventures. People flock here to explore rising peaks of mountain ranges, jaw-dropping fjords, beautiful beaches and rolling hills of farmland. New Zealand locals are friendly and welcoming, and the country is full of native flora, fauna, and birdlife to capture the imagination of all travellers. New Zealand has it all! And there is no better way to experience it all than in your own camper or motorhome.
Why book a campervan rental in New Zealand?
A New Zealand campervan hire road trip is the ultimate way to explore Aotearoa (Te Reo Maori for ‘land of the long white cloud’). You can pick up your New Zealand rental motorhomes from a variety of starting points across the country, including but not limited to Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin, or Picton, and begin the adventure of a lifetime. Follow one of our New Zealand road trip itineraries, or create your own, and you’ll be heading off onto country roads, discovering majestic scenery the likes of which you have never seen. Due to the small size of this island nation, you’ll never be too far away from civilisation. The rural towns have their charms and quirks, and the cities are abuzz with multicultural activity. There are very few bypasses in New Zealand, which means you’ll truly see it all from the windows of your RV or camper.
New Zealand Campervan Hire - Book online with Motorhome Republic
When planning for your RV rental New Zealand adventure, surely you will be faced with questions such as “what is the cheapest campervan hire in New Zealand” or “how much does it cost to hire a campervan in New Zealand”? Look no further. With Motorhome Republic, we provide you answers to those questions and booking your campervan rentals is quick and easy. Enter your motorhome requirements and travel dates into our simple search engine, compare all your options from international and local rental companies and get the perfect camper for your motorhome hire New Zealand trip!
With an extensive range of motorhomes and campervans to rent around New Zealand, there is a camper to fit every traveller’s need and style. We provide options from cheap campers to luxury motorhome hire NZ. There are also small camper rentals perfect for couples or larger motorhomes ideal for bigger groups. Refine search and filter by price to stay within your budget, or by RV size to accommodate your family and friends. See all the options in one handy place to ensure you’re getting the best campervan hire NZ at the best rate. You can even view the website in several different languages, including Spanish and French.
Motorhome Republic has a large range of campervan New Zealand rent options available once you are ready to hit the road safely. We recommend starting your adventure from popular motorhome hire New Zealand destinations like Auckland, Christchurch, or Queenstown.
Book a campervan rental to personalise your road trips and visit this nation on your own terms.
Compare campervan hire in New Zealand
At Motorhome Republic, we have over 30 top rental brands available for campervan rental. Here are just a few of the options for your camper rentals in New Zealand:
These rental companies offer New Zealand visitors affordable, compact vans and motorhome rentals, from 2 berth to 6 berth campers. Most of these suppliers operate from 7.30am to 4pm for 7 days and have their own branch parking for your convenience.
Get the best campervan hire NZ from your favourite brand and kick off your adventure across New Zealand.
New Zealand Motorhome Hire Pick up Locations
Hire cheap quality campervans and motorhomes from anywhere in New Zealand to discover the gorgeous locations in the North and South Islands.
Getting around the North Island in your campervan hire
New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, is situated near the top of the North Island and is a thriving hub of activity. Whether you’re into art and history, bush walks and trails, fine dining on the city’s wonderful waterfront or soaking up the sun on one of the numerous beaches, there is plenty to do and see in this thriving metropolis. Auckland is also the main hub for international travel and a fantastic place to start your motorhome hire NZ excursion.
RV rental road trip through Northland to Cape Reinga is a brilliant way to spend the summer discovering small towns along coastal drives. Picking up a campervan rental in New Zealand means you can slowly make your way up the coast, stopping in holiday parks and well-equipped campsites along the way.
Just southeast of Auckland City is the popular region of the Coromandel peninsula. It’s known for its warm sunshine, clear waters, and glorious golden beaches. The Coromandel is a few short hours from Auckland city, and is a popular weekend family getaway for city dwellers. It’s a beautiful drive, especially in a wide-windowed campervan hire Auckland New Zealand, and the natural wonders of Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach are well worth the journey. In the middle of Hahei Beach lies the Hahei Holiday park/resort, a camping ground perfect for your motorhomes, which acts as a great base for the surrounding areas.
Within a day’s drive of Auckland lies the popular tourist towns of Rotorua and Taupo. Both are lakeside cities rife with outdoor adventure activities, and easily accessible with New Zealand rental campervans. On a clear day in Taupo, you can make out the mountain peaks of Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe (Lord of the Rings fans might better know the latter as Mount Doom), which sit on the Central Plateau. While the summer sees hikers tramping up the mountain paths, the winter season brings both locals and tourists to the snowy slopes as they enjoy skiing and snowboarding. Over the hills to the east, and into the vineyard-filled Hawke’s Bay, the city of Napier holds an Art Deco festival each February, which is well worth a visit with your New Zealand camper van rental.
New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington is tucked into the harbour at the bottom of the North Island and is easily explored with a campervan hire NZ Wellington. Its CBD lies flat on the waterfront, then sprawls up the hilly suburbs, making for a picturesque city of varying heights. Wellington is very compact and is home to Te Papa, the national museum, as well as an array of other art galleries, delicious restaurants, and the popular Weta Studios. Biking in the hills that engulf the city is a fun way to see Wellington from a height – why not add a bike rack onto your New Zealand motorhome hire?
Continue your campervan NZ holiday by crossing the Cook Strait to the beautiful South Islands on one of the vehicular ferries that leave from Wellington Harbour.
Campervan rental road trip in the South Island
Off the Interislander ferry in the South Island, you’ll arrive in Picton, a gorgeous little village and the head of the Queen Charlotte Sound. Many foot passengers from the ferry arrive in this small town to pick up their New Zealand campervan rentals and begin an adventure.
The long coastal and inland routes of the stretching South Island beckon from Picton. Close by is vineyard-laden Blenheim, where the wine is plentiful. The breathtaking sights of the Abel Tasman National Park make for an incredible trip in a campervan rental, and the holiday parks and campsites scattered along the way make it easy to explore the region at your own pace. Over the winding Takaka Hill you’ll arrive at the gorgeous Golden Bay, or head inland and wander through the Nelson Lake District.
While the captivating ‘Garden City’ of Christchurch has been devastated by earthquakes in recent years, don’t let that put you off. The city has picked itself up in true Cantabrian style, and creativity and ingenuity are rising through the cracks. This central Southern Island city has the largest international airport on the island, with frequent flights back up to Auckland, and across the ditch to Australia.
New Zealand’s only open-range zoo, Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch is more than just a zoo. It’s a place of conservation and education, and prides itself on ensuring the highest well being of all its animals. Orana Park is home to the only gorillas in New Zealand, and daily animal encounters can fill your zoo schedule. It’s a fantastic day outing, especially for the kids, and is a favourite among both tourists and locals. Just a 15-minute drive away from the city centre, it’s easy to jump in your campervan hire Christchurch New Zealand and head out to explore the 18 hectares of park.
Being centrally located, any road out of Christchurch will lead somewhere spectacular. Back up north is Blenheim, the famous Marlborough Sounds, and Nelson. Head south, however, and you arrive at the Adventure Capital of the World, Queenstown. This impressive city sits between mountains and lakes, and is abuzz with tourists all year round. Just beyond lie Milford and Dusky Sounds in Fiordland National Park, both of which you can explore by way of a fantastic tour. Across the magnificent Southern Alps, drive up the wild west coast, through local towns and alongside windswept beaches. Getting a motorhome hire in New Zealand makes it incredibly easy to wander and take in these majestic sights.
Grab your chance to see New Zealand like never before in a campervan rental.
Handy tips for driving a campervan hire in New Zealand
Your self-drive motorhome holiday in New Zealand will take you to spectacular places and give you the freedom to choose your own schedule. There are some important road rules and tips, though, to make sure that you stay safe on your journey around New Zealand.
Before you drive around in NZ, check out these campervan New Zealand tips to ensure your visit is as smooth as possible.
Remember motorists drive on the left in New Zealand.
If you find yourself getting weary, swap drivers and schedule stops along the way.
Most roads in New Zealand are single lanes, and on main routes, there are passing and ‘slow vehicle lanes’. If you’re holding others up, always be sure to stick to the left so they can pass you.
Drive slowly on unsealed gravel roads, and remember that dust can impair your vision. It’s a good idea to check your vehicle policy, as some rental companies do not allow NZ motorhome rentals to be driven on these roads.
The weather in New Zealand changes very quickly, so if you find yourself in the rain, fog, or high winds, slow down.
Approach mountain routes, corners, and narrow roads with caution, especially with campervan rentals.
Points of interest or natural attractions in New Zealand are often signposted by brown signs. Make sure you always have your New Zealand driver licence, valid overseas licence, or International Driver Permit with you all throughout the trip.
Give yourself extra time on your road trips to stop and check out some of these sights along the way.
A corner store in NZ is called Dairy, and there you can find basic groceries, snacks for the trip, newspapers, and the like. In larger centres, you can buy local food, sizable grocery stores and all the services you need.
Plan your motorhome hire NZ road trip carefully and allow more time to get to your next destination. Drive carefully and make sure to take plenty of breaks along the way.
Motorhome Hire New Zealand Road trip Guide
Planning a motorhome holiday to a country you’ve never even seen is a much more involved process than turning up and getting behind the wheel. Give ample time to compare campervan rentals in New Zealand to find the perfect vehicle for your adventure. The more planning you can do, in fact, the more prepared you will be for the best possible tour.
When you pick up a cheap campervan hire NZ with Motorhome Republic, keep in mind that there are a few more details to cover before you hit the road. Take a look through our planning guide for essential driving knowledge for your New Zealand motorhome rental.
When is the best time to visit New Zealand in campervan hire?
The best time of year to explore New Zealand depends a lot on what you’re looking to get out of your campervan rental road trip, as there are pros and cons to every month.
Summer in NZ is December, January and February. Thanks to both the warm weather throughout the country, the school holidays, Christmas, New Year, and a public holiday in early February, this time is by far the busiest on the roads and in campsites around the country. Naturally, the weather at this time of year is incredible, and for those who have never enjoyed a Christmas on the beach with a barbeque, it’s an unforgettable adventure. That said, you will have to book campsites and motorhome rentals in advance due to their popularity throughout the season, and driving times will be slower with more traffic on the roads.
Autumn, through March, April and May, can be a fantastic time for travelling with a motorhome hire in New Zealand. Days throughout this season tend to stay warm between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius, and the nights only start showing their chill around mid-April. It’s important to note that the South Island cools down more quickly than the North, but both islands are capable of epic scenery as the weather changes. This time of year offers fewer crowds, although the Easter holidays will always be a busy time as local families take camper rental road trips of their own.
For some, winter will be the best time of year to visit New Zealand. The season runs through June, July and August. The North Island does see more rain and cold days, but it’s rare to see snow around the cities. The South Island is a lot colder, and it can snow down to ground level in the cities a few times per winter. That said, the cold brings out the best of New Zealand’s ski season, and some of the most stunning vistas with snow-laden mountains. There are fewer crowds in winter, and while you will almost certainly come across rainy days, cool sunshine is not unheard of by any means.
Spring in New Zealand in September, October and November is a special time for road trips. Thanks to the country’s endless livestock farms, road trips at this time of year are notable for the lambs and calves in fields up and down the country. September can still be quite cool, especially in the mornings and especially in the South Island, but the whole country starts feeling like summer by late October. This secondary shoulder season can be an ideal way to avoid the brisk winters and the busy summers in your NZ campervan rental.
How much time do you need to explore New Zealand in a campervan hire?
One of the biggest mistakes travellers make when they come to New Zealand is to give themselves too little time. While the country may look small on a map, there is a lot of terrains to cover, countless attractions to experience and dozens of hidden gems that will make you not want to leave.
If you’re looking to cover all of New Zealand in a motorhome hire, you will need roughly six weeks to tick off all the major cities and attractions. You could skim over some and do it in four, and you could easily take your time and take two full months in your camper rental New Zealand.
Of course, you might prefer to see New Zealand on several shorter campervan trips, rather than on big ones.
How to camp in New Zealand
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of campsites around New Zealand. The most common spots are campgrounds and holiday parks. These areas are well equipped for travellers, as they have everything from kitchen and bathroom facilities to plug-in sites for camper rentals, and sometimes even small stores on-site for basic goods. You can expect to pay from $10 to $40 per night in one of these areas, and you must respect the rules of the campground.
Another accommodation option for your campervan hire in New Zealand is a Department of Conservation (DoC) campsite. There are more than 250 of these throughout the country, and they are often quite cheap or completely free. DoC sites tend to be a lot more basic than campgrounds, with minimal amenities and no site manager in most cases. Some sites will have toilets, laundries, kitchen facilities and more, but it changes from site to site.
Freedom camping is where you park your camper hire or pitch a tent in an undesignated area. Many travellers opt for this method as it saves on campground fees, but it does mean that they don’t have access to waste disposal or shower/toilet facilities. Freedom campers have been a contentious issue in the country lately as some visitors end up leaving waste and rubbish out in the gorgeous countryside that New Zealand is known for. If you do end up freedom camping, make sure it’s in a safe place away from traffic, and don’t leave anything behind. Note that some councils have banned freedom camping, which means you can face fines for ignoring ‘No Camping’ signs, and it’s also important to avoid camping on private property.
