Campervan Hire New Zealand

A motorhome is a motor vehicle with more living space and amenities than most other recreational vehicle (RV) options. Motorhomes have a kitchen and a bathroom with a fixed toilet and a shower. Some motorhomes for hire have more than one bed.

A campervan is a panel van that has smaller living quarters than a motorhome. It usually has just one bed and may have a portable toilet rather than a bathroom. While motorhomes and campervans are technically different, the terms are often used interchangeably in New Zealand.

Most campervan rental operators, including Wilderness Motorhomes, have bases in Auckland and Christchurch — the locations of New Zealand’s two main airports. In fact, 85% of international visitors disembark in either Auckland or Christchurch.

You can pick up a campervan for hire from other cities and regional centres but you’ll find far fewer motorhome rental operators in these locations. Even Queenstown, the city with the fourth busiest airport in New Zealand, only has one major motorhome rental operator. Find out more about where you can rent a motorhome.

New Zealand motorhome hires vary in price depending on what type of motorhome you choose, what level of service you prefer, how far in advance you book and when you want to travel. Explore the prices for a Wilderness motorhome on your preferred travel dates.

All our campervan rentals are built on high performing European vehicles. These fuel-efficient vehicles use around 11 litres/100km (21mpg). Diesel is less expensive than petrol in New Zealand. You can check the current prices of diesel at various locations on price comparison apps such as Gaspy.

You have several options when choosing a place to stay overnight in your New Zealand motorhome hire. These include commercial campgrounds and holiday parks, Department of Conservation (DOC) sites, regional park campsites and freedom camping sites. These choices vary in location, the type of amenities they offer and how many other campers you can expect to find there.

You can stay at any of these types of campsites in a Wilderness motorhome because they're certified self-contained (CSC). This means that the motorhome hire can meet the ablutionary and sanitary needs of the occupants for at least three days, is equipped with water storage tanks for drinking and cooking, and has wastewater holding tanks. Read more about camping options.

No. Visitors with a current driver's licence for a vehicle of the same class as our campervans from their home country or an International Driving Permit (IDP) can legally drive in New Zealand. If you plan to use a foreign licence that's not in English, you'll need an English translation or an IDP. See the Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) list of translators. Licences are valid for one year from the date you enter New Zealand.

Yes, we offer one way campervan rentals. If you want to cover a lot of New Zealand without doubling back, we highly recommend a one way hire. New Zealand’s geography is perfectly suited to one way travel as the country is long and relatively narrow. Check out our ultimate guide to motorhoming in New Zealand.

Do you have any flexibility with your pick up or drop off location? You may be able to save money on your New Zealand motorhome hire holiday if you head in the opposite direction to other tourists. Make sure you check our rates for both Auckland and Christchurch locations. Then view our recommended itineraries in the guides section for some great trip ideas.

You'll need to take the inter island ferry between the North and South Islands. You can add your ferry tickets to your New Zealand motorhome hire booking.

You'll have a lot to consider when choosing a campervan hire in New Zealand, including your budget, itinerary and what's important to you in a motorhome. Check out our guide to choosing a New Zealand campervan rental operator to get started.