Planning your New Zealand motorhome adventure?
Take a look at our range of travel itineraries — from hot spring escapes to foodie road trips, and Lord of the Rings highlights to Northland explorations.
Advise us of your scheduled arrival time and pick up location — at least 24 hours beforehand. Please call us on +64 9 802 2855 when you’re ready to be picked up.
If you’re arriving by plane to either Auckland or Christchurch, add your flight number and arrival time on the My Booking page.
If you’re planning to stay in a hotel the night before your motorhome holiday, see the list of hotels located in our free hotel transfer zones in Auckland and Christchurch. Then, select your hotel name and preferred pick up time on the My Booking page.
Our complimentary shuttle service will collect you from Auckland International Airport, Christchurch International Airport, or your airport hotel between 8:30am and 3:45pm.
If you’re staying at accommodation outside of our hotel transfer zone, consider using a local rideshare service like Uber or Ola.
Fill in the licence details of each driver of your motorhome hire on the My Booking page.
Find out about the type of licence you need to drive a motorhome in New Zealand.
By emailing us the names and birth dates of your passengers, we’ll know if you require child restraints for your motorhome holiday — however, you’ll still need to add child restraints to the My Booking page.
If you’ve hired our King/Twin for 4 or Compact Plus, we can set up your bed to be a king or two singles. Just let us know which you’d prefer.
Navigate to the Add Payment section on the My Booking page to make payment using:
If your motorhome hire is between 21 December and 8 February, the balance is due 21 days before the start of your rental period.
If your motorhome is outside of these peak season dates, the balance is due seven days before the start of your rental period.
Read our campervan rental insurance blog to help you decide whether or not to go for our VIP liability reduction option.
If you want to upgrade your insurance, you can on the My Booking page.
If you’re travelling with children under the age of seven in a vehicle in New Zealand, by law they must be secured with child restraints. Extras and accessories like child restraints are in limited supply — so visit the My Booking page and add them to your motorhome rental sooner rather than later.
Also, see our useful blog about securing your child in a Wilderness motorhome.
Consider adding onboard WiFi to your booking before you start your trip — to secure a cheaper rate and to enable you to use our SmartTV.
Planning to cross Cook Strait with your motorhome hire? You’ll need to book early to get your preferred sailing day and time.
We can assist you with booking fully flexible ferry tickets in case your plans change. Simply add ferry tickets on the My Booking page and email us all passenger names plus your ideal sailing date and time.
Three days before you’re due to pick up your motorhome, you’ll receive an email with a link to an onboarding video of your specific motorhome model.
To gain an understanding of how everything works in your particular motorhome, and to feel more confident enjoying your home-away-from-home, be sure to watch it.
Don’t worry if you have any questions or concerns. We’ll also give you a complete orientation of your motorhome hire when you pick it up — and you’ll have our comprehensive Wilderness User Manual available while you’re on the road.
Your motorhome journey of boundless exploration and adventure begins with planning your itinerary. From captivating destinations to scenic stopovers — planning is the key to a successful and fun holiday on the road.
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Drive less — see more
New Zealand is a country full of winding roads with a lot to offer so we encourage you to Drive less — see more. A comfortable time and distance to aim for is around two hours and less than 200km.
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| New Zealand’s best hikes and walks | The ten best bike rides in New Zealand | Best campervan spots to park up in New Zealand |
Travelling off-the-beaten-track by motorhome opens up a world of new experiences — from remote sunsets over the ocean, to more stars than you’ve ever seen under the shadow of the mountains.
In New Zealand, you have an array of options when it comes to parking up for the night in a recreational vehicle. You can choose freedom camping (in certain locations), regional campsites, Department of Conservation (DOC) camps, holiday parks or other commercial camping grounds.
Take a look at our guide to motorhome camping in New Zealand. It’s a valuable resource with detailed information on:
Our Wilderness motorhome hires are all certified self-contained — meaning they can legally be used as accommodation at designated freedom camping locations in New Zealand.
Essentially, you’ll be self-reliant in these camping locations as they usually don’t have any facilities such as toilets and kitchens.
Your motorhome will only need to be plugged into mains power every few days (depending on your personal energy usage). While you’re off-the-grid, you’ll be able to power up the fridge, cooking hobs and oven, hot water and your devices using the:
You’ll also be able to utilise your motorhome’s inverter to charge up smaller items like your laptop, mobile phone and electric toothbrush.
Find out more about motorhome power.
Freedom camping in New Zealand is permitted in certain specific locations. These spots have been determined by local (council) authorities and are frequently checked with the rules (bylaws) enforced.
You may be issued with an infringement notice and be required to pay a fee (usually hundreds of dollars) if you:
To help you minimise your impact on New Zealand’s environment we created our Environmental Care Code. Have a read of it and do your best to respect the land given to freedom campers — so that it may continue to be available for future motorhome travellers.
One app is absolutely essential on your motorhome adventure — CamperMate. You’ll be able to download it from the App Store or Google Play.
This app gives you the ability to search for the country’s best freedom camping and commercial camping sites via a map interface. You can also select:
You may be able to find working farms, relaxing vineyards and idyllic beach sites to park up for the night.
View our top ten free travel apps blog to see what else will be useful on your holiday.
Our motorhomes have been set up to thrive in remote camping environments. A few appliances like the microwave, toaster and electric jug aren’t onboard because they only work when you’re connected to 240V mains power at a commercial campground.
However, you’ll still be able to create delicious homemade meals and make refreshing cups of tea — as your RV comes with a gas cooker, oven and a stovetop kettle.
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A toast to camping Motorhome and campervan hires often don’t come with toasters — but that doesn’t mean you can’t toast. While freedom camping, try doing things a little differently. Put a frying pan on your motorhome’s gas hob at the lowest temperature. Then, briefly place your bread in the pan before turning it over. |
If you’re planning to see both the North and South Islands, you’ll need to purchase an inter island ferry ticket.
These ferries cross Cook Strait all year round but there are fewer sailings during winter. The two ferry operators are Interislander and Bluebridge. You’ll need to purchase tickets for your motorhome, driver and passengers.
The easiest way for you to book your passage across Cook Strait when hiring a Wilderness motorhome is to let us book your ferry tickets.
It’s important to book well in advance — something we strongly recommend. Availability can be an issue, especially during peak times like summer and school holiday periods.
If you decide to purchase your ferry tickets through us at Wilderness, they will be fully flexible. This means you’ll be able to change them at no extra cost — up to the day you’re booked to sail, depending on availability. Simply:
We’ll take care of the rest for you.
The Premium Lounge
The Interislander ferries feature a Premium Lounge where you can relax for a few hours and enjoy:
To go for this upgraded option, simply select the lounge pass on the My Booking page.
Find out more about travelling with a motorhome on the New Zealand inter island ferry.
One of the most important items to understand and arrange prior to your motorhome adventure is your rental vehicle insurance cover.
At Wilderness, our standard insurance rate includes comprehensive cover but we strongly recommend that you opt for one of our liability reduction options.
You’re automatically covered for:
For more details regarding insurance exclusions, see our terms and conditions and our blog about understanding motorhome hire terms and conditions.
Unless you opt for a liability reduction option, a deductible excess of NZ$7500 will apply for each incident or accident involving your motorhome hire.
Insurance excess is the amount that you’ll be liable for. This amount contributes towards your motorhome’s replacement or repair costs. What this means is that if an insurance claim is made, you have to pay the first portion of the replacement or repair cost.
You may be a very safe driver but the rate of accidental damage in motorhomes is much higher than in cars because of the difference in dimensions. It can be easy to forget that a motorhome is bigger than a car — making it prone to accidentally hitting low tree branches or building structures.
Another important factor to take into account is that there’s no compulsory third party motor vehicle insurance in New Zealand. This means that even if you’re not at fault, and the other driver is uninsured, you’re liable for the damage to your motorhome rental.
To have your insurance excess reduced to $0, choose our VIP option for $69 a day. With VIP you won’t have to pay for any excess (deductible) if you or a third party damages your motorhome hire.
You’ll also receive some useful inclusions, such as:
Find out more about liability reduction options.
Taking a liability reduction option means you can get on the road knowing that you won’t be hit with a big repair bill if your vehicle is damaged. If you haven’t already selected an insurance option, it’s not too late. Just log on to the My Booking page and select one that suits you.
If you’re unsure, simply email or call us. We’ll be happy to go through the options with you.
We highly recommend having personal travel insurance for your trip. Wilderness Motorhomes’ liability reduction options only cover you for:
Having your own personal travel insurance will insure that you’re covered for other possible travel mishaps, including flight delays, lost luggage and cancellations that are out of your control. We do not recommend specific providers.
Read some more detail on liability reduction for your peace of mind and about whether you actually need campervan hire insurance.
It’s part of the anticipation and fun of building up to a holiday — getting ready. We cover what to pack, what not to pack and what to be aware of.
Although New Zealand has a temperate climate, it’s an island nation with highly changeable weather — even across the course of a day.
From changes of clothing to sunsmart items and electronics to entertainment, we outline what you’re likely to need in our packing for your campervan road trip blog. We also touch on some Kiwi packing tips and offer a little advice if you’re travelling from overseas.
After reading through the blog, download our packing checklist so you can easily work your way through each item.
If you’ve booked our Compact for 2 or The Suite, travelling with rigid suitcases will be unsuitable as they can be difficult to store. Instead, pack your luggage into soft bags that are easier to store out of sight.
Our other models, namely the Compact Plus, Double for 2, King/Twin for 4 and Double for 4 are able to fit rigid suitcases.
If you’re into outdoor hobbies, you may want to bring along your favourite outdoor toys. Whether it’s a mountain bike, a fishing rod, a surfboard or binoculars, weigh up if it’s best to bring your own (and carry the extra weight) or to hire on the road.
All our motorhomes now have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Only bring USB cables that are compatible with the USB-A female ports in Wilderness motorhomes, such as:
It’s a smart move to bring options when it comes to foreign currency. Plan to carry a mix of:
See our guide to driving a motorhome in New Zealand for details on what licences are required.
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Drones Travelling with a drone is more common these days, especially for people interested in videography. If you intend to travel to New Zealand with a drone, ensure you’re aware of the civil aviation rules and regulations. |
Our premium motorhome rentals are geared up with kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and outdoor items — ready for you to hit the road.
Kitchen tools- Crockery
- Cutlery
- Cups and glasses
- Bowls
- Pots and pans
- Cooking utensils
- Coffee plunger
- Gas kettle
- Cutting board
- Scourer and dishcloth
- Dishbrush and gloves
- Dustpan and brush
- Heater
- Fire extinguisher
Bedding & linen- Duvets or doonas
- Mattress protectors
- Sheets
- Pillows
- Pillow cases
- Towels
- Tea towels
Bathroom items- First aid kit (fee applies for use)
- Fresh water hose
- Grey water hose
- Toilet chemicals
- Toilet paper (one roll)
- Clothes hangers
Outdoor gear*- Outdoor table
- Outdoor chairs
- Portable barbecue
- Snow chains
*The outdoor gear items are free if you choose our VIP liability reduction option, or extra add-ons if not.
A few points to note about the above items in your motorhome are that:
Biosecurity New Zealand hand out large fines for failing to declare food items when going through customs. As New Zealand supermarkets stock most of the food you’ll need, your safest option is to travel into the country without any food.
Salt and pepper
Cooking oil
Paper towels
Kitchen cleaning spray
Rubbish bags
Toilet rolls
Dishwashing liquid
Portable appliances like a hair dryer, curling tongs and a hair straightener will likely use more than 600W of power. They’ll only work if your motorhome is connected to mains electricity — in holiday parks or at commercial campgrounds.
If you intend to freedom camp most nights, it’s probably not worth bringing these extra items.
All our motorhomes come with optional onboard WiFi which you can add to your order on the My Booking page. By securing WiFi in advance, you’ll get our best rate — and also have access to our SmartTV.
If you’d like a local SIM card for staying connected and contacting Wilderness while you’re on the road, simply request one through the My Booking page. Although the actual SIM card is free, you’ll still need to load money onto your card to use it.
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Sandflies
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You’re now part of our Wilderness family! You can easily stay up-to-date with the adventures of other Wilderness explorers by following our social media feeds.
Our social feeds are jam-packed with:
Once you begin your Wilderness motorhome adventure, we’d love for you to connect with the Wilderness family by capturing and sharing your own special moments.
Feel free to:
Picking up your motorhome should be easy — and at Wilderness, we aim to make your arrival as smooth as possible.
You’re able to pick up your motorhome from our Auckland or Christchurch bases every day except Christmas Day, between the hours of:
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08:30 — 15:45 |
If your flight is scheduled to arrive after 14:30 in Auckland, we recommend waiting until the following morning to collect your motorhome. That way, you’ll avoid the congestion and stress of navigating through Auckland’s afternoon traffic — when many people are doing school pick ups or driving home from work.
If your flight is delayed and you’re unable to pick up your motorhome rental before 15:45, please give us a call to make an alternative plan as soon as possible on:
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+64 9 2555 300 |
You’ll need to make alternative accommodation arrangements for your first night. We can suggest local hotels within our free shuttle pick up zone — then, collect you in the morning and help you proceed with your holiday.
Please read our terms and conditions about late pick ups as we’re unable to offer refunds in this situation. However, you may be able to make a claim through your own personal travel insurance.
Be sure to advise us of your scheduled arrival time and pick up location — at least 24 hours before picking up your rental. You can enter these details on the My Booking page or contact us by phone or email.
Once you disembark your aircraft, collect your luggage and clear customs and immigration.
When you arrive at the international airport, you’ll be asked to declare any food you have with you — or to dispose of it in the bins provided. Please take this request seriously.
If customs discover undeclared food in your luggage, you will be fined.
Our bases are less than 20 minutes drive from Auckland and Christchurch airports. We’ll collect you from the airport on the first day of your motorhome hire if:
After you pass through customs and collect your luggage, call us on:
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+64 9 2823 606 |
Let us know you’ve arrived and we’ll quickly dispatch our Wilderness shuttle to collect you.
If you’re arriving to Auckland Airport Domestic Terminal on a domestic flight, exit the terminal building through door 9/10 near the Jetstar baggage claim area. Walk across the pedestrian crossing to reach our pick up point — and wait for our shuttle there.
If you’re arriving to Auckland Airport International, from the arrivals area simply follow the All shuttles signs, walking for a few minutes to lane five in the pick up zone. Wait for our shuttle there.
Whether you’re arriving to Christchurch Airport on a domestic or international flight, exit the terminal building through door 2 in the domestic area. Wait for our shuttle at the taxi and shuttle zone.
We’ll collect you from your airport accommodation on the first day of your hire — if it’s listed on our Auckland or Christchurch locations pages, or the My Booking page. Please wait outside the reception area at your requested pick up time.
If you’re coming to our base from outside our complimentary pick up zone, we suggest downloading a ride-sharing app like Uber, or YourRide and booking a ride with them.
We pride ourselves on a friendly welcome and a speedy yet informative handover of your vehicle. Allow around one hour for our adventure support team to:
Have ready and available to check your:
While we go through the onboarding process, please take advantage of our free WiFi, tea and coffee. If you need any touring advice from our team, just ask.
On the road is where the fun really begins — you’ve done all your planning and organising, picked up your motorhome and are now ready for your adventure.
Your current driver licence (issued in your country of residence) can be used for a maximum of 12 months from the date you arrive in New Zealand — provided it’s written in English.
If your current driver licence isn’t written in English, you’ll need an:
See our guide to driving in New Zealand for more information about driving licences.
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Carry your original licence If you need your licence translated, you must carry both your original driver licence and its English translation or International Driving Permit — in order to legally drive in New Zealand. |
To fully immerse yourself in New Zealand’s landscapes, a self drive holiday in a recreational vehicle is hard to beat. Many of this country’s roads are incredibly scenic with relatively low traffic volumes.
It’s important not to underestimate driving times. Although distances may seem short, New Zealand roads are often hilly and winding — which can increase journey times. Our simple motto is:
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Drive less — see more |
Read our blog about taking time to travel New Zealand by motorhome for how driving less yet seeing more is a smart plan.
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Resting from your long haul flight
If you’re picking up your motorhome hire not long after arriving, we recommend only driving for one or two hours at the most on your first travel day. A few campgrounds we recommend not too far from Auckland International Airport are: • Ōrewa Beach Holiday Park and Red Beach Top 10 Holiday Park — both north of Auckland • Tasman Holiday Parks Miranda — south of Auckland If you’re flying into Christchurch International Airport, consider booking into: • Tasman Holiday Parks Christchurch • Rakaia Gorge Camp — southwest of Christchurch • Woodend Beach Holiday Park — north of Christchurch Also, take a look at our blogs on the best campsites in Auckland and the best campsites in Christchurch. |
From pristine glacial fiords and geothermal wonders to lush native forests dipping down onto long white sand beaches — the scenery from New Zealand roads can be jaw dropping. However, the incredible panoramic views come with some unique driving conditions.
Before you hit the road on your motorhome adventure, make sure you know what’s different about driving in New Zealand compared to your home country. Visit highly informative Drive Safe for advice on planning your road journey and details on specific routes.
Discover how easy it is to drive a Wilderness motorhome on New Zealand’s challenging roads.
Keep these important points in mind while driving your motorhome.
New Zealand traffic drives on the left side of the road — like in the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore and Australia.
Driving distances are measured in kilometres (km), not miles (mi). One kilometre equals 0.62 miles.
The maximum speed on the open road in New Zealand is 100 km/h (60 mph) for cars and some motorhomes. Heavier motorhomes are restricted to 90 km/h (56 mph). A few expressways allow 110 km/h (68 mph). In urban areas, the usual speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph).
You’ll notice yellow suggested speed limit signs on New Zealand state highways, especially when coming towards corners. It’s wise to keep to these speeds to help you navigate your motorhome through winding sections of open road.
We advise a speed limit of 90 km/h when driving our Wilderness motorhomes.
Although the speed limit on the open road is 100 km/h, it isn’t always safe to drive at this speed. The often winding roads and hilly nature of the terrain mean that driving at the speed limit isn’t realistic — and is, in fact, quite dangerous.
New Zealand weather can change rapidly. Be aware of the weather forecast and adjust your driving (and possibly even your route) should the outlook seem treacherous.
Weather-related hazards can happen at any time of year — but particularly during winter months when snow and ice can be an issue, and in spring when strong winds are common.
Find out about seasonal weather in New Zealand.
Unlike in some other countries where you can turn left on an orange light, it’s not permitted in New Zealand. When the traffic light is red, you must stop and wait for the green signal.
Read Drive Safe’s article on traffic lights in New Zealand for further details.
Be aware that not all railway crossings in New Zealand have active warnings. Slow down and be prepared to stop.
Whether you’re the driver or one of the passengers in your motorhome hire, you must wear a seat belt at all times while travelling — in both the front and rear seats.
All children under seven years old must be properly restrained by an approved child restraint. At Wilderness, we can supply you with a child safety seat if you need one. Select our VIP liability reduction insurance and we’ll include a complimentary child restraint.
New Zealand has more than 360 formally designated rest areas — where you can safely pull over to the side of the road and take a break from driving.
Read our top ten rest stops blog for some of the most majestic locations to have a rest.
Laws covering driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs are strictly enforced.
Although it’s legal to use your mobile phone with a hands-free kit while driving in New Zealand, we don’t recommend using your phone while driving your motorhome hire. If you need to make a call or send a text, pull over in a rest area or where it’s safe to do so.
Be aware of vehicles behind you while driving — pulling over to the roadside when it’s safe, to let them pass.
You’ll want to know what the current road conditions are like and whether there are any road closures. To keep up to date, check the New Zealand Transport Agency’s highway conditions and Google Maps so you can alter your journey if need be.
Our Wilderness on road assistance team is available seven days a week between 8.30am and 9pm — to assist you in case of a breakdown, accident or equipment failure.
If you get a mechanical breakdown or flat tyre after 9pm but before 8.30am, and you require assistance to get going again, call AA roadservice and breakdown assistance. They operate 24 hours a day and their mobile crew can assist you with a mechanical problem, flat tyre or other non-mechanical issue such as:
Ensure you mention to the AA crew that you’re in a Wilderness rental motorhome.
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What you’re covered for during a Wilderness or AA callout
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Waka Kotahi (the New Zealand Transport Agency) currently has three toll roads which are the:
The Northern Gateway Toll Road is a 7.5km motorway extension just north of Auckland. Driving north, the toll road begins just before Orewa and ends after the Johnston Hills near Puhoi.
If you don’t wish to take the toll road, choose one of the following free alternatives:
The Hibiscus Coast Highway is a more scenic drive with an attractive coastline between the popular holiday spots of Orewa and Waiwera.
The Takitimu Drive Toll Road is a 5km road that bypasses Tauranga CBD and takes traffic from SH29 to SH2 in the direction of the Port of Tauranga and Mt Maunganui.
Two alternative routes are via Cameron Road or Cambridge Road.
The Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road is a 15km tolled section of SH2. It runs between the:
A free route takes you on the Te Puke Highway straight through the town of Te Puke.
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Get free access to New Zealand toll roads
By choosing our VIP liability reduction option you’ll enjoy the use of all toll roads in the country without having to pay. |
All Wilderness motorhomes are registered with the toll road service. If you decide to use a toll road, the charge will be added to your motorhome hire — unless you’ve opted for the VIP insurance package.
Toll road charges are detailed on the New Zealand Transport Agency website.
Parking a large vehicle like a motorhome isn’t the same as parking a car. The additional size and length make parking a little more difficult than what you may be used to. Thankfully, New Zealand has plenty of dedicated motorhome and campervan parking zones in tourist areas.
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Parking in Milford Sound If you intend to travel to Milford Sound, you’ll likely need to park your motorhome while taking a boat trip or hiring a kayak. Parking close to the ferry terminal is now paid parking — and it may not be very clear how to pay. See the Milford Sound Tourism site for more information on parking in Milford Sound. |
New Zealand has more than 80 visitor information centres around the country — locally known as i-sites. They’re very useful for motorhome travellers needing local information, by:
Not being aligned to any tourism operators, i-sites operate as fully independent entities. See all the i-sites locations across the country.
It’s important that you check off all the tasks below before dropping off your motorhome at our Auckland or Christchurch Wilderness bases.
Refuel the motorhome with diesel
Refill any used LPG gas bottles — unless you chose the VIP liability reduction option
Empty the waste water tank — containing your motorhome’s grey water
Completely empty the toilet cassette — which stores the black water
Remove your food and drink from the fridge and cupboards — though you’re welcome to leave any sealed food with us at our Wilderness base to pass on to future guests
Remove all of your belongings
Leave the motorhome tidy
Complete the motorhome feedback form — which we’ll give you on the day you pick up your vehicle
Dispose of any rubbish — at public rubbish and recycling bins before arriving at our Wilderness base
We recommend staying at a commercial campsite on your last night. Doing so will make it a lot easier to drain your waste water, empty the toilet cassette, remove unsealed food and dispose of rubbish.
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Late drop offs Our latest drop off time is 2:30pm — although we recommend dropping off earlier to avoid having to rush.
An additional fee of up to NZ$250 applies if the toilet has not been emptied. |
You'll find maps with directions back to our base in the motorhome user manual — which is located inside your motorhome. These maps will help you return to our base when dropping off your motorhome.
Please allow about 30 minutes to drop your vehicle off, go through a final check and complete our quick tablet survey.
On the last day of your motorhome hire, one of our team members will transport you from our base to either:
Once you’re home and well recovered from any jet lag, we would appreciate it if you could post an online review about your Wilderness motorhome experience.
We can’t thank you enough for spreading the word about your travels with us.
A great way to stay in touch with Wilderness is through visiting our facebook and Instagram pages. We’d love to hear about your adventures and see a few photos. Feel free to email us at marketing@wilderness.co.nz with any memories you’d like to share.
We save our warmest welcome for returning friends so let us know when you start planning your next adventure. And if you’re kind enough to recommend Wilderness to your family and friends, we promise to look after them as well as we have with you.
Take a look at our range of travel itineraries — from hot spring escapes to foodie road trips, and Lord of the Rings highlights to Northland explorations.
