FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

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.

If you hold a current full car driver's licence, you can legally drive a Wilderness motorhome in New Zealand.

Your full car driver's licence allows you to drive a rental motorhome with a TARE weight (the weight when empty) of up to 4.5 tonnes (4500kg) — even if there’s a lower weight limit on your licence. This covers all Wilderness rental motorhomes.

Read our Guide to Driving a Motorhome in New Zealand for more information.

Yes, all of our motorhomes have SmartTV. You can watch your favourite shows by logging in to your preferred apps, such as Disney+ or NETFLIX, on our 19” SmartTVs. Simply add our unlimited onboard WiFi to your booking and enjoy streaming while on your travels.

We have a wide variety of road trip itineraries created specifically for motorhome travellers who are beginning and/or ending their journeys in Auckland or Christchurch.

Loop from Christchurch to Milford Sound via the wild West Coast. Circle from Auckland around The Coromandel to Waitomo Caves. Or camp on the edge of many South Island lakes on a Christchurch to Queenstown road trip.

Do something a little different, like following our Lord of the Rings North or South Island adventures — or riding a few of the North Island’s best bike trails.

You can view whichever road trip itinerary fits your holiday plan or desired route.

Also, take a look at our Wilderness blog — where you can find plenty of helpful travel information, including motorhome holiday guides about Auckland, Napier, Rotorua and Christchurch.

When you arrive at our base to pick up your Wilderness motorhome, you'll be given a simple checklist that clearly outlines what you need to do before dropping off your RV.

You’ll have to refill the diesel tank, empty the waste water tank and the toilet cassette, remove any food and drink from the kitchen, and dispose of any rubbish — before returning the motorhome.

You’ll also need to refill any used LPG gas bottles unless you choose the VIP liability reduction option.

For more information, read our article on what to do before and after returning your Wilderness motorhome.

If you choose an excess waiver cover from another company and have an accident, you’ll be charged NZ$7500 in full. Your insurer will then need to reimburse you.

Not all insurers cover rental motorhomes — and some that do cover them will exclude tyres and windscreens, single vehicle roll over, towing and recovery. The most commonly damaged parts of motorhome rentals, such as overhead and underbody damage, also may not be covered.

We strongly recommend selecting one of our liability reduction options for your own peace of mind while adventuring throughout New Zealand.

Although our VIP liability reduction option will cover you for any damage to your motorhome rental, we highly recommend taking out personal travel insurance for your trip. 

Your own personal travel insurance will ensure that you’re covered for all other possible mishaps that are out of your control, such as flight delays, lost luggage and cancellations.

We’re unable to recommend personal travel insurance providers.

Our Wilderness motorhomes don’t come with a hairdryer. However, if you’d like to bring your own, there are electrical sockets on board. To use it, you’ll need to be plugged into 240V mains power at commercial campgrounds or holiday parks.

Other low-wattage appliances, like laptops or phone chargers, can be plugged into the motorhome’s 600W inverter while you’re freedom camping. Hairdryers are usually over 600W and can’t be used with the inverter.