At Wilderness Motorhome Rentals, we aim to be fully transparent about our pricing structure. In this guide, we provide estimated price ranges for our motorhome rentals for each month. We also offer information on how our prices are calculated, what factors determine the daily cost, inclusions and exclusions, and our cancellation policy.
Pricing guide
Our prices change according to seasonal demand, among other factors. Here are the estimated average daily rates for standard hire periods (5–20 days) as of January 2026:
Month |
Average Daily Rate (NZD inc GST) |
Season |
January |
$700 – $850+ |
Absolute Peak |
February |
$650 – $750 |
High Summer |
March |
$500 - $650 |
Late Summer/Autumn Shoulder |
April |
$400 - $550 |
Spikes during Easter and School Holidays |
May |
$250 - $350 |
Late Autumn |
June |
$200 - $300 |
Winter Low |
July |
$250 - $350 |
Mid-Winter; Ski season/School Holiday demand |
August |
$200 - $300 |
Late Winter |
September |
$300 - $400 |
Early Spring Shoulder |
October |
$400 - $500 |
Mid-Spring |
November |
$500 - $650 |
Pre-Summer |
December |
$650 - $850 |
Peak begins |
Prices are charged in New Zealand dollars, and all prices include GST.
Keep in mind that these figures are estimates, and actual pricing may vary. For the most accurate rates, visit our website to get an instant quote.
How are prices calculated?
The rate is calculated based on a combination of factors. These include length of hire, the model of motorhome, your dates and season of travel (peak season pricing tends to be higher), time of booking, availability, direction of travel, liability reduction options (insurance), and selected add-ons/extras such as WiFi and ferry tickets.
Our rates are designed to give the best possible value based on the timing and length of your New Zealand road trip.
How far in advance should I book to get the best rate?
Prices change in response to a variety of different factors, but traditionally, the earlier the better.
Travelling during the shoulder seasons (May, September, October) or winter (June, July, August) and outside of school holidays, often allows for much lower daily rates compared to the height of summer.
If you are planning a one-way rental, it is worth checking the price in both directions. Sometimes it is cheaper to travel the opposite way to most other guests. For example, if most people are driving from Christchurch to Auckland, you might find a lower rate by heading from Auckland to Christchurch instead.
Is there unlimited mileage?
Yes, Wilderness Motorhome rentals come with unlimited kilometres, so you can travel as far as you like.
Are there any hidden fees?
Wilderness Motorhome Rentals is fully transparent about pricing. Things like one-way travel, cleaning, extra drivers, public holiday surcharges, preparation, airport pickups and roadside assistance are all included at no extra charge. You also get windscreen and tyre protection, as well as everyday essentials for your journey. Just be sure to return the motorhome in reasonably clean condition, as additional cleaning fees can apply if it isn’t returned this way.
If there is evidence of unauthorised animals (except registered guide or disability assistance dogs), or evidence of smoking, vaping, or illicit drugs, a $500 cleaning fee will apply.
RUCs and toll roads
Unless you’ve selected our VIP liability reduction option, you’ll need to pay for toll roads and Road User Charges (RUCs) at the end of your rental.
RUCs are a government tax on diesel-fuelled vehicles in New Zealand. At Wilderness Motorhome Rentals, we pass on this cost to you as a road user charge recovery fee. As of January 2026, the recovery fee is $0.084 per kilometre. It is charged based on actual kilometres travelled, so you’ll only pay for how far you’ve driven.
Toll road costs are also included in our VIP liability reduction package. Unless you’ve selected this, you’ll need to pay any toll road costs that you’ve incurred.
Toll road costs are charged each time you drive down a toll road. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA)’s toll fees are:
Northern Gateway Toll Road: $2.60
Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road: $2.30
Takitimu Drive Toll Road: $2.10
Other optional extras include:
- WiFi & SmartTV: $15 per day
- Bike rack: $150 per hire
- Camping chair: $18 each
- Camping table: $25
- Portable barbecue: $75
- Snow chains: $70
- Child restraint: $50
- Ferry tickets: From $250 per vehicle
- Tree donation: $10 per tree
The camping chair, camping table, portable barbecue, snow chains and child restraint are all included if you select the VIP liability reduction package.
What about insurance?
All hires include comprehensive insurance with an excess (the amount you’re personally liable for) of $7,500. This covers accidental damage to your motorhome and public liability.
You can also choose to reduce your liability with the following packages:
Extra: This reduces your excess to $950, and is charged at $54 per day. It also includes a free Skinny SIM card.
VIP: This reduces your excess to $0, meaning you can travel with full peace of mind. It is charged at $74 per day, capped at $3,700 (50 days). It includes a free Skinny SIM card, LPG refill, road user charges, toll road fees, a child seat, an outdoor table and chairs, a barbecue, and snow chains.
Our extensive coverage does not include situations that are typically avoidable with proper care. These include towing if you get stuck off-road, lost keys, or putting the wrong fuel into the fuel tank.
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How does Wilderness Motorhome Rentals compare to competitors?
Wilderness Motorhome Rentals sits at the premium tier of the New Zealand rental market. Daily rates start at around $200 in the winter off-season, and reach $850 or more during the December – January peak. These prices are roughly on par with Maui, and sit slightly above the rates of operators like Britz and Kiwi Motorhomes. Our prices are higher compared to ‘budget’ operators like Jucy, Mad Campers and Tui Campers.
That said, pricing is highly dynamic and seasonal. There are times when Wilderness Motorhome Rentals offers similar or lower prices compared to the competition – particularly during the ‘off-season’ winter months.
Purpose-built German motorhomes
Budget operators like Jucy or Mad Campers offer lower rates due to their use of converted commercial vans, rather than the purpose-built German motorhomes used by Wilderness Motorhome Rentals. These feature double glazing and integrated central heating as standard. While some budget brands offer "winter kits" for rent, they generally lack the specialised thermal insulation and comfort found in the premium segment.
Mid-range operators like Britz/Maui also target the luxury segment but utilise a higher-volume corporate model, with less personalised service and quicker orientation.
An all-inclusive model
A key differentiator is the all-inclusive nature of the Wilderness Motorhome Rentals base rate. This rate includes one-way fees, extra drivers, cleaning fees, shuttle pickups from the airport and nearby hotels, and public holiday surcharges in its standard pricing. For comparison, Britz applies a $120 surcharge for public holiday pick-ups and location fees of approximately $260 for certain branches.
The optional Wilderness VIP Package ($74 per day) takes this further. While Maui and Britz offer similar "Inclusive Packs" (ranging from $58 to $70 per day) to reduce insurance liability to zero, the Wilderness VIP tier also covers Road User Charges (RUC) and LPG refills. In contrast, Maui and Britz typically bill RUCs at the end of the hire based on kilometres travelled – currently averaging $7.24 to $8.04 per 100km – and require gas bottles to be refilled unless a separate "Pre-Purchase Gas" option is selected.
Maui and Britz also charge an optional fee of $10 per rental day, which extends the fee-free cancellation deadline to 15 days. Without this add-on, the deadline to cancel fee-free is 60+ days in advance of your booking. Whereas, Wilderness offers a 7 day fee-free cancellation deadline throughout most of the year, except during peak season (21 December – 8 February) where this deadline extends to 21 days.
While the upfront cost of a Wilderness motorhome may appear higher compared to competitors, “add-on” costs and fees charged by competitors narrow this price difference significantly. Instead of just looking at the daily rate, you should look at the full cost of bookings with inclusions. The transparent, all-inclusive nature of Wilderness’s service model is geared towards travellers who value comfort, seamlessness and total peace of mind.
