Over 50s Guide to New Zealand Motorhome Holidays

About this guide

Are you young at heart and ready for your next extraordinary adventure?

Perhaps it’s time to reminisce and bring back those younger, carefree days of travel adventure where the road ahead wasn’t mapped out until you were on it.

If you think of yourself as a grey nomad, this guide is for you. We’ve designed it with your demographic and general travel needs in mind — to help you plan a memorable motorhome road trip around New Zealand.

In this over 50s guide, we'll cover:

• Choosing to travel New Zealand on a motorhome holiday

• The benefits of motorhome travel

• Driving a motorhome is easy

• Motorhome safety you can rely on

• North Island travel distances

• South Island travel distances

• Camping in a motorhome

• Finding your ideal motorhome

With nature as your playground and a motorhome as your sanctuary, you’ll be ready to enjoy your most tranquil and fulfilling travel experience to date.

Choosing to travel New Zealand on a motorhome holiday

Travelling New Zealand by campervan hire means you can:

• Explore the country with everything you need on board
  
  

• Take your time
  
  

• Enjoy the freedom and flexibility of independent road travel.

With inspiring locations, breathtaking scenery and many interesting places to stop and explore, New Zealand offers plenty for the over 50 traveller.

Customise one of our suggested road trip itineraries to create your own unique adventure.

Why New Zealand?

Aotearoa New Zealand is a country filled with beauty, opportunity and freedom. You’ll be able to travel at your own pace — spending longer at spots that become special, and moving on from locations when you’re ready.

You may choose to travel New Zealand by motorhome because of the:

• Vast open spaces — where you can feel like you’re the only person on Earth
  
  

• Outgoing yet relaxed nature of Kiwi people — you can be yourself and do activities in your own time
  
  

• Shear variety of nature — from famous walking trails to kilometres of secluded beaches, and from cascading rivers to untouched mountain lakes
  
  

• Ease of venturing off the beaten path — to places that few visitors get to see
  
  

• Winding mountain roads — where another magical waterfall or panoramic view could reveal itself around the next corner
  
  

• Dark sky reserves — park up overnight and avoid light pollution while taking in the Milky Way.

Whatever attracts you to New Zealand, choosing to rent your own wheels for the ultimate freedom of movement will be one of the best decisions you make.

Find out why New Zealand is a wonderful road trip destination.

The benefits of motorhome travel

Both are great options and have their benefits. Though ultimately, you’ll want to choose the best transport to suit your travel party and the kind of vacation you’re looking for.

Renting a car and creating your own route is a truly rewarding experience for any grey nomad. There are plenty of advantages, such as:

• The ease of moving around and parking in urban areas
  
  

• Accessing city restaurants
  
  

• Booking the accommodation you really want ahead of time.

If you’re not interested in cooking your own meals and are content to base destinations around your lodging, renting a car may be your best option.

Be sure to book well in advance to avoid missing out on staying in popular towns like Queenstown and Rotorua.

Driving a motorhome is easy

It’s natural to have some initial doubts about whether you’ll be able to easily drive a larger vehicle like a motorhome. But it’s a lot easier than you think, mainly due to:

• Automatic transmissions — changing gears is effortless just like in an automatic car
  
  

• Comfortable and adjustable seats — helping you feel like you’re driving a car
  
  

• Reversing cameras and large wing mirrors — for extra safety, particularly when you’re parking.

Your motorhome will likely be bigger than what you drive back home. However, the better hire companies will give you excellent guidance on how to drive and park safely when you pick it up from their depot.

Check out how easy it is to drive a Wilderness motorhome in New Zealand.

Motorhome safety you can rely on

With a premium motorhome hire, you can rest assured that safety was at the forefront of its construction. For instance, you’ll be able to depend on:

• An anti-lock braking system (ABS)
  
  

• Excellent traction
  
  

• A low centre of gravity — ensuring you’re driving a more stable vehicle.

Road and weather conditions in New Zealand

If you’ve decided to go for a motorhome rental or a campervan hire (or even a standard rental car), it’s important to know what weather and road conditions await you.

Driving on the open road in New Zealand brings a few challenges, including:

• The potential for snow and heavy rain in the colder months
  
  

• Black ice — especially during winter mornings and on roads that get little sunshine
  
  

• Winding roads — requiring you to drive without distractions and making travel times longer
  
  

• Unsealed gravel roads — particularly if you’re navigating off-the-beaten-track
  
  

• Substantial traffic across holiday periods.

See more information about New Zealand weather.

Travel distances

So how far should you plan to travel each day in your motorhome hire or campervan rental?

This is a fairly common yet very personal question — as it depends on you and the kind of holiday you want to have.

Our recommendation is to aim for around 200km on the days you intend to travel. Many places need more than an overnight stay to be fully appreciated. And when you do choose to move on, keep this wise phrase in mind:

Drive less — see more

Get your comprehensive guide to driving a motorhome in New Zealand for the first time.

North Island travel distances

South Island travel distances

Camping in a motorhome

By choosing to holiday in a motorhome, you’re giving your travel party the wonder of waking up each morning on nature’s doorstep.

You’re free to be flexible, to change your plans, to drive where the sun sets — or where last night’s freedom camping neighbour suggested.

You don’t need to limit yourself to hotels in the big cities or motels in the small towns. Camping in a motorhome gives you the freedom to truly travel — with plenty of room for spontaneity. You can go where you want and park up in your own time, reliving your younger self’s spirit and enthusiasm for travel.

Take a look at our guide to motorhome camping in New Zealand.

Camping options in New Zealand

Not all campervans and motorhomes are certified self-contained (CSC). If you hire a CSC vehicle for your adventure holiday, it will open up more places where you’re legally allowed to stay the night.

A CSC vehicle is one which meets New Zealand’s standards for having a low impact on the environment. With a CSC motorhome as your mode of transport and accommodation, you’ll be able to stay at:

• Freedom camping spots
  
  

• Department of Conservation (DOC) sites
  
  

• Regional park campsites.

You’ll also be able to book sites at holiday parks and commercial campgrounds which don’t require vehicles to be certified self-contained.

Check out our fun quiz to see which New Zealand camping style suits you.

Camping free

Nothing really beats travelling at your own leisurely pace without needing to arrive at a certain place by a particular time. This scenario is when freedom camping becomes highly valuable.

Research where your nearest freedom camping spots are before hitting the road, or download an app like Rankers or CamperMate. As your day of exploration evolves, you can guide your motorhome to one when you feel like it.

Learn all you’ll need to know about freedom camping in New Zealand.

Wilderness NZ app

The free Wilderness NZ app is perfect for planning where you want to park up each night on your motorhome adventure. After downloading the app, you’ll be able to:

• Check holiday parks, campsites and freedom camping locations
  
  

• Find out what activities are near you — like hikes, bike tracks and museums
  
  

• Locate useful facilities like dump stations, supermarkets and public toilets.

Download Wilderness NZ from the App Store or Google Play.

Finding your ideal motorhome

 

Not all motorhomes are created equal. Features, specifications, the number of berths, and the type of layout make certain motorhomes more suitable for grey nomad travellers than for other demographics.

 

Look for comfort from your motorhome hire

To ensure you have a memorably comfortable experience in your recreational vehicle, research what’s available and expect:

• Comfy cab seats — so you can take your time and enjoy the scenery on the road
  
  

• Double glazed windows and full insulation
  
  

• An inbuilt thermostatic heating system which distributes heat throughout the motorhome’s interior — creating a warm and dry living environment
  
  

• A bathroom space that can also be used as a drying room for any wet gear
  
  

• Roof vents and latched windows with insect screens.

Find out what should be included in your motorhome rental.

Stay connected with Wifi

Although you may have mobile data while you’re travelling, there are some blackspots across the country where you won’t get connectivity.

Planning to freedom camp off-the-beatentrack? Consider opting for onboard WiFi if your hire company provides it.

Find out whether mobile data or onboard WiFi is your best option while on a New Zealand motorhome vacation.

New Zealand is a country of diverse people and captivating landscapes. It often rewards you with breathtaking views right around the next corner.

You can feel like you’re the only person under the stars when you find that special place that everyone else passed by.

Nature’s doorstep is waiting for you — and a motorhome might just be your invite to visit and take it all in.

Complete our quiz and we’ll help match your travel group with your ideal motorhome.