How to Plan a New Zealand Camper Van Roadtrip!

If you’re thinking about doing a New Zealand camper van roadtrip, than OMGYASSS DO IT!!! I just spent the last five days driving across the South Island from Christchurch to Queenstown in a Jucy “campa”, and it was by far one of the most incredible travel experiences ever! And I did solo!

Just imagine; having your own little mobile bungalow with everything you need to survive in it, that can be easily pulled up to a lake side or waterfall. No check-ins or check-outs, just driving and parking, and access to some of the most off the beaten track areas! Plus, camper van roadtrips are like the thing to do in New Zealand! You’ll be shocked at how many you see on the road and at campsites!

So enough of me going on about how awesome this type of roadtrip is, and on to the information that you actually probably want to know!

BUT FIRST! I’ve asked my friends at Jucy to give my readers a DISCOUNT! So if you end up wanting to book a New Zealand camper van, please email the lovely Maya at heretohelp@jucyworld.com and tell them Alyssa referred you!

Ok, moving right along:

1. How to Rent a Camper Van in New Zealand

There are several camper van companies now, which just goes to show you again how popular it is! New Zealand camper van rentals range from extreme budget to luxurious hotel-on-wheels, but for a modern nomad like myself, there’s Jucy. You wouldn’t be able to miss a Jucy camper if you tried, because they’re lime green with a busty red-head named Lucy on the hood, and a funny conversation piece on the side.

Mine said, “Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I drive by again?” You can probably imagine how fitting that looked with a solo female traveler behind the wheel!

Anyway! You simply book the camper van size you want for the dates you’re planning on doing your roadtrip on their website, JucyWorld.com (or as I mentioned, email Maya for a discount!). For a small fee you can drop off the van at a different location than you picked it up, or you can do a round trip. Pick up locations are at most of the airports in New Zealand, and they have a shuttle service from the terminal to the Jucy office free of charge!

2. How do Camper Vans “Work”?

I had the Jucy “cabana”, which is the size of a mini-van, and it was perfect for just me, but could have easily fit another person. Below are some details of this specific New Zealand camper van:

• Sleeps: 1-3 people, if you’re Ok with cuddling close
• Costs: $115 per day, which technically includes accommodation and transportation!
• Chilling: The middle area is transformed to be two bench style sofas that face each other
• Eating: There is an easy to set up picnic table that attaches in the middle to form a dining area
• Sleeping: Under one of the benches is a compartment for the pillows and blankets, and that bench slides forward to turn the entire middle area into a full-sized bed
• Sleeping part 2: Wondering what to do about all the windows? There’s canvas flaps that unroll and buckle over all of the windows, forming the perfect little tent in the middle of the van!
• Cooking: The trunk is transformed into a mini kitchen! Complete with a mini sink, mini refrigerator, single burner stove, and storage space for all of the kitchenware (which it also comes with)
• Entertainment: All of the camper vans come with portable DVD players, but I’d also recommend renting the Scoot navigation, because it comes with Wifi!

3. How to Drive a Camper Van in New Zealand

Driving a camper van is essentially like driving a large car. Or a very large car depending on what size you get… You of course need a driver’s license to drive it, but you don’t need one from New Zealand; you can use your own from home. You also technically don’t need to have experience driving on the left side of the road, you just need to always remember LEFT LEFT LEFT!

There are plenty of road signs and arrows painted on the streets to remind you to stay left, and if you rent a Scoot, it will remind you too. If you haven’t, or aren’t used to the driver’s seat being on the right, that may feel a little weird at first too. Even after five days of driving, I STILL would accidentally walk up to the left hand side of the car to get in and drive!

Don’t be afraid to just drive slow, or pull over if you get a little paranoid! One of the other good things about doing a roadtrip in a New Zealand camper van is that there isn’t a ton of traffic or crazy drivers! Plus many of them are travelers doing roadtrips as well!

4. Where to Park Your Camper Van at Night

In most areas, you can’t just pull your camper van to the side of the road, set up your bed, and sleep there for the night. If you’re way out in the middle of nowhere, maybe, but you’re probably better off staying at a campground or “holiday park” anyway. That is…if you want to shower and use an actual toilet.

There are tons of campgrounds, and they’re super easy to find, especially since there are several apps specifically made for finding them. Some are free, but usually don’t include the perks of the paid ones; like hot water showers, toilets, TV rooms, and wifi.

The paid ones are still pretty cheap, so it’s really up to you and your budget. Also, when looking at the costs online; you’ll want to look at the price for “tent sites” or “non-electric” sites. Most of the Jucy campers run on the car battery and don’t need to be plugged in like an RV does!

Below are the apps and websites you can use to find campsites during your New Zealand camper van roadtrip, and that tell you the costs, what’s included, and reservation info:

• Rankers
• CamperMate (download the app)
• Department of Conservation AKA DOC (cheap and free sites)

I also found out that if you use the DOC campsites that are mostly geared towards conserving the land, you can buy a weekly pass for $20 that allows you to stay at any of their designated sites! You can get your pass here: DOC $20 Week Campground Pass

If you rent the Scoot navigation device, it also will show you where campgrounds are on the map, and you can click on them for their information!

Note: Make sure you check what time campground offices close! If you arrive after they close, and don’t pay the overnight fee, you can wake up with a fine that’s triple the cost!

5. Where to Go on Your Roadtrip!

I based my New Zealand camper van roadtrip itinerary on the 200+ comments I got on my Instagram when I asked for tips on the best things to see there. I literally wrote them all out, and kept a tally on how many people recommended each location. The result was a route that went from Christchurch to Queenstown on the South Island, with both the recommended stops, and a few I randomly added in.

The beauty of doing a New Zealand camper van roadtrip though, is that if you see something that looks interesting, you can just pull over and stop! Another popular secret (I guess that doesn’t make it a secret…) is asking locals for tips. I got one from the young owners of a lavender farm shop, and literally felt like I had won some sort of scavenger hunt contest.

Check out my full South Island itinerary: “10 Best New Zealand Roadtrip Stops: South Island”

Which includes essential info (and awesome photos) of the following places:

• Christchurch
• Lake Tekapo
• Lake Pukkaki
• Wanaka
• Rob Roy Glacier
• Roy’s Peak
• Queenstown
• Milford Sound

You can also scroll through the suggestions from locals and fellow travelers on this Instagram post where I asked for everyone’s advice!

GoPro Hero 5                                 Self Filtering Water Bottle

Pink Monopod with attachable Tripod      Black Monopod with attachable Tripod  

Skyroam Portable Wifi Device

Microfiber Travel Towel             “Dude” Shower and Body Wipes                 

Natural Sunscreen                    Scrubba Wash Bag

Reading Material                 Portable Backpack

Disclaimer: This post is in collaboration with Jucy World camper van rentals, but all experiences, opinions, and photos are my own. After researching and trying other camper van rental companies, I’d highly recommend Jucy as my top choice!