Tips for Choosing Campervan for your New Zealand Travels 2024

Making your New Zealand travel itinerary can be a difficult task. The country is blessed with an infinite variety of excellent roads, motorways, and amazing landmarks. Whether you choose the legendary Pacific Coast Drive or any other route, you will need the services of the campervan top seller in New Zealand. But how do you select the best campervan for your travels?

1. Getting a campervan

Sometimes, hours spent on the internet searching for the right place to get a campervan can prove to be insufficient. Also, there are many challenges you can encounter from selecting a campervan online.

For instance, car companies are usually more costly due to the addition of random items like insurance. Other car rental companies provide a new list that increases the initial projected cost. The best thing for your budget will be to go to the campervan top seller in New Zealand.

Travel Cars NZ offers campervans that are fully serviced and insured. Therefore, you can be sure that you will get your money’s worth and at affordable prices. Nevertheless, it is still a good idea to do some research that will give you clues on getting an excellent campervan.

2. Type of campervan and equipment

The second thing that you should consider is the size of the campervan that will fit your needs. For instance, if you are a family of 5, a small space will prove insufficient. Remember, your campervan also serves as your accommodation.

Find a campervan that is convenient for you. If you have children and you need privacy with your spouse, select one that offers curtains for privacy. Also, a self-contained campervan is very convenient.

It provides sufficient seats, a shower, toilet, kitchen, heating, and bed area. A bath is especially crucial if you want to camp at Freedom Camping areas.

3. Cooking accessories and equipment

It is not very easy to cook in a campervan. That is why the equipment and functionality of your trailer are very crucial during the selection process. Besides, buying food in New Zealand is expensive.

Therefore, having a campervan that you can cook in will be very cost-friendly. So, check on the gas cooker, the size of the pots, and the kitchen accessories you will need. You might be surprised how a sharp kitchen knife can make a significant difference to your travel convenience.

4. Accommodation

There are three categories that you can get for accommodation with your campervan: motor parks, freedom campsites, and department of conservation campsites (DOC).

Accommodation is necessary to consider because most campervans run on batteries full time. In case the battery level lowers, things like heaters and microwaves will not work. Therefore, getting accommodation spaces that have electricity is vital.

Motor parks are full-service camping areas that might offer electricity. When you pay for these spots, you will enjoy warm showers, washing machines, bathrooms, water, emptying services, and electrical outlets.

DOCs do not have electrical outlets, but they are often located in beautiful areas. These are government-owned, and they charge a small fee. Freedom camping sites are free. However, they are often overcrowded and not as clean as the rest of the accommodation sites.

5. Weather Conditions

Considering the time of the year when you will be traveling to New Zealand is essential. Each season will present you with unique opportunities as well as challenges. There are four distinct seasons in a year.

These include spring, summer, winter, autumn. Usually, the temperatures and the seasons are milder in the North Island. The weather in the south is much more drastic. The temperatures can get cold regardless of the season of the year in the south, especially when the elevations are high.

Also, remember that New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere. Therefore, the seasons are opposite of the usual seasons in the north. For instance, the hottest months in New Zealand are January and February, while the coldest is July.

• Spring in New Zealand happens between September and November. During this season, the weather can vary from very gentle to cold and rainy. Nevertheless, this is an excellent time to travel since the rental rates are lower, and the crowds are fewer.
• Summer occurs between December and February. That is the best time to travel to the country since it houses good forecasts. That is also why summer is the high season for visiting New Zealand. If you do not like crowds, a different season might be better for travel.
• Fall occurs between March and May. The temperatures from summers start to drop, making the weather typically lovely. Also, the prices and crowds during this season are average this time of year. However, expect to experience rain.
• Winter happens between June and August. This season can be freezing, especially on the Southern island. Hence, there will be fewer crowds and lower prices than in other seasons. Nevertheless, you will enjoy the many skiing spots in the nation during this season. Other winter sports activities are also available in this season.

6. Travel Route

Finding the best travel route while in New Zealand can be a challenging task. Besides, doing research and comparing different itineraries can take a significant amount of time. Therefore, if you only have enough time to visit one Island, you should travel around the south island.

The Southern Island is ideally suited for a life in a campervan. Therefore, this can also be an excellent place to start if you are visiting both islands. Nevertheless, consider the cost of travel as well as the weather conditions you will experience in both islands.

7. Driving Tips

It is possible to get minor scrapes on your campervan. Therefore, if you are not used to driving large cars, the first thing you should do is get insurance for your campervan. Also, conduct some research that will give you insight into the driving etiquette in the country.

Conclusion

Campervan travel is worth the experience. But choosing the right vehicle will determine whether you will enjoy visiting your favorite spots in the country. Therefore, ensure that you have the right car before you start your journey.