Take to the road in a motorhome or campervan and enjoy the freedom to roam, stopping at scenic spots and dining under the stars.

Kiwis have something of a love affair with motorhomes, whether it’s the big, boxy types with more room than an inner-city apartment, or cosy and compact converted vans.

It’s important to check whether your camper is fully self-contained. This means it meets restrictions for water management, and has a toilet and a rubbish bin. Self-contained campers can be used without damaging the environment, and this allows you to sleep in public spaces where there are no freedom camping restrictions. Check out the Department of Conservation website for more information on where you can park up.

If your camper isn’t self-contained, you’ll need to stay at holiday parks and campground with facilities. There are lots of these all around the country.

Campervan rentals

For smaller van campers that are great for two people, try Tui Campers, Escape Campervans, Spaceships, Jucy Car Rentals or Wicked Campers. For a good deal, look around – there are a few tiny rental companies dotted around the country where you’ll get great rates. To rent out unique campers owned by locals, check out Quirky Campers or Camplify.

Motorhome rentals

For fully-fledged two-to-six-berth motorhomes, check out Wilderness, Apollo Campers, Mighty Campers, Jucy Car Rentals, Britz, Maui and My Campervan Hire.

Camper relocations

Rental companies often end up with a bottleneck of vehicles in one place that need to be returned. You can often get a few low cost days in a campervan if you’re going in the right direction. Check out the relocation deals on the rental companies’ websites for more information.