If its your first New Zealand campervan trip 5/6 weeks is perfect to see the main attractions and towns but if we were returning we would plan atleast 2 months in order to enjoy more time in each place rather than a new campsite every night.
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A campervan trip around New Zealand is not cheapIt's not only the rental price but on top of that, the insurance, one-way drop off fee, cost of a campsite each night and compared to a rental car, extra fuel costs. From our experience, the dream of a campervan trip around New Zealand often doesn't live up to reality.
How long does it take to travel New Zealand? New Zealand is a relatively compact country, so you can see most of the country's highlights in two weeks. To explore more of the regions and get off the beaten track, you could easily spend three weeks or more exploring.
Almost all holiday parks around New Zealand provide access to hot showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities, lounge areas and communal kitchens. On average, it will cost you about NZ$35-40 per night (for 2 adults) to park your campervan at a powered holiday park site.
Consider the weatherRoads in New Zealand are often single lane and windy, so it's important you drive here with extra caution and adjust your speed to the weather conditions. During winter, black ice can be problematic on New Zealand roads. The ice is transparent and almost impossible to spot.
You can comfortably explore four to five different destinations with ten days in New Zealand. Spend up to two days in each city, including the Big Little City of Auckland, geothermal Rotorua, and scenic Wanaka.
For a 10-day trip, we recommend visiting up to four or five different destinations. Our 10-day itinerary locations are some of the most popular: Auckland the City of Sails, Wellington the cultural, art and food capital, and Queenstown the home of world-class adrenaline activities.
Most travellers need either an NZeTA or a visa to travel to New Zealand. This depends on the passport you are travelling on, and if you will be a visitor or a transit passenger.
Is New Zealand expensive to visit? New Zealand isn't cheap! Activities, car rentals and accommodations can really add up, making a trip to New Zealand very expensive. Eating in Aotearoa, whether in restaurants or even buying things from the grocery store, can be pricy as many of their goods are imported.
New Zealand is ranked 12th out of 79 countries regarding the cost of living, with a price index of 184. However, not all cities in the country are expensive. While not cheap by global standards, there are a number of cities that have a far lower cost of living.
It's Easy: New Zealand is very well set up for campervans. There are campgrounds and freedom camping sites throughout the entire country, making it simple to find a place to sleep, shower, and fill up your water tank. There are few places in the world where campervan travel is as easy as in New Zealand.
A common misconception for travellers is that choosing to campervan in NZ is inconvenient because you can't get your campervan from one island to the other. This just isn't the case. At Interislander, we've been helping travellers get their campervan across on a Cook Strait ferry for years for their summer getaway.
Generally speaking, if you want to engage with city culture or explore Maori history, the North Island is for you. If you want to deep-dive into nature, the South Island has plenty of lakes, mountains, fjords, and glaciers to discover.
The most common freedom camping areas are for self-contained vehicles only. However, there are a few free campsites or parking areas with a toilet block that allow camping for non-self-contained vehicles or car camping.