You’re dreaming of a road trip in New Zealand. You’re thinking of renting a cheap campervan hire and road tripping to your favorite sites. It’s an excellent idea and yes, it is something that can be done on a budget. Whether you have plenty of money to spend on this trip or want to save as much as possible, it’s possible to travel the way that you want to in NZ.

While some motorhomes can be offered at high daily rates, you can also find campervans that won’t cost you much. The typical rate can range from $20 a day to $350 (NZ) but you can even find deals that only cost you a dollar a day. While it may seem too good to be true, there are options for spending less to be able to travel more.

People who plan a trip to NZ without researching tend to overspend and then regret having gone, because they didn’t do their background work. It’s all about doing your research and to help you out, we have compiled some tips on how to get a good deal on a cheap campervan hire:

  • Consider renting a relocation rental. There are companies that rent out their RVs and campervans for the normal price, but the renters only want to take it one-way. These companies need to get their vehicles back to the dealerships and don’t want to use their own manpower to do so. What they will do in these occasions is offer the rental of these vehicles at a low price, so they will have someone drive it back their way.

While this means that you’ll have to stick to a tighter schedule than you would have maybe originally planned, and you’ll need to go on a route that will bring the vehicle back to it’s “home,” it’s one of the cheapest ways to road trip in New Zealand.

  • Consider visiting in off-season. High season is bound to be full of high rates and limited availability. If you’d rather avoid spending a lot of money and having to fight with other tourists for the chance of a good vehicle, consider planning your road trip for a time when there will be less road trippers. This will help you to get better rates and also help you to be able to pick and choose the one that you want.
  • Consider needing less luxuries. If you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg, don’t choose a full-berth motorhome. It’s not really necessary if you aren’t traveling with children. Campervans offer comfort and while they may not be spacious, if it’s just you or you and your spouse, you don’t need much more than a bed and a few extras. If you want to spend even less money, skip out on the ones with toilets and showers, and just go with the bare necessities. You’ll be sure to save a lot of money and be able to enjoy other experiences.

Just be aware that if you choose a not self-contained option, you may have to stress about finding outside bathrooms. Also, it can limit where you can stay as there are freedom camping areas that won’t allow vehicles that aren’t self-contained. You could end up spending more money if you choose an option without a toilet.

Other Things to Consider

If you need a spacious campervan, you could be looking at the cost of around $90 a day. This kind of price will get you a campervan that has room for up to three people, is self-contained and spacious enough for lounging and hanging out comfortably.

This kind of cheap campervan hire is suggested should you be traveling to different areas all over New Zealand and you plan to be on the road for more than two weeks. But, if it’s just you or you and one other person, you may want to find a better option that could cost around $50 a day and still provide comfort.

Remember, do your best to find free spots for camping to save even more money while traveling around the country. Camp sites tend to cost between $16 to $25 a day which will add up on a long trip.

Don’t forget, that if you really want to travel on a budget, you can always do a relocation rental. This is, undoubtedly, the cheapest way to travel New Zealand. Some of them cost as little as a $1 a day. Imagine the money you’d be saving if you decide to road trip in one of them.

Finding a cheap campervan hire is possible. It takes time and research and maybe readjusting plans, but you can travel New Zealand on low prices. If comfort matters most, then spend a little more, but if you’re fine with “roughing” it, then consider  the bare basic campervans and enjoy the adventures and beauty that New Zealand has to offer. Happy traveling!