Hi Nacho_libre,
We are going to New Zealand on honeymoon in November this year, and are looking into the campervan option.
I would appreciate it if you could provide some further information,
What company did you use for campervan rental?
What type of insurance policy did you use?
Is it a cheaper option than car and hostel/motel?
Is there a good selection of camp sites?
Are there any area's unsuited to campervan's?
Any other information you think might be useful would also be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jason.
Hi Jason,
We went with KEA campervans they have a pretty good website which we
booked through (just google kea campers). It worked out about 2,000 euro
for 2 months and this was for a 2-berth high-top which was practically brand
new. 24k on the clock when we picked it up. It was in immaculate condition
and everything is provided. From blankets to cutlery. Ours didn't have a toilet
but we stayed mostly at campsites so it didn't pose a problem.
We felt like the country was designed for campervans. The roads are nice and
wide, even in rural areas and the facilites are top notch. There are campsites
which you can stay for free (donation expected) with basic facilities but these
are almost always in a beautiful setting.
We chose not to take insurance. What we did instead was gave them a like a pre-
deposit on our credit cards so that if any damage was incurred that they could
access the money immediately, or if we tried to do a runner with the van. This
may depend on the limit of your Credit Card so check it out. To take out any
insurance would have added about $20 a day or so to our costs which we thought
was too much. It just meant we had to drive extra carefully and look after the van,
which we would have done anyway.
I think it's a cheaper option to hostels/motels. To stay in a campsite cost between
$20 -$30 per night. The selection of campsites is excellent and they are well kept.
A hostel for 1 person would also be around $25 at least, but remember with the
campervan you can do your shopping in the supermarket and have the fridge
stocked at all times. Pull over at any of the beautiful stops and have lunch when
you feel like it. It's also your transport which is good. The fuel is a lot cheaper than
here and if you shop in the big supermarkets you can eat really well for little
expense, you have 2 gas rings in the camper and a microwave, (we never used
our microwave but we used the stove every day).
If I was going again I would not even consider any other type of accommodation
besides a campervan and I'm not a camping enthusiast or anything. This was the
first time my girlfriend and I had ever travelled/stayed in one, but we loved it.
Hope this was of some help. I think the longer you book the van for the cheaper it
works out per day, so you may get more expensive quotes. There are lots of
companies though. Budget is one I remember and Maui is another. maybe look
them up also.
Enjoy!