If you’ve never taken a camping trip throughout New Zealand before, then you’ll want to consider these tips and suggestions from those in the know. Campervan travel can be exciting, fun, spontaneous and awe-inspiring, moving from active urban areas to must-see countryside, but only if you take care to do it with caution and a bit of forethought. Here are our top five tips for a mobile New Zealand holiday.
1. Buying Your Food and Supplies
One of the best things about a campervan holiday in New Zealand is the ability to make your own meals in the kitchenette or in the communal kitchen you’ll often find in commercial campgrounds. And that’s definitely what you’ll want to plan on if your budget is a concern; eating out in New Zealand can get pretty pricey. For the best value, plan on buying food and other supplies in one of the major metropolitan areas and hit one of the two big grocery store chains. Opt for fresh ingredients rather than pre-packaged or prepared meals, which are much pricier.
2. Planning Activities
Before you set off down the road, take some time to plan your route so you can enjoy the activities you enjoy most. New Zealand is a great place for outdoor adventure, such as bungee jumping, whale watching, swimming, boating, mountain climbing and skydiving.
If your tastes run more to the cultural, then plan on spending some time in the country’s biggest cities or taking in a Maori cultural show. No matter what activities you prefer, map them out so you can plan on where you’ll park your campervan each night accordingly.
3. Decide Where To Stay
Along with the types of activities you and your family enjoy is the decision on whether to stay in a commercial camping ground, Department of Conservation campsite or opting for freedom camping. Which you choose largely depends on how close you want to be to others and how many amenities you desire, such as a communal kitchen or recreational facilities. There’s pros and cons to each so explore your options before making reservations.
4. Inexpensive Fun
Are you looking for ways to maximise your holiday – and your budget? Then consider all the fun things you can do for free, or almost free, in New Zealand. Here’s just a few: get online using free Wi-Fi at McDonald’s; get social during happy hour, when drinks cost almost half as much as normal; get moving by planning outdoor trips with other campers rather than opting for paid tours.
5. Stay in Native Parks
For a different kind of camping experience, overnight parking on rural properties throughout the North and South Islands typifies a Native Parks campervan trip. This is the best way to see places you wouldn’t normally be able to access and meet Kiwis eager to share the wonders of New Zealand. You’ll need to purchase a membership in order to access Native Parks properties, but it is often cheaper than staying in commercial campgrounds during your holiday. Find out more about this option here.
- Campervan Travel in New ZealandRgs_ / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
Campervan travel in New Zealand is a wonderful, cost-conscious way to explore the sights, sounds and society of this beautiful and unique country. Get started planning your holiday today by reserving a campervan and taking into account these top five tips.
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