If you fancy doing both North and South Islands in a fun, cost effective way enjoying total freedom and the buzz of a flexible road trip then read on. In the early nineties I travelled around New Zealand with a group of heavy drinking backpackers on a coach adventure called The Kiwi Experience. We had a lot of fun white-water rafting, climbing fiords, swimming with dolphins etc. but what is it like to try another budget experience just as a couple and without the hangovers?
What is a camper car?
It is the size of a large car but converted so the front seats spin around and the back folds down into a bed. The boot is fitted with a kitchen including a fridge, sink, drawers and a pull-out countertop for the gas cooker. It is ideal for a couple travelling in New Zealand for 5.5 weeks as cheaply as possible during the shoulder season (April – May). Renting a camping car from spaceships rentals (model: dream sleeper mini) cost £1,800 (check for latest prices).
Pros
Flexibility: Having the car and not having to book accommodation gives you the ability to change plans at the last minute which is useful with New Zealand’s unpredictable weather. You can avoid the rain and chase the sun and get to places off the beaten track that are hard to get to from kiwi experience e.g. Mount Cook
No booking ahead: Campsites don’t get booked up the same way accommodation does so you can usually book a campsite on the same day. There are exceptions however like the ever-popular Mount Cook and Queenstown.
More affordable accommodation: You can buy a Department of Conservation (DOC) campsite pass which gives you access to many campsites across the country and there are lots of freedom camping options (camping in public areas where there are no facilities) which makes it very affordable.
Convenient: As you keep everything in the car you don’t need to unpack and repack backpacks every time you move on to the next place.
Saving money on food: The car has everything you need to store food including a fridge so cooking is very easy which means you don’t ever need to eat out.
Smaller than a campervan: The size of the car makes it easy to drive on New Zealand’s winding roads and easy to park in the cities as it fits in a normal space. Ferry crossings are also cheaper as its classes as a normal car. The size also makes it more fuel efficient than a campervan.
Connection to Nature and Appreciating small things: Staying in campsites means you’re much closer to nature than if you are staying in hostels. You can stay outside of town, in forests, next to lakes and in other hard to reach locations. You will also appreciate all the small things like having a flushing toilet and a hot shower.
Cons
Long drop toilets: The majority of the free or cheaper DOC campsites won’t have flushing toilets – they will have long drop toilets instead. They are therefore very smelly and cold!
Wet wipe showers: The free and some of DOC campsites also don’t normally have showers or they will be cold showers only which means you may have to go a few days with makeshift wet wipe showers only.
Sandflies: In the South Island especially sandflies are a big problem. If your campsite is by water they can be even worse. When staying in a car, having to cook outside and leave the car to go to the toilet the sandflies can get very annoying and their bites are really itchy.
Fuel is expensive: Fuel is about the same price as in the UK and this really adds up with all the driving you will be doing. The cost of fuel was roughly a third of the cost of the rental car.
Cold mornings: Waking up in a car in the cold South Island can be really hard and it can take a while to warm up.
Cooking in the light: Towards the end of April, the sun will set at around or before 6pm which means you need to cook and eat while it’s still early. Although this wasn’t too disruptive as you get into the routine of sleeping early to wake up early and enjoy the day.
Planning ahead: While you can be flexible with your itinerary you will need to plan ahead with meals to make sure you’re stocked up on food. This is especially important in the South Island where there can be long stretches with no supermarkets.
Top Tips
Food prices are very similar to the UK but you will get the best deals by far at PAK’nSAVE.
As fuel is expensive you want to get the best price possible. Download the Gaspy app to check the fuel prices and find the cheapest on your journey.
Buying a DOC pass will give you access to all of the DOC campsites during low season (in high season you still have to pay for a few). After staying 7 nights at DOC campsites you will make back your money.
The different seasons really affect the prices of accommodation and even some activities. The best time to go is shoulder season as it will be cheaper and not too busy but the weather will still be mostly good (March, April / Nov, Oct)