NZ campervan tips: essential road trip tricks guide

Planning a road trip in New Zealand? With cascading waterfalls, towering mountains, lush forests, crystal clear ocean and so much more, you’re in for the holiday of a lifetime! Once you’ve hired a reliable vehicle to get you around, all you need are these handy campervan tips and tricks to explore like a pro!

From packing and route planning to emergency dollars and must-have items, we share some game-changing advice for your adventure.

9 campervan tips and tricks for a successful adventure

1. Travel light

It’s true what they say: less really is more. When you’re short on space in a campervan, the lighter you can pack, the better.

Remember, there will be opportunities along the way to pick up any essentials you discover you need during your travels. This is a much better approach than overpacking ‘just in case’ the need arises!

One of the best campervan tips and tricks is to do a trial pack. Load up your campervan with everything you think you’ll need and then head through and ask yourself, “Am I 100% sure I will need this on my trip?” If it’s a just-in-case item, get rid of it! One of the only exceptions is your first aid kit. Fingers crossed you won’t need this in your travels, but make sure you have it on hand.

All Camplify vehicles should include a first aid kit, so make sure to ask the owner of your rental vehicle where to find it before you hit the road!

2. Sort out the finer details

It can be tempting to head off on your trip around New Zealand with plans to work things out as you go, but there are some things you need to think about beforehand, such as who is going to drive the campervan and what insurance you might need.

Wondering what license is needed to drive a campervan? This is something you should research before your trip. In New Zealand, residents can drive a campervan with a standard Class 1 car licence, however weight limits do apply. For tourists, you need a full car licence in your own country, or an International Driving Permit, and again, weight limits apply.

Once you hit the road, if you have a lot of ground to cover, it can help to split up the driving. This is also a much safer option. It can pay off to have two licence driver’s which is something you might be able to organise with a little notice.

3. Put together an itinerary

While it might be tempting to let the road lead the way, an itinerary is not only practical, but it can help you cover a lot more ground in a shorter amount of time. Getting the route right is one of our most key campervan tips and tricks!

Not sure where to start? Head over to our blog to discover all sorts of amazing New Zealand road trips! You can also download the Campermate app (it’s free!) and check it out before you go. It has so much useful information with all the best camping spots, petrol stations along the way, grocery stores, water pumps and more.

Use this to plan your travels in advance, and pick out overnight stops along the way. Even better if you can book them in ahead of time to ensure you have a place to park your campervan each night.

4. Stash some cash

With most places accepting electronic payment these days, not many carry cash around anymore. But you’ll want to keep some on hand for your New Zealand trip, as you never know when you might need it.

If you’re staying at a Department of Conservation (DoC) campground, you’re often expected to leave a cash payment in a box on your departure. Having plenty of change on hand makes this nice and easy - and stress free!

5. Noise cancelling headphones for everyone!

This is one of the best campervan tips and tricks if you’re travelling in a group. Let’s be honest, we all need a break from each other’s company from time to time, no matter how strong the bond!

Noise cancelling headphones have so many uses. Pop them on while on the road and listen to your favourite book on Audible, or download a podcast to keep you busy.

There’s the added bonus of using them at noisy campsites, so you can settle back and enjoy a little quiet time, despite the activity around you. And the cherry on top? They don’t take up much room at all!

Exploring on your own? Make sure to read up on our tips for long road trips alone.

6. Make use of the evenings

As you make your way to a campsite for the evening, it’s tempting to pull up and switch off for the night. Travelling can be exhausting!

Instead, get to work on all those little jobs that need doing and don’t put them off until morning. Empty your waste, fill up your water containers, clean out the campervan and any other odd jobs calling your name.

Trust us, you’ll be grateful in the morning when you’re rushing to head out for a day on the road, or a morning seeing the sights. You’ll have your tea in hand and a clean, organised campervan to send you off.

7. Meal plan

One of the best parts about hiring a campervan for your trip is being able to cook all your meals on the road. Just don’t make the mistake of trying to cook like you do at home. Keep it simple!

Opt for meals that only use one or two pans, so you don’t get stuck with lots of washing up. Here’s some ideas to get you started:

• Scrambled eggs

• Stir fry and fried rice

• Spaghetti bolognese

• Burgers

• Fajitas

Of course, don’t forget the snacks! Again, remember you can pick up more during your travels, so head out with enough to get you to that first destination. Snacks will keep everyone going between stops, so you enjoy the most road time possible.

8. Pack your flashlight

One of the most critical campervan tips and tricks, a flashlight is an essential item many first-time campervan travellers don’t even think about bringing with them. You become so focused on everything you need inside the van, it doesn’t cross your mind what you might need on the outside!

While many camping spots might be well-lit, you’ll find that plenty aren’t (especially if you’re freedom camping), and a torch will help you get around at night time.

Whether you’re searching for the bathroom, getting in some extra reading at night while everyone is asleep, or simply going for a night-time wander, a flashlight will get a good workout on your trip.

9. Document your travels

This is something your future self will thank you for. When you’re on the road and in the thick of your travels, you can’t ever imagine forgetting what you’re seeing and doing. But memories do fade, and the best way to keep them alive is by taking lots of photos and writing about your journey!

If you don’t have time on your trip, simply take note along the way and settle down with a cup of tea when you return and beef these out. You can also print out photos and stick them in your journal to really bring your trip to life on paper.

Hire a campervan for your New Zealand adventure

Whether you're sorting out van hire on the North Island or van hire on the South Island, these campervan tips and tricks will see you through your road trip with ease! Now you just need to find the perfect rental for your New Zealand road trip with Camplify.

Learn more with our ultimate guide on how to drive a campervan in New Zealand!

Why Camplify?

We are proud to be New Zealand’s fastest-growing private caravan, campervan and motorhome sharing community. When you hire a van through our platform, it comes with lots of advantages:

• Comprehensive hire insurance

• Nationwide AA roadside assistance

• 24/7 customer support

• All members are verified

By hiring with Camplify, you are also helping local families who share their van on our platform and supporting many local companies across New Zealand in addition to ours. So we are very grateful to you.

Sign up if you want to join our beloved community of van life lovers and receive our most recent news and offers.