The Info you need.

Insurance.

 

Included with every hire is our Basic insurance. However, we highly recommend upgrading to either our General or Premium insurance options.

Upgrading to Premium insurance will give you peace of mind when travelling on New Zealand’s roads. When thinking about whether to upgrade your insurance policy with us, here are some things to consider:

  • New Zealand roads are most likely very different from what you are used to - we have different road rules, weather conditions can change quickly, some roads can be thin and winding

  • You are responsible for any new damage to the vehicle while on hire - regardless of fault, unless you have upgraded insurance policy.

  • Vehicle repairs aren’t very cheap.

  • Taking a higher level of insurance means you minimise the bond payment required prior to your hire.

One thing to note: our insurance policy only covers the vehicle and not any personal items. We recommend having travel insurance to cover this.

The table below, explains our 3 levels of insurance:

For more details about insurance please read our Terms and Conditions.

PaymentS.

 

We aim to keep our payment terms as simple as possible and have outlined them below.

Deposit

To confirm your reservation, you will be required to pay a deposit via credit card of 10% of your booking total. The remaining balance is due in full 1 week before the beginning of your trip.

Balance 

For payment of balance we accept the following payment methods:

  • Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards. Please note for all credit card or international debit card transactions there a 2.95% surcharge.

  • Internet banking bank transfer.

Add-On Payments

If you decide to purchase any additional add-ons post booking, these can be paid upon the collection of your vehicle.

Bond

You will be required to pay the bond 7 days prior to the commencement of the hire.  The bond amount is dependent on the insurance option chosen at the time of booking (see bond and insurance options under the insurance section). Please ensure you have sufficient funds on your credit card to cover the bond. Funds to cover the bond will be held for the duration of the hire and will be released in accordance with our Terms and Conditions after the vehicle has been returned (if there has been no damage to the vehicle).

For more details about payments please read our Terms and Conditions.

What’s Included.

 

We think we’ve thought of it all when it comes to what we include in your van. See what’s included in every van below.

  • Bed Linen, 2 x Pillows, Duvet, Mattress Protector, Blanket

  • 2 x Bath Towels & Tea Towels

  • Cutlery, Plates & Bowls

  • Enamel Mugs & Glass Tumblers

  • Non-stick Frying Pan & Saucepan

  • Cooking Utensils - Spatula, knife, cheese grater, can opener, tongs, wooden spoon

  • Cloth, Dish Brush & Liquid, hand soap, laundry powder

  • Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, basic herbs

  • Chopping Board

  • Kettle, Coffee Plunger/French Press

  • Other stuff - tin foil, sandwich bags

  • 2kg Gas Cylinder

  • Phone Holder, USB charger (in cabin)

  • 24/7 AA Roadside Assistance

  • Unlimited Kilometres

Campervan Add Ons.

 

We provide a range of add ons when hiring your van with us. Don’t see what you’re looking for here? Send us an email and we’ll see what we can do about that.

  • Camping Chair $10/hire (free with top level insurance)

  • Camping Table $25/hire (free with top level insurance)

  • Solar Shower $10/hire

  • Chilly Bag / Cool Bag $10/hire

  • Extra Fleece Blanket $10/hire

  • Hiking Sleeping Bag + Liner $50/hire

  • 2 Person Hiking Tent $50/hire

  • Winter Kit. Includes - Mains Power Cable (cable suitable for campsite power connections), Heater, Electric Jug, Extra Blanket) $75/hire - can only be used with our A-List model

  • Domestic Power Outlet Cable Adapter (adapter enables to connection to domestic house power plug, great if you’re parking up at a friends house) $40/hire - can only be used with our A-List model

  • Snow Chains $40/hire

  • GPS Unit $50/hire

  • UE Boom 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker $50/hire

Driving In New Zealand.

 

New Zealand roads are probably different to what you're used to. Travel distances may seem short on a map, but our roads can be thin and winding, cover hilly terrain, and vary from motorways to unsealed gravel roads.

We want you to have the best experience possible while travelling New Zealand, to set you up for success we highly recommend that you take a minute to learn about driving in New Zealand. 

A few examples of how New Zealand roads and road rules can differ:

  • We drive on the left-hand side of the road

  • Travel times can be easy to underestimate

  • Our roads are narrower, more winding and sometimes steeper than you might expect

  • Our roads are mostly two-way, with one lane in each direction

  • One way bridges are a common occurrence and have a specific set of rules

  • Not all railway crossings have active warnings

  • Seat belts are compulsory for everyone in the vehicle

  • It is illegal to use a phone while driving (unless it is hands free)

Below are a few driving resources you should check out before you arrive in New Zealand:

We will need you to watch this ‘Driving in New Zealand’ video before starting your hire. We also include a driving manual in each van for quick reference.

Camping in New Zealand.

 

We love campervans for the freedom they bring when travelling throughout New Zealand. There are a lot of options when it comes to camping. To help you plan where you should camp, download one of these apps which will provide you with information featuring thousands of campsites, key attractions and popular activities.

Travelling in a Certified Self Contained campervan allows you the freedom to travel as you please. However, to keep New Zealand beautiful we ask that you respect the environment and camp responsibly by doing the following:

  • Don't camp anywhere that it's not permitted (you risk an instant fine)

  • Camp near toilet facilities (i.e don't use the side of the road or the bush, it’s yuck)

  • Waste water tanks and toilets must only be emptied at dedicated dumpstations. Most campsites will have one and there are also many public ones around the country. A list of these can be found here.

There are a few ways to camp while travelling throughout New Zealand. We’ve outlined the main ones below.

Freedom Camping

Freedom camping or free camping is the practice of putting up tents or parking campervans in areas not generally designated for camping. This type of camping typically means that freedom campers cannot access facilities such as clean drinking water, toilets (either flushing or long drop) and waste disposal facilities. 

Freedom camping is not illegal in New Zealand, but local by-laws can specifically restrict it in certain areas and freedom campers not complying can be instantly fined. Usually there will be signage to indicate where you are not allowed to camp. However, to be certain about local camping laws, we recommend you ask at an i-SITE information centre, Department of Conservation visitor centre or holiday park before camping for the night. 

More information on freedom camping can be found here and here.

DOC Campsites

The Department of Conservation or DOC, a government agency, manages over 250 vehicle-accessible camping areas on conservation land within New Zealand’s 14 National Parks. These campsites are a great affordable option while travelling and are usually located on scenic camping spots.

Some DOC campgrounds require booking in advance, especially in the summer months. Make sure you check in advance whether or not you’ll need to book a spot or you might miss out.

Read more about DOC campsites here.

DOC also offers a campsite pass, which is great if you plan to camp at DOC campsites. The weekly pass can save you up to 50% on campsite fees at more than 90 of DOC’s most scenic campsites. Have a look here.

Holiday Parks

Holiday Parks are generally on the more expensive end of the options presented here. However, they generally have more facilities (showers, toilets, laundry etc) and allow you to choose between powered or unpowered campsites. Powered sites mean you can hook up to mains power and run appliances such as a heater (nothing better in winter).

Holiday parks are generally located near beaches, lakes, or rivers meaning booking are usually required over the summer months. Make sure you call in advance to book a campsite or you might miss out. We use the Campermate app to find all campsites throughout New Zealand.

Drivers LicenCes.

 

We have a few requirements for all drivers, we need you to:

  • Be 21 years of age or older

  • Have a full and valid drivers licence. Suspended, sanctioned, provisional/restricted or expired drivers licenses will not be accepted.

English speaking countries

  • If you are from an English speaking country, your licence will be accepted without any supporting documentation.  These countries include: New Zealand, Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Ireland and relevant parts of Canada.

Non-English speaking countries

If you are from a Non-English speaking country you will require the following to legally drive in New Zealand:

  • Your drivers licence

  • Either an International licence or a certified English translation of your home licence. We recommend Transnational for certified translations in New Zealand. This can be arranged through Drivers Licence Translation. 

  • Please note - you must do this prior to your arrival in New Zealand as you will not be able to collect your campervan until we have your correct licence and translation.

Make sure you are eligible to drive on our roads. To drive in New Zealand, you must have a current and valid overseas driver licence or international driving permit. If you're here for more than 12 months, you'll need to gain a New Zealand driver licence. 

Find out more about driver licence requirements.

Pick-Up/Drop-Off Info.

 

We are located 15 minutes from the Christchurch International Airport, we will come pick you up from the airport free of charge, if arranged prior to your arrival. Our rental office is open by appointment only, we will contact you prior to your hire to determine when you need to be picked up.

Our available pick up/drop off hours are as follows:

  • earliest time is 8am

  • latest time is 5pm

  • We are not open on Christmas Day, and are open for drop offs only on New Year’s Day.

If you would like to pick-up / drop off outside of these hours, we will try our best to accommodate you but this may incur extra charges.

Pick up process is as follows (we will email you this information upon booking):

  • Let us know your flight number & arrival time when you book your campervan

  • If you haven’t already booked your flight, we will reach out about your arrival info 7 days before the start of your hire

  • Once arrived in New Zealand and you have been cleared through customs, you can connect to the airport free WIFI to let us know you’re ready to be picked up.

Prepare For your trip.

 

We have a few recommendations of things you can do to prepare for your campervan trip:

  • Make sure you have checked your licence is valid and you have an english translation or international licence if required (see above).

  • Make sure your credit card has enough funds available to pay for any additional add-ons or insurance package.

  • Please ensure sure you have taken some time to learn about driving in New Zealand and watched our recommended video (see above).

  • Our campervans have good storage for soft or small luggage. Large suitcases are okay to bring but not ideal. We are happy to store large suitcases for you over the duration of your trip to give you more space in your campervan.

Any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us for answers or check out our Van Stories.