Travel to New Zealand with fewer hotel check-ins, more golden-hour stops, and beautiful scenery to wake up to every day.
From stunning coastlines to expansive lakes, New Zealand is full of reasons to pack your bags this year. But how do you travel around New Zealand in a way that feels more meaningful than ticking off over-commercialised stops? Enter: campervan travel. For a trip that allows you to experience the country at a more local pace (with room for impromptu detours, spontaneous coastal hikes, and simple joys like cooking with local produce), get packing for a campervan trip around this picturesque destination.
Be led by your curiosity and not the clock
One of the best parts about campervan travel in New Zealand? Not being restricted by hotel check-out deadlines or fixed dinner reservations. That means you can take a scenic drive along State Highway 6 (which stretches through Haast, Wanaka and more), and while you’re at it, enjoy spontaneous stops at waterfalls, empty beaches, and roadside ‘honesty boxes’ selling cherries or honey.
When it comes to outdoor explorations, you’ll love the flexibility of campervan travel. Clear skies over Lake Tekapo? Go for a lakeside walk or hike. Grey clouds rolling in? Move on early and chase the sun elsewhere.
Cooking becomes part of the New Zealand travel experience
Cafe brunches and candlelit restaurant dinners are lovely, but sometimes, you simply crave the simplicity of home-cooked meals, especially on extended trips. Pleasingly, moving around in a campervan means that you can whip up a homely meal with what’s in season, anytime you want – after all, you have a kitchen on wheels! And in New Zealand, this is one of the best ways to taste its abundant natural produce.
Locals swear by farmers’ markets, and for good reason. The Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market and Otago Farmers Market in Dunedin are goldmines for picnic-ready produce, while Christchurch’s Riccarton Sunday Market is perfect for stocking up before heading further south. Visit in the summer for stone fruits in Central Otago, apples and peaches in Hawke’s Bay, berries around Nelson and Tasman, and excellent pasture seeds and vegetables across Canterbury.
Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy intimate moments you won’t get with a standard hotel stay. Think: brewing coffee by Lake Hawea at sunrise, cooking pasta with a view of Mount Cook, or grilling dinner outdoors like the locals do in summer. Check out campervans from THL brands like Maui and Britz that come with outdoor cooking setups to embrace that laid-back Kiwi barbecue culture.
Make the most of the summer daylight
New Zealand summers come with long, generous days that sometimes stretch well past 9pm, especially the further south you go – and travelling by campervan is perfect to take advantage of all that extra daylight. You can fit in hikes like the Hooker Valley Track, linger longer at beaches, or explore without worrying about being on unfamiliar roads after dark. It’s also prime season for outdoor events and trails, from scenic cycle routes like the Otago Central Rail Trail to runs like Race Tekapo and the Hawke’s Bay Marathon.
It’s also the prime season to travel to New Zealand’s seemingly endless beaches, with almost 15,000km of stunning coastline to explore – and campervans make them wonderfully accessible. Add the Coromandel Peninsula to your agenda for white sand beaches, Abel Tasman National Park for coastal tracks and stunning marine life, and the Otago coast offers wildlife encounters and lush scenery without the crowds. Park up nearby, swim when the mood strikes, and stay for sunset, no reservations required.
Picturesque living, minus the crowds
Campervan travel makes it easier to stay just beyond the obvious. Instead of searching for accommodation in the outskirts of town, simply hop on your campervan and park yourself closer to nature.
Need recommendations for a less touristy itinerary? Skip the crowds at Lake Wanaka and pop by Lake Hawea for calmer evenings and uninterrupted lake views. Down south, the Catlins reward slower travel with waterfalls, wildlife, and long stretches of road with stunning views.
Instead of driving in, snapping photos, and heading back to town, campervan travel lets you stay put. From an alpine sunrise in Mount Aspiring National Park or a quiet hike near Lake Matheson, there’s no night driving or rushing back to your accommodation — which is rare when you’re travelling any other way in New Zealand.
Thinking of travelling to New Zealand?
If you’re keen to plan your own New Zealand campervan adventure, use promo code ‘SIN26’ when booking direct via Maui for 10% off daily vehicle rates. This offer applies to selected vehicles from Maui, Britz, and Apollo, with pick-up points in Auckland, Christchurch, and Queenstown, for travel between 8 April and 18 December 2026 (terms apply).
Prefer a guided option? Chan Brothers offers escorted and self-drive campervan routes, including a 10-day North Island Campervan Convoy Discovery Tour with a Singapore tour leader, plus South Island routes from Christchurch to Nelson and Christchurch to Queenstown.
However you choose to do it, campervan travel in New Zealand isn’t about covering ground quickly. It’s about slowing down just enough to feel like you belong — even if it’s only for a few weeks.
This post is in partnership with Tourism New Zealand.
