Exploring New Zealand in a camper van:

Renting a camper van was a great way to see New Zealand! We spent 4 nights in the van and had 5 full days to explore. We could’ve definitely spent more time there, the South Island has so much to see! We used JUCY for our camper van rental and had a great experience with the company. We rented their non-self contained Cabana van, essentially a soccer mom van with small kitchen amenities and a bed inside (no toilet). The pick up/ drop off process was super easy and the staff was very helpful with insider tips. I would definitely recommend JUCY if you are planning a trip to the South Island.

Here are a few tips for living the camper van life:

They drive on the left hand side of the road, it took some getting used to but pretty easy once you get the feel for it.
The wheel is on the right hand side of the car. Everything is opposite, but it becomes the new normal quick.
Gas is expensive, but worth it ($130 to fill up).
Book campsites ahead of time or earlier in the day, a lot of sites close by 8/9pm. If it’s their busy season, definitely book ahead of time as they fill up quick.
Depending on time of year you might need additional blankets, we went in November and were a little cold at night could’ve used more.
Download the app CamperMate to help find campsites. Make sure to pay attention to which sites allow non-self contained vehicles or whichever style you choose.
All the campsites we stayed at had laundry and full kitchen access, so we didn’t even use the camper van stove. The fridge/ cooler and cookware was super helpful though as kitchens have the bare minimum.
Campsites are per person and around $15-20.
Countdown is a good grocery store for stocking up before you hit the road.
Book activities ahead of time if visiting during busy season (i.e cruises, bungy, tours, etc).
Bug spray is good to have for some of the hikes, sand flies bite.
Most places take credit cards, including campsites (exception amex)

Camper van itinerary:

Day 1:

Drove to Milford Sound from Queenstown which was a 4 hour drive. Did a tour through the Milford Sound fjords through Real Journey, cost was $76 pp (different price for certain times). Inside the boat wasn’t bad, but on the deck was pretty cold. I suggest a raincoat for this trip. We drove into waterfalls seeing seals, dolphins and penguins! The waterfalls and mountains were amazing.

Later that evening we did a tour through the Glow Worm caves, also booked through Real Journeys. We walked through some of the cave, then took a small boat in pitch black dark through the rest. The glow worms lit up the cave ceiling, it looked like a constellation. The cave itself was incredible, it had rushing water blasting through allowing the cave to grow wider over time. They close out the tour with more information on the glow worms and their lifecycle process which was so interesting.

Campsite: Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park

Day 2:

Headed to Wanaka, 3 hour drive to our campsite to check in. Then drove 1 hour to the Mount Aspiring Blue Pools, just a short 30 min hike off the road. It was raining on and off so the pools were more of a river. On a nice day the water is still. They were still gorgeous, lots of beautiful trees and greenery alone the path.

Campsite: Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park

Day 3:

Visited the Wanaka Lavender Farm, the shop smelt amazing! The store sells all things lavender, including the honey that they make on the farm. We spent $2 to enter the farm to see the animals, we saw ox, ram, alpacas and sheep! This allowed us to feed the animals and walk thorough fields of lavender, so green and pretty! Drove 2 1/2 hours to Mt Cook to hike Hooker Valley Track (3 hour return, pretty easy trail). We came across 2 beautiful suspension bridges and endless views of the glaciers. On our way to Hooker Valley we stopped multiple times to take pictures and awe at the lake. Peters Lookout was the best stop overlooking Lake Pukaki, you’re able to hike down to the lake as well. The lake reflected the glaciers and clouds across the aqua colored water, gorgeous!

Campsite: Tekapo Motels and Holiday Park

Day 4:

Drove to Queenstown which is the main city in South Island. The town was super cute, full of stores, bars and restaurants. We stopped at Bespoke Kitchen for lunch before skydiving at Nzone! After a couple hours passed, I was finally suited up and ready to jump. My tandem guide, Mikey, was from California he was awesome! We flew up 15,000 ft over the mountains, water and through the clouds so high! There was a point he told me we were only half way and I thought he was joking, I couldn’t believe how high we were. After that everything happened so quick. He put an oxygen mask on me and about 5 min later we jumped. The door slid open and the burst of cold air blew through. One at a time we scooted forward, while attached. I didn’t even have time to do what I was supposed to with my body because it went so fast. I screamed for nearly the whole 60 seconds of free fall, which was the best thing ever. Then he pulled the chute and we had about 4 more minutes until we hit the ground. It was hands down the best experience of my life. I am still obsessing over the experience and the view from up there. The water was an unreal blue and we were surrounded by snow capped mountains, I just kept thinking how lucky I was to see this, unforgettable experience.

Later on we explored Queenstown night life, a little quiet, but still fun. Lots of live music and some bars with a dj, we really liked World Bar. Fergburger is a burger joint that we were told is a must do, we didn’t have time to go, it was always packed!

Campsite: Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park

Day 5:

Woke up and headed to the Onsen pools, beautiful hot tubs nestled in the valley with a blue stream running through. Spent 60 minutes in the hot tub and it was such a easy pleasant experience, highly recommend after sleeping in a camper van for a couple days. After that we spent the next 4 hours preparing and traveling to the Nevis Swing where Dana and I tandem jumped upside down free falling 70m with a total of 300m in the valley. Such a fun experience, the crew was energetic and got everyone pumped for their jumps. We met people from all over the world! It was finally time to say goodbye to our camper van, we returned the camper van which was a seamless experience then waited at the worlds smallest airport for our flight, Queenstown Airport was so tiny!

New Zealand was incredible, my pictures don’t even do this land justice. I am still in awe of the views I witnessed, so crazy! If you have any questions about South Island or the camper van life reach out!

Anayat ❤

Exploring New Zealand by Camper Van