When people think if New Zealand they instantly think about the green landscape, the unspoilt nature, fresh rivers and breathtaking mountain ranges. This country is absolutely ideal for the adventurous traveller, it is a country of nature just waiting to be explored. A camper van trip through New Zealand is probably the best way to the experience everything that this wondrous country has to offer. Below are 5 tips for a great, once in a lifetime trip though New Zealand:
1) Simple Eating
You should always try to hire a camper van with a good amount of the basic equipment you need for cooking. A toaster and a kettle are all you really need to whip up some easy and cheap meals on the road. You might be lucky enough to choose one of the camper vans that comes with a microwave and fridge freezer. Your first shop is always the most important so try to pick up some key ingredients that you can use in a number of meals, things such as herbs, a tube of garlic and other items that add flavour like soy sauce and chilli – these items can be added to pretty much anything! Even with the basic equipment, if you choose the right ingredients, you can put together a lot of easy meals.
2) Power planning
You are always going to need power so it is a very good idea to plan you route so that you’re able to stop at powered campsites, you will need to stop every few nights to recharge the batteries. The battery is key if you need to power things such as a fridge. Check before you book that your camper van has a dual battery system – this simply means that there’s a battery for the engine and one for everything else inside.
3) Be smart with fuel
Without question, one of the biggest expenses on your camper van trip across New Zealand is going to be fuel. Try you best to find the cheapest petrol stations, you can do this by asking around in campsites and tourist offices. It is a good idea to work out the fuel consumption of the camper van before you set off on your journey, this way know how far you can travel on each tank before you have to stop to refill. Some people think that is is better to have the windows down rather that turn on the air-con, this isn’t true. Using the air-con does decrease the efficiency of the fuel but winding down the windows creates more drag which in effect means you use even more fuel that with the air-con. It’s always nice to make sure that everyone in the van is relaxed and at the right temperature so that tempers don’t start to go up with the temperature!
Camper Van New Zealand Rental – take a look at Wilderness camper vans for the some of the best deals in New Zealand.
Auckland Airport Car Hire – if you don’t need a camper van and are just taking a short trip then look out for Snap Car rental at the airport
