Great value rentals from New Zealand’s most trusted campervan hire providers
Known as the “Adventure Capital of the World,” Queenstown has an endless array of adrenaline-rush activities and attractions, as well as a full calendar of events and festivals. Rent a campervan with VroomVroomVroom to navigate through the stunning scenery of the region in and around Queenstown and to make your stay at The Remarkables worthwhile.
Located on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by majestic mountains, you will find plenty of excitement things to do in Queenstown. You can go skiing in winter, experience the Shotover Canyons or take an exciting white-water rafting trip in the summer. The city is also the perfect spot to start your campervan adventure if you are planning to explore the South Island.
Some of our favourite things to do year-round in Queenstown are:
Summer (December, January, February): This is the best time to explore the outdoors and get your adrenaline pumping. Hike the Ben Lomond Track, ride the gondola, jump from a plane with NZONE SkydiveBay or take a boat cruise across Lake Wakatipu. Hosting the highest jump in New Zealand, you can go full throttle with Nevis Bungy. If bungy jumping isn’t your thing, AJ Hackett also offers swings, zipline rides and climbs.
Autumn (March, April, May): Only a 20-minute drive from Queenstown via Malaghans Road, your eyes can feast on the spectacular displays of autumn colours in Arrowtown. Don’t miss the annual Akarua Arrowtown Autumn Festival, which also falls on Anzac weekend. The 5-day festival celebrates the iconic Market Day & Street Parade, the Gold Panning Championships and the Fun Dog Show, including the very popular Pie, Pint and Pinot day.
Winter (June, July, August): Queenstown is full of life through the cold winters when sports enthusiasts flock to the city to test their skills. Head to Coronet Peak or The Remarkables and experience the famous ski fields. Cited as the biggest winter party in the Southern Hemisphere, the Real Journeys Queenstown Winter Festival is an event you shouldn't miss. The whole festival, which lasts for 10 days in late June and early July offers plenty of fun, including its main highlight - Dog's Derby.
Spring (September, October, November): There are plenty of wineries with cellar doors open to the public in the Gibbston Valley. For a unique tasting experience, take a cellar cave tour at Gibbston Valley Winery. The award-winning and must-see architecture of Peregrine Winery is an experience in itself. If you’re looking for other amazing places to explore just a few hours away from the city, go on a day trip to visit Glenorchy, Wanaka and Milford Sound.
Year-Round: There are many attractions that you can explore in Queenstown for free. These include the Bob’s Peak, Skippers Canyon, Ben Lomond Track, Sam Summers Hut, and Queenstown Hill. Other favourite highlights in the city include the Queenstown Markets, Skyline Gondola, Shotover River, Marine Parade, and Queenstown Gardens. Of course, no trip to Queenstown is complete without a visit to world-renowned Fergburger.
Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park is the most centrally located holiday park in Queenstown, just a 500m walk from the town centre and lakefront. Offering accommodations of 1 and 2 bedroom units, flats, studios, and campsites, powered or unpowered, it is ideal to park your campervan and enjoy your stay surrounding by scenic views.
Arrowtown Holiday Park sits 700m from the Arrowtown centre with its shops, cafes, and restaurants. The park, which can be found at 12 Centennial Avenue provides first-rate caravan and campervan sites that have concrete hardstand or grass sites complete with power, water and drainage hook-ups. Great amenities include playground, kitchen, showers and toilets, BBQ area, picnic tables, laundry, tennis court, nearby community swimming pool and WiFi access.
Queenstown Holiday Park & Motels Creeksyde is located at 54 Robins Road, Queenstown. The park offers a magnificently landscaped lawn and drive-on sites as well as a broad selection of accommodation to meet your needs and budget. Take pleasure in your stay at Creeksyde for an unforgettable and remarkable holiday park experience.
Kawarau River which drains Lake Wakatipu is a prime spot for water sport activities such as jet boating, white-water rafting, and river surfing. The Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge is also popular for being the birthplace of commercial bungy jumping.
Arrowtown is a gold rush village situated on the base of the picturesque peaks surrounding Arrow River. The town has a scenic campground and delicious local restaurants. Try the Chop Shop for breakfast, and La Rumbla for dinner.
Queenston to Glenorchy journey is one of the world's most scenic drives. While you are there, seek out stunning Lord of the Rings filming locations, or do a Funyak (inflatable canoe) safari. Over summer, you can park at Mrs. Woolley's boutique campground in Glenorchy.
Arrow River Bridges Trail stretches from Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley. Enjoy wine tasting, without having to drive. Shuttles are available to transfer you and your bike back to base.
On hiring a campervan in Queenstown
Unlike when hiring a rental car, people tend to book a campervan a bit further in advance, and there are a few reasons for this.
When you’re hiring a campervan, you’re not simply hiring something with four wheels to buzz around a city for a few days, instead you’re hiring a vehicle that you could well be living in for days, weeks, or even months. As such, people tend to have far more specific needs — some may require a certain number of berths, perhaps an onboard kitchen, or more comfortable living space. All this means that doing your research to find the right campervan for you can pay off handsomely — but it also means that supply is more limited. When supply is limited, it is a good idea to book as far in advance as possible so that you know that the campervan you need will be waiting for you when you arrive.
With this in mind, while it isn’t unusual for people to book a hire car the day before they need it, with campervans, people often book their vehicle months in advance. So our advice to you is if you’re planning to rent a campervan, start researching today, and when you find the right campervan for you, book it!
One more point, another way campervan rentals differ from regular cars, is that bookings are not instant. Once you make a campervan booking it will need to be approved by the provider. Yet another reason not to leave your campervan rental until you’re sitting in the airport boarding lounge.
If you’re new to campervans and not sure where to start, please give our campervan rental information page a read as it explains many of the basics you’ll need to know to make an informed decision.
We could start off by telling you that a typical customer hiring a campervan in Queenstown tends to look at campervans with two or four berths (including a toilet and shower). This isn’t really all that helpful though, as they type of campervan you should hire in Queenstown depends very much on the type of campervan you — rather than a typical customer — needs. Consider the following questions:
How big is your travel group? What is your budget? What facilities do you need — or not need? Where are you planning to go? How long for? Knowing the answers to these questions — and plenty more — is the best way to make sure the campervan you hire in Queenstown is the right one for you.
Solo travellers or couples might find a compact campervan to be more than enough, while families — especially those with young kids — or larger groups might prefer a more spacious motorhome with multiple sleeping areas.
Next, consider the facilities you need and the facilities you want. These might sound the same, but they are very different! Basic campervans often include a bed and simple cooking gear, while more luxurious options feature kitchens, bathrooms, and comfortable bedding. For example, if you’re planning on camping, perhaps paying the extra for comfortable beds isn’t really necessary, but if you’re not even packing a tent, then the extra expense required to get more comfortable beds might be a smart choice.
Where you’re going also matters. If you’re planning to just potter around Queenstown and its immediate surrounds, then you could probably get away with a standard campervan. That said, if you’re planning to drive from Queenstown to Auckland — or Dunedin — something more spacious would be a sound investment.
Think about your budget, as campervans vary in cost depending on size, amenities, and rental duration, and while shortening the length of your trip might bring different options within your budget, spending more to get a bigger van may mean you’ll spend even less on hotels. Either way, do the math!
In conclusion, when you’re booking a campervan for pickup from Queenstown, it pays to be honest when considering what you need versus what you want, along with what fits with your budget and overall travel plans. It’s the best way to maximise your chance of getting the perfect campervan for you.
For most rental caravan providers, the minimum age to rent a campervan is the same as for car rentals — 21 years of age. Depending on the campervan rental supplier, those under 21 may only be able to rent certain vehicles. Double check with the campervan rental provider to see what their specific requirements are.
In most cases, you won’t need to present a special type of licence to rent a campervan — you’ll only be asked to present your standard and valid full driving licence. Keep in mind that a probationary, learner permit, or provisional licence are not accepted for campervan hire. If your licence is in a language other than English, you’ll need to provide an International Driving Permit in conjunction with your valid licence. If you’re unsure as to whether your licence will be accepted, you should contact your prospective campervan provider prior to booking.
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