A New Zealand road trip might be calling
Now is the time to RV through New Zealand—the spring flowers are starting to bloom.
Since the New Zealand summer occurs during our winter, its warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest June, July and August.
“We usually to go down the middle of December,” said Carolyn Harris, author of “RV in NZ: How to Spend Your Winters RVing in New Zealand.”
“We’d go from the shortest day of the year here,” she said, “to longest day of the year there.”
Harris has spent 10 winters in New Zealand – including three alone as a widow.
“It is very safe for women,” she said from her home near Mount Shasta in Northern California. “I never felt intimidated when I was traveling by myself.”
After she remarried, she and her husband, Dave, went back and rented an RV. They enjoyed it so much that the following year they purchased their own rig in New Zealand.
“If you plan to stay longer than a month,” said Harris, “it’s often cheaper to buy.”
When they were not in New Zealand, they stored their RV on a kiwi farm for $16 a month.
“The owners were really great, and they even picked us up at the airport each time we returned for a visit,” she said.
“It’s really inexpensive traveling by RV, people are friendly and there are caravan parks everywhere,” she said. “Flying back and forth is what’s expensive.
“We spent last winter in Arizona in our motor home,” she said. “With the price of gas and space rental, it was more expensive than staying the same amount of time in New Zealand.”
Getting there
Cost of air travel varies widely, depending on time of year and departure airport. A quick check online lists a single roundtrip ticket in December from Spokane to Auckland at around $1,800. From Los Angeles to Auckland it prices out at around $1,500.
Air carriers that have regular flights include United Airlines, American Airlines and Air New Zealand.
RV parks are plentiful because “caravanning” is popular with just about every segment of the population.
Last fall RV book author Jaimie Hall and her granddaughter, Gabrielle, RVed around New Zealand’s South Island for three weeks.
“The RV or motor parks were great,” said Hall, who paid between $9 and $14 for a campsite with electricity.
“Each park had at least one kitchen, an amenity block (toilets and showers), laundry and usually a lounge with TV,” she said. “Most campers cook and eat in the park kitchen, so it is an excellent way to meet other travelers from all over the world.”
Camper van rentals
There are several camper van and motor home rental agencies in New Zealand. Among the most popular are Pacific Horizon, Britz, Maui and Kea.
Renting a typical camper van with sleeping for two adults, insurance and a few extras runs between $350 (May to September) and $1,000 (December to February) a week.
Each company has an extensive Web site with pages and links to other travel-related sites.
While each of the sites list rate pages, the Kea and Pacific Horizon Web sites also displayed thumbnail images of each RV model (Kea lists prices in both U.S. and New Zealand dollars).
The current exchange rate is about $1 New Zealand for $.68 U.S. dollar.
“ Contact Kea Camper at 011-649-441-7833, e-mail inquires to reservationsnz@keacampers.com or go online to www.keacampers.com.
“ Pacific Horizon can be reached at www.pacifichorizon.co.nz or by calling 011-644-233-8881.
“ To reach Britz camper van rentals, telephone 011-649-275-9090, go online to www.britz.com or e-mail direct@britz.com.
“ For Maui Rentals call 011-649-275-3013 or visit www.maui-rentals.com
Each of the rental sites also lists information on how to purchase one of their its RVs.
Other resources
“ Reach Carol Harris through her Web site, www.rvinnz.com, or e-mail her at marblemountain@snowcrest.net.
“RV in NZ: How to Spend Your Winters RVing in New Zealand,” (Marble Mountain Press, $17) can be purchased through online or local booksellers.
“ There are several New Zealand travel guidebooks available at local and online booksellers. While in New Zealand, visitor centers in each town provide local and regional guides for free.
“ The Top 10 Holiday Parks can be seen on www.topparks.co.nz; and the Holiday Accommodation Parks of New Zealand Web page is www.holidayparks.co.nz.
“ Reach the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association online at www.nzmca.org.nz.
“ Tourist information on New Zealand is available at www.newzealand.com/travel; or www.newzealand-infocenter.com.
“ Jaimie Hall’s Web site is www.rvhometown.com; call (928) 607-3181. She is the author of “Support Your RV Lifestyle: An Insider’s Guide to Working on the Road,” and co-author with Alice Zyetz of “RV Traveling Tales: Women’s Journeys on the Open Road” and “A Woman’s Guide to Solo RVing.”
Wheel questions
Walter Bedney wrote in with the following question: “Is it true that there are places in the warmer climates where you can park your motor home for a nominal fee and then rates go up when you visit? If there are such places, how would I find these camps or RV sites?
Does anyone know about parks with a “sliding” rate arrangement? Other suggestions?