Campervans and motorhomes between the North and South Islands
Compare the 2 campervan and motorhome rental companies in Wellington to find the best price, and book at the price shown, mandatory fees included.
Airport branches: Jucy Rentals
Hiring a campervan in Wellington starts your trip at the southern tip of the North Island, on the harbour of New Zealand's capital, where the ferries cross Cook Strait to Picton and the South Island. To the north-east lie the Martinborough vineyards and the wild Wairarapa coast; to the north-west, the beaches of the Kapiti Coast and then the volcanoes of Tongariro. Two partner companies, Jucy Rentals and Pacific Horizon, offer their vehicles from the city.
The first is in Rongotai, near the airport, the second in Plimmerton, on the Porirua coast, about 25 km north of the centre.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
| Vehicle | Winter July | Spring October | Summer January | Autumn April |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large motorhome | from €124/day median €131/day | from €155/day median €180/day | from €253/day median €274/day | from €191/day median €202/day |
Daily prices observed on October 21, 2026 for a 15-day rental: CoolDrive selling price, mandatory fees included, 1 rental companies compared. 100% of offers with unlimited mileage. Median excess: €2,534.
The ferry crossing, of about three and a half hours, ends in the forested fjords of the Marlborough Sounds, at Picton. Queen Charlotte Drive, narrow and winding, leads to Havelock, the green-lipped mussel capital, then to Nelson and the golden beaches of Abel Tasman National Park, explored on foot or by kayak. The way back runs through the sauvignon blanc vineyards of Blenheim before boarding again at Picton.
The Remutaka Hill road crosses the range to the Wairarapa and its villages with Victorian shopfronts, such as Greytown. After the wineries of Martinborough, a coastal road follows Palliser Bay, passes below the Putangirua Pinnacles and reaches the fur seals and lighthouse of Cape Palliser, the southern tip of the North Island. Its last stretch, narrow and partly unsealed, suits a campervan better. You then head north via Masterton to the beach at Castlepoint.
The Transmission Gully motorway leads to the Kapiti Coast and its long beaches facing Kapiti Island, a bird sanctuary reached by boat. Whanganui and its river come before Ohakune and Tongariro National Park, with its three volcanoes and its famous crossing on foot. After Lake Taupo, the road heads for Napier, rebuilt in Art Deco style after an earthquake, and the Hawke's Bay vineyards, before returning inland to Wellington.
The best time to leave from Wellington: long, mild days, the warmest sea of the year and January, on average, the driest month. From Christmas to late January, the New Zealand school holidays fill the ferries and campsites of Marlborough and Abel Tasman; February and March offer the same climate with fewer people.
In the southern autumn and spring, temperatures stay mild but the weather changes quickly: showers, sunny spells and gusts of wind sometimes follow one another in a single day. April is harvest time in the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay, and the campsites are quiet again, as are the ferries.
Winter in Wellington is cool and rainy, but rarely freezing by the sea. The difficulties are at altitude: the Desert Road and the Tongariro roads can be snowy or icy, and the Ruapehu ski fields draw crowds at weekends. A heated vehicle and stops at holiday parks make the trip comfortable.
Most pleasant months: December to March.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 °C | 15 °C | 46 mm | 12 h/day | 18 °C |
| Feb | 20 °C | 15 °C | 80 mm | 11 h/day | 19 °C |
| Mar | 18 °C | 14 °C | 72 mm | 10 h/day | 18 °C |
| Apr | 17 °C | 13 °C | 98 mm | 8 h/day | 17 °C |
| May | 15 °C | 11 °C | 103 mm | 7 h/day | 16 °C |
| Jun | 13 °C | 10 °C | 108 mm | 6 h/day | 15 °C |
| Jul | 12 °C | 9 °C | 115 mm | 7 h/day | 14 °C |
| Aug | 12 °C | 9 °C | 100 mm | 8 h/day | 13 °C |
| Sep | 13 °C | 9 °C | 87 mm | 9 h/day | 13 °C |
| Oct | 15 °C | 11 °C | 79 mm | 10 h/day | 14 °C |
| Nov | 17 °C | 12 °C | 86 mm | 11 h/day | 15 °C |
| Dec | 18 °C | 14 °C | 84 mm | 11 h/day | 17 °C |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Interislander and Bluebridge link Wellington and Picton several times a day. The fare depends on the vehicle's length, which must be declared exactly when booking, and motorhome spaces sell out quickly in summer. The Interislander terminal is north of the port, the Bluebridge one opposite the railway station: arrive well before the stated check-in time.
Wellington is one of the windiest cities in the world, and a tall motorhome catches the gusts. On Remutaka Hill, the south coast or the city's heights, slow down and hold the wheel firmly; open the doors with care. Check the MetService warnings: in strong winds, the Cook Strait ferries can be delayed or cancelled.
The city strictly regulates freedom camping: a few designated spots, reserved for certified self-contained vehicles, for a short stay and signposted on site. A paid motorhome car park on the central waterfront is handy the night before an early ferry; otherwise, the holiday parks of Lower Hutt and the Kapiti Coast welcome all vehicles.
Traffic drives on the left, and Wellington is not the easiest city to get used to it: narrow, very steep streets on the hills, the Mount Victoria tunnel between the airport and the centre, tight interchanges at Ngauranga Gorge. Avoid the hillside residential areas, leave the city by the motorway towards Porirua or the Hutt Valley, and drive outside rush hours.
Jucy Rentals is in Rongotai, on Jean Batten Street, in the retail area next to the airport: a few minutes by taxi from the terminal. Pacific Horizon is based in Plimmerton, in Porirua, north of the city; Kapiti Line trains stop there from the central station. This second depot lets you head north without crossing the city centre.
The price varies above all with the southern season: departures from December to February are the most in demand, winter ones much more affordable. The length of hire, the size of the vehicle and a possible one-way trip to the South Island also count. Run a search with your dates to get the real prices of Wellington's rental companies, mandatory fees included, bookable straight away.
It depends on the rental company: some allow the vehicle on the ferry, others ask you to return it before the crossing and pick up another one in Picton. Check this point in the offer conditions. For a one-way trip, Christchurch and Queenstown are also departure cities of our partners: enter one as your return city, and any fees are then included in the price.
The offers we found include the 2+1 Motorhome, with three seats and three berths, the GEM-4 Motorhome and the Max 4Berth Motorhome, with four berths, and the SAM Motorhome, which takes six people. The large models are more at ease on main roads than on Queen Charlotte Drive or the Cape Palliser road: choose the size according to your itinerary.
Te Papa, the national museum, free for most of its collections, the Kelburn cable car and the botanic garden, the Mount Victoria lookout and the Zealandia sanctuary, home to endemic birds, easily fill a day. The centre is compact: leave the motorhome at the holiday park and get around on foot or by bus.
Quick and efficient response
The car was very good. It's just that for tall people (I am 1.89m), it's short for sleeping lengthwise. With 20 cm more, it would have been more comfortable. But that's just something to know when you are tall. We also hadn't been really warned about the legislation regarding Self Contained vehicles in New Zealand. Since the vehicle did not meet these standards, we spent two months looking for free camping spots, often stressing about getting caught. But we faced zero fines in 2 months. Finally, the fridge never worked in the car, but we had just experienced that for a month and a half in Australia as well, so we were used to living without a fridge.
Reminder by phone, friendly welcome, quick responses to our questions... keep it up, until then, it's perfect...
A valid national licence written in English allows you to drive in New Zealand for a limited period after arrival. In another language, it must be accompanied by an international driving permit or an approved translation, to be shown at the Rongotai or Plimmerton depot. Each rental company also sets a minimum age and a minimum number of years of driving, stated in the offer conditions.
Regional parks, such as Kaitoke north of Upper Hutt, and the Department of Conservation's Catchpool campsite, in Remutaka Forest Park, offer simple pitches in the heart of nature. The holiday parks of Lower Hutt, the Kapiti Coast or the Wairarapa add showers, a shared kitchen and a dump station. In summer, book the most popular sites a few days ahead.
For a departure between mid-December and late January, book the vehicle several months ahead, then the crossing as soon as your dates are set: slots for long vehicles are the first to fill up. With only two rental companies in Wellington, the choice shrinks quickly. Outside the southern summer, a few weeks' notice is usually enough for both.
No: the Transmission Gully motorway, between Wellington and the Kapiti Coast, like the roads to the Wairarapa, Tongariro or Napier, is free. The country's few toll roads are around Auckland and Tauranga, with no barriers and online payment. The main travel cost to plan for is therefore the ferry to the South Island, on top of fuel.
Yes, Auckland, 493 km away as the crow flies, is also a departure city of our partners. Allow at least two days of driving, via Tongariro and Taupo or via Whanganui. Enter Auckland as your return city when searching: any one-way fees are then included in the displayed price, so you can compare offers transparently.
Wellington is the only one of our New Zealand departure points from which you can, on the same day, board a ferry to the South Island or head up to the volcanic heart of the North Island. A compact and lively capital, it also opens onto regions that travellers coming from Auckland pass through too quickly: the Wairarapa coast and Cape Palliser, the Martinborough vineyards, the Kapiti Coast, then Hawke's Bay and Napier.
Jucy Rentals and Pacific Horizon offer vehicles sleeping three to six, with one depot near the airport and another to the north, on the road to the Kapiti Coast. Christchurch, 305 km away as the crow flies across the strait, Queenstown and Auckland, other departure cities of our partners, make a one-way trip across the whole country possible. From December to March, the mild climate and long summer evenings make it an excellent starting point.
