New Zealand North Island: the perfect backdrop for a bucket-list adventure!
New Zealand is famed for its otherworldly natural beauty, with mountains, geysers, volcanoes and lush forests peppering this extra special country’s natural terrain.
Add to that the mesmerising indigenous Māori culture, the happy, smiling faces of the local Kiwi residents, and an abundance of diverse wildlife that really will make your jaw drop, and the picture becomes pretty clear as to why New Zealand is the top choice for avid explorers the world over!
If you are already sold on the beauty, culture, adventure and absolute dreaminess of New Zealand, then now it is time to get planning! But where to start? With so many options to choose between, so many gems (hidden and otherwise) waiting to be discovered, and two very unique islands to navigate, Summer Campers understand that transitioning from ‘I want to experience New Zealand!’ to ‘I have my itinerary fleshed out, flights booked, and the campervan I have been dreaming about reserved!’ can be daunting, to say the least.
But have no fear: we are here to help! Summer Campers are the go-to experts on all things New Zealand – and we love nothing more than sharing our expertise with the next wave of intrepid explorers gearing up to descend upon New Zealand’s magical soil.
So first thing’s first: why is the North Island so special?
1. Never-ending summer – especially the more north you go!
The North Island of New Zealand enjoys typically mild winters and subtropical summers, making it a real year-round travel playground. The sunny weather extends to a warmth and brightness across the North Island, from the people to the wildlife, the landscape to the overall vibe. What can we say, we love a (never-ending) summer spent on the North Island!
2. Where the city meets the sea!
New Zealand’s North Island has the perfect mix of city vibes, from the capital city Auckland to the super-charming Wellington, a small city that expertly blends culture with cuisine, and history with nature. And the fun doesn’t stop at city-life: the North Island is home to a plethora of super-cute surf towns too, like Raglan and Gisborne. You can get your cosmopolitan fix one day and soak up beachy, island vibes the next. What a combo!
3. Take your pick of epic campsites!
The North Island is host to a wide selection of campsites, each with their own character and unique selling points.
If going completely off-grid intrigues you (bye-bye phone signal!) then Waikahoa Bay Campsite definitely has your name on it! Set on an actual beach, this beauty is a three hours’ drive north of Auckland, and oh-so worth the journey. Wake up – and fall asleep – to the gentle sound of the crashing waves just meters away from your campervan, and in between Mother Nature’s meditation soundtrack you can enjoy the many water sports available during the daylight hours. Absolute chill vibes – and we absolutely love it.
Red Rocks is right near Wellington, and is a freedom camping site (more on that later!) making it an incredibly wallet-friendly option. If you packed your hiking boots then now is the time to dig them out, because Red Rocks is a formation of ancient volcanic rocks just begging to be explored. Hugging the southern coast of the North Island, rambling along the coast and basking in the wild scenery is both a breathtaking and incredibly relaxing experience. Take a moment to pause and breathe in that sea-salty air: it doesn’t get much better than this.
Also right near Wellington is Evans Bay Marina, another freedom camping spot that is perfectly positioned to be your home while you explore – and party in – Wellington! Boasting views over Wellington harbour and located only 20 minutes from the ferry terminal that will get you from A (the North Island) to B (the South Island), this site is a convenient option for all the reasons. A cheeky insider-knowledge campsite, if you will!
Want to know Summer Campers’ top tips for exploring the North Island?
1. Book in advance if you are travelling to New Zealand during peak season!
In the Southern Hemisphere December, January and February is the summer season, with local Kiwis, their Aussie neighbours and international tourists heading to New Zealand to bask in the warm weather. This increased influx of both domestic and international travellers results in, let’s say, competition to secure bookings for most amenities, across the spectrum of flights, hotels, restaurants, activities and car and campervan rentals.
Increased demand can also result in increased prices (you’ve got to love that dynamic pricing…) so if you are dead-set on spending the summer months in New Zealand, booking your moving parts well in advance can help you to secure more reasonable fares, plus offer you a wider selection of available options too.
2. Decide how you want to camp!
Traditional camping versus freedom camping…the choice is yours!
In a nutshell, traditional camping follows the age-old formula of making a booking to spend the night at a campsite. These sites will provide access to electrical charging ports, facilities to dump your waste water, and provision to refill your water tanks before you depart. For a fee, of course.
Freedom camping does what it says on the tin, allowing you to camp in remote, untouched – and absolutely stunning – locations, for free. The catch? You need to be camping in a vehicle the New Zealand government has awarded the status of ‘self-contained’, complete with the blue badge that comes with it displayed in the campervan windows. The good news is that accessing freedom camping is as simple as making sure you reserve a self-contained campervan, which Summer Campers can definitely help you with!
For more details on freedom camping, you can check out our blog post all about the topic here.
3. Make sure you get the best campervan deal!
Don’t let unknown extra charges, a lack of necessary equipment (bed sheets and towels, we are looking at you!) or a lack of flexibility with booking dates (plans change, that’s life!) put a damper on your epic road trip. Pick your campervan provider carefully – not all providers, and agents, are made equal…
We are not biased when we say this: Summer Campers are the most transparent, most flexible, and most comprehensive campervan provider on the market. And you don’t just have to take our word for it: check out the FAQ’s we receive here, and prepare to feel extremely impressed and comforted when you read our (honest) answers.
Ready to make plans to explore New Zealand’s North Island?
It’s time to reserve your home-away-from-home: your campervan!
Check out our super-simple booking engine and review the selection of campervans available for your dates. Set your criteria (capacity, facilities, self-contained, etc) and refine your search to reveal a shortlist of campervans perfect for you.
Then make your booking! We provide instant confirmation across most of our bookings, meaning within minutes you can go from (travel) zero to travel HERO and start getting excited about your New Zealand voyage!
