[GYBlues]

Hi we are planning to hire a motorhome for a week and drive from ChCh to Auckland in Feb next year.

We are looking for suggestions of places to stop and visit en route.

It would be great If you can help with information on sites where we can stay overnight.

Is there an association that we should be looking for to ensure certain standards on the sites?

Are there many companies that hire decent 5/6 berth vans?

Thanks

Andrew & Tracy:exit

[tim&em]

Hi Andrew & Tracy

That's a long drive, but perfectly do-able over a week, if you're not planning on stopping anywhere for too long.

The obvious places to stay and visit, if you are taking a straight line without detouring much are:

Kaikoura (or Hanmer Springs)
Nelson or Picton
Wellington
Taupo and/or Rotorua

Also, definitely recommend visiting the Coromandel on your way to Auckland and Hawkes Bay if you don't mind the detours.

You will miss most of the highlights of South Island, but if you're heading north and have to be in Auckland a week later then that can't really be helped.

Worth checking out http://www.top10.co.nz/# for places to stay.

Don't know about 5/6 berth vans but you should be able to see if you lookup the websites of the main operators - Kea, Britz, Maui etc. Sorry, can't really recommend anyone because we've never rented a camper.

I'm sure the other posters on this forum will be happy to provide loads more suggestions...especially if you post a basic itinerary and ask for comments.

Happy planning!

Tim.

[mylesdw]

Various hire firms around the airport, there's links in other threads and you'll find them in Yellow Pages too.

You can get some really good deals for taking a camper back to Auckland because most people do the trip heading south. Last time I enquired they gave 4 days free hire and the ferry ticket. You pay fuel and extra days.

[Manks]

Should be reasonably doable in a week and, as the others have said, you may get a good deal on a camper.

The most common campers we saw on the road while we were out there were: Kea, Britz, Maui, Apollo, Cheapa Campers, Pacific Horizon We booked through Backpacker, who were cheap but the vans are not the best condition.

I would ditto tim&em with saying good stop-off places would be:
Kaikoura (Hanmer may be pushing it as it's a detour and may be difficult to achieve in your timescales)
Picton to have a look around the Queen Charlotte Sound
Welly
Taupo will probably be an easier stop-off than Rotorua (considering driving times) and you can stop off in Rotorua for a break on the way through to Auckland if you fancy it.

This will give you time to stop off briefly in some places so you're not spending your whole time driving.

I also second the use of Top 10 campsites. They are all different in their own unique ways but they all have to reach a certain standard. I can certainly recommend the sites in Kaikoura, Picton and Taupo. Didn't really see much of the site in Rotorua!

Have fun!

[norma]

We used United campervans as they came out a bit cheaper than some of the big names:

http://www.campervan.co.nz/