Campervan Hire Christchurch — Banks Peninsula, Arthur's Pass, Tekapo and Tips for 2027

Christchurch is the main gateway to the South Island. Most campervan trips start here and head south towards Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook and Queenstown, west over Arthur's Pass to the West Coast, or north to Kaikōura. Rental depots are usually near the airport, outside the city centre, so you pick the campervan up when you are already leaving town. This guide covers routes, overnight stops and the rules that visitors most often run into.

Routes from Christchurch

• Akaroa and Banks Peninsula (about 80 km, one and a half hours): a harbour town founded by French settlers, on the crater rim of an old volcano. The road is narrow and winding, so drive slowly in a large vehicle. In the harbour you can take a boat trip to see the small Hector's dolphins.
• Arthur's Pass (about 150 km, two hours): State Highway 73 crosses the Southern Alps. Walk to the Devil's Punchbowl waterfall and keep an eye out for the cheeky kea parrots in the car parks. The road continues to the West Coast.
• Hanmer Springs (about 130 km): thermal pools, a good stop in the cooler months.
• Kaikōura (about 180 km, two and a half hours): whale watching and fur seals on the coast; the road runs mostly along the sea.
• Lake Tekapo and Aoraki/Mount Cook (Tekapo about 230 km, three hours; Mount Cook village about 105 km further): the Church of the Good Shepherd, turquoise glacial lakes, one of the darkest night skies in the world in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, and the Hooker Valley Track.
• Queenstown (about 480 km): see our guide to campervan hire in Queenstown.

A loop around the South Island with Tekapo, Queenstown, the West Coast and Arthur's Pass takes at least about ten days, because the roads are slower than the distances suggest.

Where to stay overnight

• Holiday parks. Commercial campgrounds with powered sites, showers and a kitchen. They are the simplest option, especially in the first days.
• DOC campgrounds. The Department of Conservation runs basic and cheap campgrounds in beautiful places; at the busier ones you book online in advance.
• Freedom camping. It is allowed only where signs permit it, and in many council areas only for vehicles that are certified self-contained. Rules were tightened in recent years, and fines of NZ$400 are mentioned by the ministry, so do not improvise: ask your rental company whether your vehicle is certified and read the signs. More in our guide to freedom camping in New Zealand.

Driving tips

• Left-hand traffic. Take the first day easy, especially on roundabouts and when leaving car parks.
• Slow roads. Winding mountain roads and one-lane bridges, especially on the West Coast, make journeys longer than the kilometres suggest. Fuel stations can be far apart, so fill up when you can.
• Winter. From June to August the Arthur's Pass road and the mountain passes can be icy and may require snow chains. Some rental companies restrict driving in winter, so read the contract.
• Onward to the North Island. The Cook Strait ferry leaves from Picton, about 330 km from Christchurch; book it early and see our guide to campervan hire in Wellington.

When to go

Summer, from December to February, is the high season, with the longest days and the highest prices. Lupins bloom around Lake Tekapo in late November and December. March and April are calmer, with settled weather and cool nights. Winter brings snow in the mountains and cold nights, but also quiet roads and ski fields.

A campervan in Christchurch through Crystalium Booker

We are still building our campervan offer in Christchurch. Send us your dates and group size through the contact page and we will look for a vehicle for you, and keep an eye on the campervans in Christchurch page for new listings. Do you rent out a campervan in or around Christchurch? List it with us.