EnglishPick up in Sydney, drive to the Blue Mountains, sleep on the roof.
First trip to Australia? US$50 off·NEW50
This is not a tent you strap to your own car: you hire the whole vehicle with the rooftop tent fitted, bedding inside and the kitchen kit in the back. Climb the ladder, sleep above the ground, fold it away and drive.
The tent travels folded and secured, always. Driving with it open is off the table for safety and under every rental agreement.
Quick to put up and quicker to fold away, with no hunting for level ground to pitch on. The exact drill varies by model, so give it one practice run at pick-up.
Most rooftop tents sleep two, and the bigger setups with two tents on the roof take four or five. Check the exact berth count on each vehicle’s card before booking.
Rooftop tents cope well with ordinary camping weather; if the wind really picks up, fold the tent away for the night as you would with any tent. Plan exposed coastal nights accordingly.
Two rulebooks apply: the parks decide where you sleep, and the rental contract decides where you drive. Both are friendlier than you fear if you play them straight.
Free camping is generally not allowed inside Australia's national parks: you book a designated campground, and several states sell the permit online per person and night. With a rooftop tent you want a level parking bay rather than a tent pad, so book a drive-in site before you set off.
Every hire contract draws the same lines: the Simpson Desert and Old Telegraph Track are off-limits, beach driving is barred, and remote legends like the Oodnadatta Track need the operator's written permission first. The tent on the roof changes none of that, so plan routes the contract actually allows.
The climate around Sydney is on your side most of the year. Summer fills the coastal campgrounds, so book ahead; winter nights in the Blue Mountains drop close to zero, so pack proper bedding for the tent.
You sleep upstairs wherever a car can legally camp, and in town you park like a car. The trade: no standing room and no built-in bathroom on most models. You live outside, which is rather the point.
We only list what our booking engine confirms with the rooftop-tent filter on: four 4x4 models bookable out of Sydney, from Indie’s Adventure Standard at about €99 per day up to the Desert Sands, which sleeps five.
The flagship: Britz’s dual-cab 4x4 with two rooftop tents, a slide-out kitchen with sink and two-burner stove, fridge, 270° awning and snorkel, bookable straight out of Sydney. There is no toilet or shower on board. Indie’s Adventure Standard (from about €99) and Adventure Standard Select, plus Campervan Village’s Desert Sands with two hard-shell tents and room for five, complete the Sydney line-up.
Two hours from pick-up you are at the escarpment lookouts, with bush campgrounds in the valleys below. The perfect shakedown weekend before a longer trip.
The Grand Pacific Drive out of the city, then white-sand beaches and book-ahead national park campgrounds all the way down. Short days, big scenery.
Beach-town campgrounds the whole way up, short driving days, and a tent that packs down faster than the morning coffee. The classic first trip.
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Search Rooftop Tent Campers NowThe questions travellers ask our team most before they book a campervan, answered in plain words.
Tell us your dates and route. Our team checks with the rental companies and usually replies within 2 hours.
Ask our teamYes, many companies allow one-way trips between their depots. A one-way fee usually applies and depends on the route and season. Choose a different drop-off location in the search to see the offers. If your route doesn't appear, send us a quote request and we'll ask the rental companies.
Almost every company holds a refundable deposit on the main driver's credit card at pick-up. The amount depends on the company, the vehicle and the insurance you choose: higher protection plans lower it, and each offer shows the amount before you book. How soon the deposit is released after a damage-free return depends on the rental company.
Every rental includes the compulsory third-party insurance required by local law, and most also include basic damage cover with an excess. You can reduce the excess with the company's protection plans when you book, and many companies also sell them at the counter. The cover and excess of each plan are listed in the offer.
It depends on the offer. Many bookings take a deposit online (often 10–20%) and the rest at pick-up, while others are paid in full. The payment plan is shown before you pay and again on your voucher.
You book a vehicle category. The number of seats and berths shown is what you get, but the exact model, layout or colour can vary within that category, as each rental company decides.
Yes, subject to availability. Contact us or use My Account: date changes may change the price, and an extra driver can usually be added for a fee.
Each depot sets its pick-up hours, and your voucher includes the address and instructions. Some airport depots run a shuttle or are a short taxi ride away. If your flight lands late, tell us when you book so we can confirm a time with the depot.
Send us a quote request with your dates, route and needs, for example a toilet and shower, automatic or a small budget van. Our team checks with the rental companies and replies with options, usually within 2 hours.
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