EnglishPick up in Christchurch and camp your way across the South Island.
First trip to NZ? US$50 off·NEW50
ChristchurchNew Zealand’s freedom-camping law now runs on the green self-contained certificate, which requires a fixed toilet plumbed to a sealed tank. That green certificate has been mandatory for freedom camping since 7 June 2025. A car with a rooftop tent cannot meet that standard, and the old blue cards stopped counting on 7 June 2026. That applies around Christchurch as everywhere else, so we would rather tell you before you plan around it.
In zones restricted to certified self-contained vehicles, a rooftop-tent car simply does not qualify. The portable toilet in the kit does not change that under the current rules.
The Department of Conservation runs campsites nationwide with no self-containment requirement: Basic sites are free, Standard run NZ$10 to 20 per adult and Serviced NZ$20 to 28 with hot showers.
Commercial campgrounds welcome rooftop tents everywhere, with power, kitchens and laundry. Between DOC and the holiday parks, the itinerary loses nothing but the grey areas.
The standard rental exclusions apply here too: the ski-field access roads off SH73 near Arthur’s Pass are off-limits, beach driving is excluded, and longer gravel needs the operator’s approval.
The whole vehicle, tent fitted, kit included, you set it up yourself in minutes and fold it flat before driving. Not a tent rental for your own car, and never sold as self-contained.
The tent travels folded and secured, always. Setting up camp takes minutes; so does packing it away when the sandflies win.
In Christchurch the range runs from Lucky’s budget manual Roadie, automatic four-berth Rover and automatic three-berth Rambler to the Indie Adventure Standard 4x4 and Adventure Standard Select 4x4, and on to Britz’s four-berth Voyager flagship. Pick by budget, berths and how much gravel you have planned.
Bedding, kitchen kit and, on most models, a portable toilet and shower setup ride along. Useful at a Basic DOC site, but legally not a substitute for self-containment.
We only list what our booking engine confirms with the rooftop-tent filter on for Christchurch pick-up: six vehicles, from the budget Lucky Roadie (about €64 per day) and automatic Lucky Rover (about €88) to the Indie Adventure Standard 4x4 (about €117) and Adventure Standard Select 4x4 (about €119), the Lucky Rambler (about €138) and Britz’s four-berth Voyager (about €172). Run the search above for live dates.
The budget door into rooftop-tent travel from Christchurch, with kitchen kit and portable toilet and shower included. The automatic four-berth Lucky Rover (from about €88), Indie’s Adventure Standard 4x4 (about €117) and Adventure Standard Select 4x4 (about €119), the automatic three-berth Lucky Rambler (about €138) and Britz’s four-berth Voyager flagship (about €172) show on most Christchurch searches alongside it.
Over the crater rim to the harbour, with holiday parks in Akaroa and quiet bays beyond. All sealed, so any vehicle in the fleet handles it.
The sealed Great Alpine Highway climbs past Castle Hill to the pass and its DOC campsites. The ski-field access roads off it are typically excluded by the hire contract, so admire them from the highway.
Dark-sky country with lakeside campgrounds around Tekapo and Pukaki. Prefer the coast? Head north on SH1 to Kaikoura instead for whales and seaside camping.
You book on CampervanPlanet, but you rent from the company named in each offer: it hands over the vehicle and applies its own terms. Many offers take a deposit online, often 10 to 20% of the price, and the rest at pick-up; others are paid in full online. At pick-up the company holds a refundable security deposit on the main driver's card, with the amount shown in the offer.
Every offer names the rental company. Your rental contract is with that company, which hands over the vehicle and applies its own terms. CampervanPlanet compares the companies, handles the booking and payment, and supports you in your language.
Many offers take a deposit online and the rest at pick-up; others are paid in full. The payment plan is shown before you pay and again on your voucher. At pick-up the rental company holds a refundable security deposit on the main driver’s card, with the amount stated in the offer.
Each offer lists what is included, such as insurance, mileage and equipment, and anything paid locally, for example a one-way fee or optional extras. Prices on this page come from the CampervanPlanet price index of October 2026; the search shows live prices for your dates.
Our team answers by email and phone in your language, before and during your trip. If you cannot find what you need, send a quote request and we ask the rental companies for you. Contact us.
Ready to Explore the South Island from Christchurch?
Start your adventure today. Compare rooftop-tent cars and 4x4s, find the best deal, and drive the roads less travelled.
Search Rooftop Tent Campers NowExplore the best places to rent a campervan, motorhome, or RV worldwide
