A caravan, a car and a general sense of direction. You won’t need much more for a caravan adventure in New Zealand. There’s something about driving on the open road that instils the notion that anything is possible. Cruise between campgrounds and enjoy taking it slow. It’s one of the best parts of caravan travel. Plus, everything you need for a cosy night is packed into the van in tow. Settle your own vehicle first, because each caravan below is hired to be towed, so you need a towbar and a braked rating above its laden weight. With caravans available for hire across the country on Camplify, all that’s left to do is pick the van that suits your needs, and decide which road trip route to take.
1. Happy Days
One of the best character-filled caravans for hire in Christchurch on Camplify is ‘Happy Days’. A 1981 Elmonte classic, it transports you to a 1950s American diner with black and white checked lino and marine blue vinyl squabs. Whitewashed walls and near floor-length front windows make the interior feel far more spacious than it is. If you’re on the hunt for a Christchurch caravan rental, Happy Days sleeps four inside with room for two more under the awning. Hook her on the back and discover the tastes of the North Canterbury wine region in the Waipara Valley, or head for the mountains in Arthur’s Pass National Park. The listing puts the gross trailer mass at 1,000 kg on a 50 mm towball, so she is one of the lighter caravans to pull, with pantry basics, a fridge and heating aboard.
2. Bailey Ranger 6 Berth
The trusty Bailey Ranger 6 Berth is a six-berth adventure machine, meaning there’s no shortage of space. As far as Christchurch caravan rental options go, Bailey is ideal for family holidays. She sleeps six, with a fixed double at the rear, a lounge that converts into a second double and a side dinette that drops into bunks. Roll up to a scenic campsite and unhook this caravan which will become your dining, sleeping and lounging quarters for your trip. Once you’re settled, you and the family can explore the local area by car, though that car needs a rating above 1,300 kg and a 50 mm high-rise Euro coupling. Delivery is offered if you’d rather not tow, and the listing records the caravan as certified self-contained, with pets firmly ruled out.
3. NZ4u2u 2023 2 berth
The recipe for a carefree caravan trip around the South Island is good company and something light on the towbar. This 2023 Bailey Phoenix two-berth sits at 1,200 kg gross trailer mass, and the owner describes these vans as braked and light enough for a sedan to tow without an electric brake controller. The lounge converts into two single beds, and behind it sit a kitchen with fridge and freezer, a shower and a separate toilet. Solar panels keep the batteries up, and the listing records it as certified self-contained, which shapes where you can legally stop. Heating, an awning and a gas bottle are included, and the owner will consider pets on request. Four days is the minimum hire, about the least you’d want for a loop out to Akaroa and up to Hanmer Springs.
4. Dream Catcher 5 Berth
Embrace the caravan life with a getaway in Dream Catcher, a five-berth Knaus with a permanent double at the front and triple bunks at the rear. The bunks are the feature the kids will argue over, and two privacy dividers shut the sleeping areas off from the rest of the van. Full internal gas heating suits a ski week in the Canterbury high country as readily as a fortnight by the sea. A shower, toilet, three-burner stove and fridge freezer keep you off the campground kitchen, and the listing records it as certified self-contained for five people over three days, with solar and an external grey water tank. Towing calls for a vehicle rated to 1,500 kg and a 50 mm towball to suit the stabiliser coupling. Pets are welcome, which makes a run up to Kaikōura or over the hill to Akaroa simpler to plan.
5. Florence
Florence is perhaps the sweetest little caravan you can rent in Christchurch. A 1966 Cresta Craft in white and emerald green, she keeps her original golden woodwork and period furnishings, so you can experience retro camping in comfort. She sleeps three, with booth seating that converts into a single bed alongside a small double. Pick up this van in Christchurch and the awning comes with it, though cooking inside isn’t permitted, so add the barbecue hire for anything beyond the kettle. If you’re travelling in the cooler months, Florence has a fan heater which keeps the space cosy. Charming touches will make you appreciate the little things, like a hot cuppa on a crisp morning, at your new favourite beachside campsite.
Self-containment belongs to the caravan rather than to the person towing it, and since 7 June 2026 the green warrant is the only certificate still valid. Freedom camping without one, where certification is required, carries a $400 infringement fee that follows the caravan you’ve hired, so confirm the warrant with the owner. Compare the full range of caravan hire, or widen the search across Canterbury, and let the South Island do the rest.
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