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With border restrictions relaxed, Australia has been welcoming travellers from all over the world. Many has chosen hit the road with a campervan to experience Australia in the closest way possible. And it is in fact the best way to see the jewels of the nation. Nothing beats the freedom that a home on wheel gives. Imagine waking up to the sight of wildlife like kangaroos or wombats, picnicking by the beach and surfing the coast, or watching the sunset over the majestic Uluru Rock. Travelling in an RV is the best way to get there and soak it all in.
With the increasing demand of campervan rentals, plus the challenges caused by supply chain shortages, vehicle availability has been tight. And that has also reflected on the prices. What if we tell you that there is a way to travel smart and save on your rental? As a campervan rental specialist, we’ve done extensive research to create this guide that will help you save thousands of dollars on your rental.
Tip 1: Save on renting a campervan with the help of the Australian Climate
Australia’s weather encourages travel in different parts of the country during different times of the year.
For Spring and Summer (Nov – Mar), the weather is perfect for travelling in the South and East Coast. That includes Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmania, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth etc
For Autumn and Winter (Apr – Oct), while it’s cold and wet in the south east, it’s the dry season up north and the weather is mild. That makes it perfect to hire an RV in places like Darwin, Broome and Alice Springs.
The tip to saving money, is not to travel during the low seasons. Yes, prices will be low but there’s no fun to be road-tripping in cold and wet Melbourne during winter.
The trick is to do one-way rentals in the shoulder season.
For example: In September, campervan operators will be looking for people to pick-up from the North and drop off in the East. And to encourage this, they would launch special offers with huge discounts and often waive the One-Way Fees. There is in fact a special offer from 30 Dec to 30 Jan with 25% discount on the rates.
So how much exactly would you be saving?
A 14 days rental in July for a basic hitop campervan from Darwin-Sydney starts from $4200
A 14 days rental in September for a basic hitop campervan from Darwin-Sydney starts from $2800
That is a whopping $1400 savings there. Plus, you’ll get to see different regions and the weather would still be great.
Read Also : 8 Ways Of Saving Money Before You Plan A Road Trip
Tip 2: Take advantage of the Early Bird, Long Hire and Multi Hire Discounts to save money
Early Bird discounts are typically offered if you book from 90 or 180 days ahead.
Long Hire discounts are usually for rentals 21 days and above.
And Multi Hire Discount (often not advertised), is available when you hire two or more vehicles. It could be two campers, or a car and a camper. All you need to do is send us an email at [email protected] to ask.
Depending on the current offer, you can save approximately 5-8% on rental prices.
Tip 3: Take note of public and school holidays while travelling.
This tip sounds like a no brainer, yet it is so often overlooked.
The good news is, we’ve done the work for you and here’s a list of Australia’s 2023 school holidays for major campervan hire cities. Avoid, avoid and avoid if you do not want to be paying a premium.
Australia School Holidays 2023
Sydney, New South Wales
Autumn: 10 – 21 Apr 2023
Winter: 3 – 14 Jul 2023
Spring: 25 Sep – 6 Oct 2023
Summer:20 Dec 2023 – 29 Jan 2024
Melbourne, Victoria
Autumn: 7 – 23 Apr 2023
Winter: 24 Jun – 9 Jul 2023
Spring: 16 Sep – 1 Oct 2023
Summer:21 Dec 2023 – 29 Jan 2024
Adelaide, South Australia
Autumn: 15 – 30 Apr 2023
Winter: 8 – 23 Jul 2023
Spring: 30 Sep – 15 Oct 2023
Summer:16 Dec 2023, 28 Jan 2024
Brisbane and Cairns, Queensland
Autumn: 1 – 16 Apr 2023
Winter: 24 Jun – 9 Jul 2023
Spring: 16 Sep – 2 Oct 2023
Summer:9 Dec 2023 – 21 Jan 2024
Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania
Autumn: 6 - 25 Apr 2023
Winter: 8 – 24 Jul 2023
Spring: 30 Sep – 15 Oct 2023
Summer:22 Dec 2023 - TBA
Perth and Broome, Western Australia
Autumn: 7 – 23 Apr 2023
Winter: 1 – 16 Jul 2023
Spring: 23 Sep – 8 Oct 2023
Summer:15 Dec 2023 – 30 Jan 2024
Darwin and Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Autumn: 7 – 16 Apr 2023
Winter: 24 Jun – 17 Jul 2023
Spring: 23 Sep – 8 Oct 2023
Summer:16 Dec 2023 – 29 Jan 2024
With these useful tips, it’s time to bring out your calendar and map to plan for an epic road trip. Worried about not having a travel partner? Do know that Aussie Campervans offers pet friendly rentals as well? We also have tips and trick on how to travel with a pet.
