Booking a campervan in Australia shoudn´t be a hard process if you follow a few simple rules. Looking for a perfect campervan that would suit all your needs can be a hard job to do, but booking a campervan in Australia is easier than you think. However, you can easily start to feel overwhelmed with all the options. What campervan for traveling around Australia should you choose?
It took us nearly a month to pick up the campervan till we were satisfied. We would like to help you and save you some time, so you can plan your perfect road trip instead. So let´s go through our TOP 10 things to know before booking campervan in Australia.
Don´t forget to visit our Reverse Travel Planning Strategy to help you with planning your next trip.
Here are our best tips to know before booking a campervan in Australia:
1. Early booking is the key
Try to book your campervan as soon as possible. That is one of the best things to do when booking campervan in Australia. A most of rental companies offer some kind of early book discount. We booked our campervan 8 months in advance and received 20% discount. Plus they gave us lots of cool stuff for free, like camping chairs and a table, a solar shower and GPS.
A great site where to start looking for a campervan and compare prices is HERE.
2. What do you need before booking a campervan in Australia?
Think carefully about what type of campervan will best suit all your needs. The size of a campervan depends on the number of travelers. How long are you going to travel for? If you are planning just a weekend getaway, you will probably be ok with just a small car. But if you planning a few months road trip, chances are you will need a bigger and more comfortable car. Also, would you like to ride an unsealed roads?Australia, more than any other country, is covered with unsealed roads, which are a great experience, but…not many rental companies will allowed you to do that. Do you need a fridge in a car? How many luggage will you travel with? Plan your trip, so you know, what you need.
3. Booking a campervan in Australia – When?
Try to plan your holidays according to seasons. Compare the prices in different cities and parts of Australia. The states currently off the season will have lower prices and higher availability of the cars. We started our road trip in Sydney in July, in the middle of winter and prices were much lower that time, than say in Darwin, which was
Try to plan your holidays according to seasons. Compare the prices in different cities and parts of Australia. The states currently off the season will have lower prices and higher availability of the cars. We started our road trip in Sydney in July, in the middle of winter and prices were much lower that time, than say in Darwin, which was in the middle of high season.
4. Hidden fees
Check the conditions of a rental company. Some rental companies charge extra fees for extra driver and unlimited km.
5. Plan in a circle
It is usually cheaper to return a campervan into the same city because most of the companies charge the one-way fee that can cost you couple hundred of dollars. So consider planning your road trip in a circle.
6. Be realistic
Allow yourself enough time to accomplish your road trip. Have a spare time if something happens along the way. If you decide to prolong your trip on the way, it might not be possible or it will be much more expensive.
7. Car essentials
Check the car equipment. Some rental companies offer some cool extra stuff, so it is always a good idea not to compare just prices but a car equipment too. How big is a water tank in your campervan? We would recommend you to have at least 20 liters water tank so you are secured with drinking water for few day. Does a rental company offer you a f
Check the car equipment. Some rental companies offer some cool extra stuff, so it is always a good idea not to compare just prices but a car equipment too. How big is a water tank in your campervan? We would recommend you to have at least 20 liters water tank so you are secured with drinking water for few day. Does a rental company offer you a fridge or just a cooler box in a campervan? So they lend you pillows and blankets and kitchen equipment? Compare the campervan offers in line with price and car equipment.
8. Discounts, discounts, discounts
Sometimes it is interesting to choose a rental company that offers some extra discounts. Especially bigger rental companies offer discounts for selected camps, tours, adventures…That might be an extra way for you to save money, especially if you know you would like to stay in those camps or visit these attractions.
9. Insurance, your best friend when booking a campervan in Australia
Check the car insurance policy. If it is possible, try to avoid any excess. Most companies offer some kind of damage waiver, which reduces financial responsibility for loss or damage to the car. And some even reduces excess in full. That is the best option to go with. Once we did not listen to our instincts and we paid for it. It was one of the most expensive mistakes we have ever done. Also, be prepared to pay a bond, if you decide not to go with a car insurance. The rental company will take a copy of your credit card details in case of a loss or damage to the car.
10. Rental conditions
Check the rental agreement. Some rental companies include some limitations you should be aware of. Like driving the car during the night. Some companies forbid to drive the car during the night, or more accurately from down to dusk. If you do so and you have an accident your insurance does not cover you. But even if you are allowed to drive the car after dark, we do not recommend to do it. There are so many animals around the roads, kangaroos, wombats and even cows. And believe me, you will not see them coming. You might end up killing yourself and the animal and you do not want to do that. But anyway, check the rental agreement to be aware what you are allowed or not allowed to do.
Did you travel around Australia in a campervan? What are the best things to know before booking a campervan in Australia? Let us know in comments below 🙂 Do you have more tips to share? Let´s us know one tip for booking a campervan in Australia. Also, if you like the post, do not forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more tips and useful information 🙂
