the RatPack Way
The 5* Booking Service for Australia & New Zealand
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Australia
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New Zealand
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Australia
- Adelaide
- Alice Springs
- Brisbane
- Cairns
- Darwin
- Gold Coast
- Hobart
- Perth
- Melbourne
- Sydney
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New Zealand
- Auckland
- Christchurch
- Queenstown
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Our Customers Say it Best
Ben and Grace were so helpful helping us pick out and giving us advice on what sort of vehicle would be best for us. They made it a stress free experience by sending us our options, talking us through them and then finding us the best deals. Can’t thank them enough!
James from RatPack was very helpful in finding us the ideal van for our upcoming holiday. Thanks James
Great info from George and he got me a good deal. Found out a lot more rebate motor home hire packages. Trrrific to deal with.
James was great to deal with. Got me a wonderful deal and was very helpful and friendly.
Brilliant service, we were put at ease straight away and every question was answered thoroughly. Reuben was very friendly and had good tips on where to go during our stay. A great asset to RatPack travel, thank you very much Bill and Marie
A massive thank you to Shaun who’s been very patient with a disorganised group of friends, who managed to secure an amazing deal for us at relatively short notice! Couldn’t recommend enough!
We rented three different campervans for various stages of our trip around Australia and Ryan was extremely patient and helpful! Minor adjustments were no issue at all and undoubtedly, Ryan saved us countless hours of research on our own. All 3 campervans were great and having the full insurance helped us focus on enjoying our vacation worry free. Highly recommend!
Reuben was friendly and professional dedicated to helping us choose the right van Many thanks
Ben was amazing!! Quick response, immediate care-taking of our request. More than friendly, very competent, all you could wish for consultingwise and even better :)! He went the extra mile and found a solution we’d never have found on our own! Thank you so much. If you need any camper-van-booking-advice, go for RatPack. Highly recommended!
James was really helpful with breaking down the costs and logistics of everything. Very good service!
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Meet our Experienced RatPack Team
British
Travel Guru
I'm Mike (not to be mistaken for Mikey), like Mikey though I'm also from Manchester in the UK......
British
Travel Guru
I first came to Oz on a 1-year working holiday and have settled here in Byron Bay... ...
British
Social Media & Marketing
About 2 years ago now, I headed off to Australia on my gap yahhh (really not a fan of that term...
British
Travel Guru
I spent my time at home being king of the BBQ at Nandos flipping chicken before I decided that...
Aussie
Travel Guru
Originally born in Zimbabwe, I moved to The Land of Oz when I was super young...
German
Travel Guru
Home is where my passport is… My roots lie in East Germany but I’ve spent most of my life on the...
British
Owner and Operator
You can never EVER forget where your from – In my case Manchester, UK. But for now and for...
- Sammy
British
Owner and Operator
You can never EVER forget where your from – In my case Manchester, UK. But for now and for...
- Jules
German
Travel Guru
Home is where my passport is… My roots lie in East Germany but I’ve spent most of my life on the...
- Tyla
Aussie
Travel Guru
Originally born in Zimbabwe, I moved to The Land of Oz when I was super young...
- Mikey
British
Travel Guru
I spent my time at home being king of the BBQ at Nandos flipping chicken before I decided that...
- Holly
British
Social Media & Marketing
About 2 years ago now, I headed off to Australia on my gap yahhh (really not a fan of that term...
- Reuben
British
Travel Guru
I first came to Oz on a 1-year working holiday and have settled here in Byron Bay... ...
- Mike
British
Travel Guru
I'm Mike (not to be mistaken for Mikey), like Mikey though I'm also from Manchester in the UK......
Travel questions? We can help.
Answer:
If you aren’t blessed with a lot of time then the one-day tours are a great option. On a one-day trip, you will see Hill Inlet and Whitehaven beach and have some time to snorkel some of the amazing reefs around the islands.
Our preferred duration if you have the time is a 2 day 2 night tour. The Whitsundays is made up of 74 tropical islands so the multi-day trips allow you to sail in the day and sleep under the stars by night. This is our preferred option when it comes to exploring the islands to the maximum.
On all trips, stinger suits (these are mandatory to stop you from getting stung by any jellyfish) and snorkel equipment are all-inclusive as part of the cost.
QUESTION BY:
Ryan Daly – UK
September 20, 2022
Answer:
We always suggest visiting Fraser Island for 3 days 2 nights. Fraser is VAST and this is no ordinary island. The island has over 100 freshwater lakes and has some natural spots that simply can’t be missed.
The top spots you will visit on a 3-day 2 night tour include Central Station, Lake Wabby, Eli Creek, Maheno Ship Wreck, Indian Head, Champagne Pools and Lake Mckenzie.
We’ve hand-picked the best-rated and most affordable trips to save you the headache. Head over to the Book Now section and hit the Fraser Island tab. Follow the prompts and select the vibe that you are looking for. Our sit will then show you the best possible options for your dates.
QUESTION BY:
Jasmine Morrison – UK
April 2, 2022
Answer:
Firstly there is no right or wrong place to start your East Coast trip when it comes to starting in the South / North.
Most people start their trip in either Melbourne or Sydney and finish in Cairns or vice versa.
We always suggest getting in touch with us before booking flights especially if you are booking a campervan rental and tours as there is often a period throughout the year when there is fewer campervan rental in certain areas. You can often guarantee your self availablity and a CHEAPER price if you get in touch prior to booking those flights.
QUESTION BY:
Max Gokhale – UK
June 19, 2022
Answer:
There are three trips on the East Coast that you need to plan in advance if you want to visit. They are Fraser Island, Whitsundays & The Great Barrier Reef.
The reason these three locations are a must when it comes to booking a trip is down to a few factors. Availability is the biggest reason to pre-book as the best-rated most affordable trips don’t depart every day, for this reason, tours get booked out 3 – 4 weeks in advance.
For the Great Barrier Reef and The Whitsundays, you need a boat to visit these areas. For obvious reasons, not many people travel with their own super yacht/sailing vessel. For this reason, a tour is a MUST : )
As for Fraser Island, you need a 4×4 offroad vehicle to get around on the island. It works out WAY more affordable to do what is called an organized tag-along tour. This is when a company provides you and a group of BackPackers with a jeep and a tour guide and you are good to GO!
Check out the tours for these areas on our Book a Tour tab and you can select the most suitable vibe.
QUESTION BY:
Dale Driver – UK
December 3, 2022
Answer:
Super easy, so picking up and dropping off the campervan rental is similar to that of a check-in and check-out time at a hotel. Depending on the camper company we help you book the times will vary. With most companies, you can pick it up anytime from 10 am onwards.
You can arrive at the depot earlier if you wish however the camper company can not guarantee the campervan will be ready as they need to service and clean the vehicle from the previous customer. If the campervan is ready and the documents are signed then they will be more than happy to of course release the camper earlier to you : )
The drop-off time can then be anytime before the close of business. This with most companies is between 3 and 4 pm in the afternoon on the final day. When we make the final reservation for you we will ensure that we supply the exact times to you.
QUESTION BY:
Katie Dutta – UK
October 17, 2022
Answer:
Super easy you will only need to plug into powered campsites if you would like to charge anything that is a 240-volt appliance. ie a laptop, large camera, hair dryer etc.
The majority of campervans have a secondary battery that is charged by the engine when you drive. Providing you drive the campervan for a few hours each days the second battery will remain charged. If you decide to remain stationary for a few days then you can pay the campsite for a powered site where you can then charge the battery.
The second battery also charges the 12-volt fridge so that you can remain off-grid as you travel. Not all campers come with fridges, when you get in touch we’ll give you all the spec details for each available camper so you can decide the best one that fits your budget.
QUESTION BY:
Karl Osborne – UK
November 11, 2022
Answer:
We specialise in saving you money on campervan rentals and tours. We don’t book the ferry crossing from the North to the South Island as we can’t save you money here so it’s best to book direct. There are two companies…
Blue Bridge & Inter Islander run multiple ferry departures from Wellington to Picton (and vice versa). As a rough guide, we always suggest you spend 1/3 of your time on the North Island and 2/3 of your time on the South Island. This rough guide will help you decide on a booking date for your ferry crossing.
Out of season (winter months), you can be a little more spontaneous when it comes to booking the ferry in advance. If you are travelling in the peak season of December – February we suggest booking the ferry in advance.
QUESTION BY:
Daniel Adamiec – UK
August 15, 2022
Answer:
This is by far the most common question we get asked. The price of a camper will depend on a few factors. The first one is the style of camper you are looking to hire. For example, a large 6-person motorhome with a toilet and shower will be more expensive than a budget backpacker style 2 seater 2 sleeper which is a large car with a bed in the back and a basic kitchen!
Another varying factor when it comes to price is how last minute the booking is, booking in advance is ALWAYS cheaper… when the camper companies have more stock they release lower rates. As the availability diminishes the rates increase!
The season also dictates the daily rental rate. IE if you are picking up a campervan in December around Christmas expect the rates to be higher than travelling in the winter months (June, July and August). Submit your travel dates and locations then we’ll get back to you with the best-rated most affordable options.
Read more about How to Hire a Campervan Rental in Australia in our blog that covers it all!
QUESTION BY:
Sophie Wilkins – UK
March 24, 2022
Answer:
Again… This one will save you money before we even apply our discount! All the camper companies have a depot in the major cities: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Cairns. Avoid the smaller depots like The Gold Coast as there are only a few companies that operate in the smaller locations so the price in areas like this is, therefore, more expensive!
TOP TIP: Our best advice is to book your campervan before booking flights, at certain times of the year there will be more available in the south meaning you will get a cheaper rate on the camper as there will be more stock. As we always say there are LOTS of flights every day but there are limited campervans. Get in touch before booking the flights and we will send over the best-rated, most affordable options.
QUESTION BY:
Holly Harris – UK
February 20, 2022
Answer:
This one will save you money before we even apply our discount! All the camper companies have a depot in Auckland and a depot in Christchurch. Only two companies have a depot in Queenstown making a pickup / drop off here a LOT more expensive!
TOP TIP: Our best advice is to book your campervan before booking flights as a pick up in the South Island (Christchurch) and a drop off back to the North Island (Auckland) can often be cheaper. When we jump on a call to go over options we will let you know the cost difference between the two main drop-off locations!
QUESTION BY:
Russell Henning – UK
October 19, 2022
Answer:
Freedom or free camping in Australia is possible, but it isn’t allowed just anywhere. There are specifically designated areas across the country that are either free or very inexpensive. You’ll find some EPIC free camps as you travel.
We can provide you with some free camp guides and apps to help you easily find the best free spots. When you jump on a call with one of our team be sure to ask where their favourite spots are… we’re always happy to
There are HEAPS (lots) of these FREE campsites around Oz and we’ll help you find them!
QUESTION BY:
Jake Finley – UK
April 9, 2022
Answer:
Freedom camping is allowed on some sections of public conservation land (these are owned by the Department of Conservation aka DOC), the doc sites that allow camping will be clearly signposted. There are also sections of land that are owned by local councils that allow camping.
There are HEAPS (lots) of these FREE campsites around NZ. When Sammy the owner and operator at RatPack last visited NZ he only stayed in 5 paid campsites (for a hot shower) over a 6-week trip!
In order to stay at these freedom camping spots you will require a campervan that is ‘self-contained’. When we explain the options to you we will always go over which ones are classed as ‘self-contained’.
QUESTION BY:
Lydia Collins – UK
February 21, 2022
Answer:
We have relationships with the reputable camper companies in both Australia & New Zealand! Our service is FREE and once we have found you the perfect option for your roadie we’ll apply a discount!
Once we are chatting over WhatsApp or FaceBook about your trip we can also jump on a call at any stage. A call is the best way to go over the options.
QUESTION BY:
Kate Amery – UK
November 23, 2022
Answer:
While driving in Australia & New Zealand a visiting driver must carry their overseas licence with them at all times together with either an international driving permit OR an English translation if the overseas licence is not written in English.
The average cost of an English version of your licence is only around 15 Euros so it’s a minimal cost and worth having to stay on the correct side of the road rules.
QUESTION BY:
Louisa Sigel – Germany
May 5, 2022
Answer:
Once we have found the perfect campervan option for your trip we will then guide you through the insurance options. Insurance options differ depending on the campervan company. There are two main options. The first is a large bond that you are required to pay on arrival, this is your liability. The most popular option is to take the full insurance which ranges from $30 – $60 per day (depending on the company). Once you have the full insuarnce your excess would be reduced to a minimum.
Once we start chatting about your trip the best way to go over these options is via a FREE phone call that we offer to all our customers.
QUESTION BY:
Hanaa El Asla – UK
June 14, 2022