Campa South Rentals is an owner-operated campervan hire company based in Halswell, Christchurch, run by Susan and Graham Gaiger. For the past fifteen years the pair have rented safe, industry approved and fully self-contained campervans from their Canterbury base, with a simple aim: encouraging travellers to get out and see the awe-inspiring beauty of New Zealand for themselves.
The Campa South approach is deliberately personal. Sue and Graham take a hands-on role in every hire, meeting renters in person wherever possible and freely sharing advice on travel routes, local hot spots and must-see attractions. They work alongside John and Jill, long-time caravanners with a wealth of local knowledge who love looking after customers with a personal touch.
The fleet centres on the Premium Deluxe Motorhome 2 Berth — a 5.5 metre motorhome with a new interior fit-out, separate toilet, automatic transmission, air conditioning and an economical petrol engine, sleeping two and seating three. Free quotes are available through the website, and Sue and Graham are happy to discuss your New Zealand adventure by phone or email.
Tucked away in Halswell, on the southern outskirts of Christchurch, Campa South Rentals is the sort of business New Zealand road trips are built around: a small, owner-operated campervan hire company where the people who answer the phone are the same people who hand over the keys. For the past fifteen years, Susan and Graham Gaiger have run Campa South from their Canterbury base with one simple ambition — to encourage travellers to get out and see the awe-inspiring beauty of New Zealand for themselves.
That philosophy shapes everything about how the company works. Rather than a large, anonymous rental fleet, Campa South keeps things personal. Wherever possible, Sue and Graham meet their renters in person, and they freely offer advice on travel routes, local hot spots and must-see attractions before customers head off. It is the kind of local knowledge no app quite captures — the stops worth making, the roads worth taking, the detours that turn a good trip into a great one.
The Gaigers take a hands-on approach to the business, going the extra mile to make sure customers are comfortable and taken care of from first enquiry to final drop-off. They are joined by John and Jill, long-time caravanners who work alongside them, bring a wealth of local knowledge of their own, and love looking after customers with a personal touch. For travellers who want a rental experience with a human side — real people, real advice, real enthusiasm for the country — that team set-up is a large part of the appeal.
At the heart of the Campa South line-up is the Premium Deluxe Motorhome 2 Berth. It pairs a new interior fit-out — complete with a separate toilet — with automatic transmission, air conditioning and a powerful yet economical petrol engine. For anyone new to motorhoming, that combination makes life easy: simple driving around town, comfortable cruising on longer hauls, and none of the gear-changing nerves that can come with bigger rentals.
Practically speaking, the van measures 5.5 metres long and 2 metres wide, stands 2.7 metres tall and offers 1.8 metres of interior height, so most people can move about inside without stooping. It sleeps two and seats three, which makes it a natural fit for couples, two friends touring together, or a pair of travellers working their way around the country at their own pace.
Every Campa South campervan is safe, industry approved and fully self-contained. Self-containment matters in New Zealand: with an on-board toilet and the fittings needed to camp away from powered sites, travellers have far more flexibility in where they stop, and the trip becomes simpler to plan. Campa South also publishes information on campervan equipment and terms, so first-timers know exactly what comes with the van before they set out.
For those brushing up before their first drive on New Zealand roads, the company points customers towards the road rules that apply to rental vehicles — well worth a read if you are arriving from overseas.
Getting a quote is straightforward. Campa South offers a free quote through its website, with a short form covering your name, phone, email and message. Sue and Graham are equally happy to talk through your New Zealand adventure by phone on (+64) 21 0222 5815 or by email at [email protected], and the company shares news and updates on Facebook and Instagram.
Christchurch is a popular starting point for South Island journeys, with lakes, mountains and coastline all within easy reach, and setting off from a local operator means beginning that journey with people who know the region inside out. Fifteen years in, that is exactly what Campa South still does best: helping visitors get out and see the country, comfortably and safely, in a van they can rely on.