DIY New Zealand campervan adventures

The days of lugging multiple maps and bulky guide books around the world are over for tech-savvy backpackers who can now plan their New Zealand campervan itinerary online.

New Zealand Backpacker Campervans has just launched a new website which ought to revolutionise travel for anyone wanting to experience an iconic Kiwi getaway.

The hi-tech website means travellers can custom build their own itinerary using Google Maps and geo-coded travel information - and change or adapt it along the way from any computer or laptop.

Backpacker campervans

The interactive travel planner website is thought to be an industry first, and Backpacker Campervans says it will change the approach to trip planning by doing away with the need for paper maps and guide books.

Travellers can select popular driving routes - such as Auckland to Waitomo, Taupo to Wellington, or a South Island adventure to Queenstown - and customise the journey to suit, by adding points of interest along the way.

Camping grounds, scenic highlights, iconic Kiwi attractions and activities, and useful sites such as dump stations are all available for inclusion.

Daily updates come from sources such as Tourism New Zealand and the TOP 10 Holiday Park chain to ensure information is always current.

Ground-breaking holiday experience

Quinton Hall, spokesman for Backpacker Campervans’ parent company Tourism Holdings Limited (THL), says the new website route planner gives tech-savvy backpackers a ground-breaking and novel way to create a memorable holiday experience.

"If you choose a particular driving route you can then add points of interest like bungy jumping or a native bushwalk, or find a quiet place to camp around New Zealand," Hall said.

"You can also share your itinerary instantly with other people, including family members back home or friends you meet along the way."

Social networks

Information and customised travel maps can be shared via Facebook, Twitter or other social media as well as through regular email.

Backpackers can also comment on the company’s blog, and will soon be able to upload their travel photos and leave reviews or feedback about places they’ve visited to help other travellers plan their journeys.

THL says the backpackercampervan.co.nz website is already live and is available for use by anyone, not just customers of the Backpacker Campervan company.