October 2025
Road tripping is an alternative and affordable way to get winter sun – here’s where to roam
Travel expert rounds up some of the most unique winter sun holidays to be taken in a campervan
If you’re looking to escape to sunnier climes to stave off the seasonal blues as the UK’s days get shorter, greyer and wetter – you certainly wouldn’t be the first one to have that idea. As resort and villa rates soar in the most popular winter sun destinations like the Canary Islands, Egypt, Cyprus, and the Maldives – it’s well worth going beyond the obvious to secure winter sun at a better deal.
CamperDays, Europe’s leading campervan and motorhome tour operator, helps travellers hire small campervans to large motorhomes in all corners of the globe – with its most popular itineraries being in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. More recently, new pick-up stations in Peru, Costa Rica and Morocco mean the possibilities for adventure have never been broader.
Max Schmidt, Chief Adventurer at CamperDays, says: “Forget spending upwards of £10,000 for your family for just a week in the Maldives, choosing a campervan holiday means you can still get your winter sun fix and have accommodation and in-destination travel wrapped up in one nifty vehicle – the only thing left to purchase is the flights.
“The top two winter sun destinations booked by Brits with CamperDays are Australia and New Zealand, both of which represent 90% of all of our current winter bookings. We’ve also recently added new destinations like Morocco and Costa Rica, meeting the growing demands of our adventurous customer base but also tying into wider travel trends. For example, there have been many new flights launched between London to Morocco, and increased connectivity from major hubs like Madrid, Miami, Amsterdam, and Bogotá means travellers from the UK have more options for onward travel to Costa Rica.”
Discover Max’s most recommended routes for chasing winter sun…
Winter sun and wildlife in South Australia
While Brits shiver through winter, many Australians will be spending their summer months watching sunrise on the beach, chasing swells and surfing breaks in the afternoon and trekking or bushwalking high and low.
Melbourne to Adelaide is one of Australia’s most famous coastal routes and for good reason – its world-famous wineries, aboriginal landmarks, wildlife viewpoints and outstanding National Parks are well connected relative to other states. Finish off the five-to-seven-day-long itinerary with a drive down to Kangaroo Island, hopping on the ferry at Cape Jervis which arrives at Penneshaw in just 45 minutes. As the name suggests, Kangaroo Island is home to an estimated 65,000 individual kangaroos, but that’s not all – also roaming the island are koalas, the short-beaked echidna, little penguins, and Australian sea-lions on the white coves of Seal Bay.
In Melbourne, pick up a two-person Budgie Van for two weeks from 5 January 2026 for £1,079 total, or £540 per person for the whole trip. Return flights between London and Melbourne start from £493.
Coastal cruising from Casablanca
Famous for its spice-scented souks and otherworldly desert landscapes, Morocco is better known for its luxury desert camps and courtly riads than as a winter sun road trip escape. The kingdom has been investing in good quality motorways and expressways since the late nineties – so it doesn’t take long to travel between Morocco’s major cities. In anticipation of the FIFA World Cup 2030 which Morocco is hosting, more investment in motorways and other tourist infrastructure is being made.
Pick up a four-person Fiat Ducato in Casablanca for a week from 17 November 2025 for £613 total – or just £87 per night. In just under five hours, you can reach Agadir, a major seaside resort, via the extended A3 expressway – or take the coastal route adding on two hours which will allow you to explore other towns and cities like El Jadida, Oualidia, and Essaouira.
Before you begin your road trip, make sure to visit Casablanca’s Hassan II Mosque, the second largest mosque in Africa, and try local olives and other preserved delicacies at the Great Habous Olive Market in the Ville Nouvelle. Casablanca is also a very modern, global city, so European and Western brands can be found in the city centre as well as a vibrant nightlife.
Direct round trips between London and Casablanca start from £114 in November. Alternatively, fly budget to Rabat on a return fare from £33, then hop on the high-speed train to Casablanca. Train tickets start from £19.
Crocs and capuchins in Costa Rica
The high season in Costa Rica tends to be January to April when the weather is at its driest – but like with any tropical destination, the occasional smattering of rain offers cooling relief on a hot day.
Pick up your campervan in Costa Rica’s capital, San José, and go southbound towards the coast where you will reach the Manuel Antonio National Park – perfect for those who want to combine jungle exploration with soaking up the seaside sun, as well as say hello to four different species of resident monkeys.
Along the way, you can stop to look over the Tárcoles Bridge where you can spot some 2,000 large American crocodiles living in the Tárcoles River.
There are three stations near to San José, and for a week in February you can request a two-person Campervan Adventure for £841 total. Return flights between London and San José begin at £463 in February.
New Zealand, both islands by camper
Exploring both New Zealand’s islands can be done in two weeks, but you can (and should!) easily spend three weeks or more enjoying all that New Zealand can offer.
On the north island is the village of Hobbiton, just southwest of the Waikato town of Matamata, the filming location of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. It’s home to quaint hobbit hole dwellings embedded in the hillsides.
Following that, travellers can take a boat tour through the glow-worm grotto in the Waitomo Cave system, guided by only a tour guide and bioluminescence.
A four-hour ferry crossing is required to reach the south island, where whales can be seen in Kaikoura, Christchurch, against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Alps. Christchurch is also a haven for fish and chips, ice cream and craft beer – a far cry from the mulled ciders and pumpkin spice lattes you’d be having at home.
A two-person Jucy Crib can be picked up in Auckland for two weeks in February for £1,206 total, or just £43 per person per night. Return flights from London to Auckland in the same month begin at £783.
A Namibian beach town with a European twist
Famously a destination for spotting wildlife, Namibia is generally best visited in the wintertime (June – October), but its coastal resorts such as Swakopmund offer a comfortable temperature around the mid-twenties in the summertime for those wanting to do something a little bit different.
Pick up an off-road 4x4 in Windhoek, Namibia’s laid-back capital, and drive four hours south east to Swakopmund – a German colonial style resort town. Not only is it right on the Atlantic Ocean which offers opportunities for kayaking or birdwatching boat tours, the town itself is awash with fashionable bars and restaurants and well placed at the mouth of the Namib Desert for day-trippers.
A two-person Toyota Hilux VGG is available for a week in February 2026 for £482 total. Return flights from London in February begin from £538, but inevitably start to creep up from March as the country enters its dry season.
About CamperDays
Launched in Germany in 2013, CamperDays is Europe’s leading camper tour operator, working with 150 partners in over 1,000 locations globally.
CamperDays facilitates access to over 40,000 vehicles available for rent worldwide, including in the UK, Europe, Australia, USA, Canada and South Africa. The platform allows customers to choose from a selection of trusted providers globally via an easy three step booking process, with rentals available from just £70 per day.
Since it was launched, CamperDays customers have booked over 1,000,000 nights in vehicles rented through the site. CamperDays provides access to a broad selection of campervans and motorhomes catering to every type of traveller, with transparent pricing and no hidden costs. All vehicles come with insurance, with excess, as standard, to allow renters a truly carefree holiday.