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After Heath and I RVed to all 50 states, I set my sights on the remainder of the world. The place else on this planet may we journey by RV? Turns on the market are fairly a couple of international locations the place RVing and tenting are WAY extra standard than it’s right here within the States!
However I’ve had a tough time discovering extra details about the place all on this planet we will RV. I’ve seen a couple of lists of “all” the international locations on this planet the place you’ll be able to RV, however most of them listing not more than 10 international locations! I knew they have been lacking fairly a couple of spots. So I sat down and did a LOT of analysis to take advantage of complete listing of the place you’ll be able to journey the world in an RV.
This listing consists of almost 60 international locations the place you’ll be able to RV around the globe! Beneath I’ll share what I find out about RVing in these international locations, plus sources for studying extra.
What RVing Across the World Is Referred to as
“RVing” encompasses journey by a number of completely different automobiles that go by completely different names on every continent. I check with automobile tenting as RVing, however the time period RV is just used right here in North America!
Listed here are a couple of of the phrases it is best to know:
- In North America, RVing means touring by motorhome, camper, or trailer.
- In Australia and New Zealand, you rent a motorhome on your campervan vacation to go caravanning. (Say that 5 instances quick.)
- In Africa, the phrase motorhome and camper are interchangeable. (Didn’t know RVing was a factor in Africa, did ya?)
- In Europe, you journey by motorhome (equal to American Class C’s or B’s) or by caravan (equal to a journey trailer). The time period campervan can be used. Chances are you’ll go motorhoming in your campervan.
- In Asia, you lease tenting vehicles, which might vary from a personalized minivan to a small motorhome.
- In South America, you’ll lease a camper (or probably drive your individual RV throughout the borders). Because of the infrastructure in South America, you extra often hear of individuals overlanding throughout the continent.
- In Antarctica, simply kidding. There aren’t any type of RVs there based mostly on my analysis. You’ll be able to go to by cruise although or keep in a tent on the ice, should you’re actually into tenting!
Of the six continents the place you’ll be able to RV, I’ve RVed on 4 on the time of scripting this submit. My objective is to in the end camp on each continent, however convincing my husband to camp in a rooftop tent surrounded by lions is proving troublesome. 🦁
Let’s get into the listing, in no specific order.
Iceland
Primarily based on Instagram alone, Iceland is likely one of the extra standard locations for RV leases. I’m consistently seeing pictures of their glaciers, lagoons, and waterfalls!
Iceland has been close to the highest of my bucket listing for some time and the truth that tenting is big there’s a main plus! Many leases are 4×4 automobiles too, so you’ll be able to actually get off the overwhelmed path and discover. Though from my analysis, wild tenting is just permitted for tents, not motorhomes.
And sure, in Iceland you’ll be able to really lease a camper year-round! Would you wish to camp in Iceland in January when the solar rises after 11 AM and units earlier than 4 PM with a excessive of 3º? In all probability not. However hey, no less than that’s 3 levels Celsius! And should you go to within the winter, there’s a good chance you’ll see the Northern Lights, that are imagined to peak in 2024!
Or you’ll be able to go to in July and August when the nation’s climbing is at its greatest. That is peak vacationer season so anticipate crowds and seek for camper leases early.
Japan
A number of years in the past, somebody who listens to our podcast despatched us a Fb message and advised us that he and his spouse reside in Japan and serious about RV life. WHAT?! There are some elements of the world the place you anticipate tenting to be standard, and Japan was undoubtedly not one among them! Seems that just like the US, many retirees take to the open roads to RV across the islands.
We lately took two weeks to tour Japan and located the nation surprisingly straightforward to navigate. There aren’t many sources for planning an RV highway journey in Japan, which made planning this journey troublesome. We shared our expertise in a video collection on Youtube:
Japan appears to have the smallest motorhomes—and motorhome is a stretch. It’s all #vanlife! (Even in a 16-foot van, my husband nonetheless managed to get us caught!) Motorhome leases additionally don’t come geared up with bogs. In my expertise, bogs are in every single place so this was much less of an issue than I imagined!
Learn Extra About Japan: Ought to You Lease an RV in Japan? What to Know Earlier than You Go
Japan is a collection of islands, however you’ll be able to ferry your van to the 4 main islands: Honshu (the place you’ll discover Tokyo and a lot of the different Japanese cites you’ve heard of. I like to recommend beginning your journey right here.), Kyushu (sizzling springs!!!), Shikoku (the most effective for browsing) and Hokkaido (the northernmost island the place you’ll be able to’t RV within the winter).
China
I’ve heard the RV market in China in comparison with the US within the 80s. It’s nonetheless very new, but it surely’s booming amongst center and upper-class households. RV leases and campgrounds have gotten extra frequent.
China has lately turn out to be extra accessible for American vacationers, however not a lot info has been revealed about easy methods to plan an RV journey across the nation as of but.
Mexico
Mexico will get a foul rap, with many vacationers contemplating it too troublesome to journey anyplace outdoors of resorts. However over the previous few years, there’s been an insurgence of RVers crossing the border into Mexico—specifically into Baja.
The Baja Peninsula boasts a ton of shoreline and superior seashores. Baja affords boondocking spots and campgrounds (though good electrical energy is more durable to seek out and plenty of campers choose to depend on photo voltaic as an alternative). However the greatest consideration can be water. Ingesting the water in Mexico nearly ensures you’ll get sick, so that you’ll want to seek out purified or bottled water for consumption.
The professional of RVing in Mexico is that it’s proper there so that you can drive throughout the border, so no want to fret about renting an RV. Frightened about security? Right here’s a terrific weblog submit by Loopy Household Journey sharing their experiences touring in Mexico.
Norway
Once we discuss to anybody about RVing overseas, Norway inevitably comes up as an RVers paradise! Most lately we watched our buddies, the Holcombes, exploring throughout Norway and the surroundings seems unimaginable!
From what I’ve realized, Norway affords a ton of boondocking choices attributable to allemannsretten. Translating roughly to “freedom to roam” this Norwegian regulation stems from a Nordic custom giving each man entry to public lands.
France
Maybe the preferred nation in Western Europe for RVing is France. Between the shoreline and the Alps, there’s a great purpose why this nation retains popping up on our radar for RVing. Of all of the international locations the place I’ve RVed, this one is a high contender for probably the most camper-friendly nation on this planet.
France is probably the most visited nation on this planet and most vacationers flock to the cities. We have been surprised by the fantastic thing about each nook in France! That is one place that lives as much as its status for beautiful surroundings and phenomenonal meals.
Be taught extra about motorhoming in France: What It’s Like RVing in France
Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, England, Eire, The Netherlands, Mainly all of Europe
I’ve singled out a couple of European international locations like Norway, Iceland, and France as a result of these are the highest three international locations I hear individuals speaking about when contemplating an RV journey. However you’ll be able to RV throughout Europe.
Right here’s what Wherever Campers—who we have now used twice in Europe—say about the place you’ll be able to journey in Europe:
“You’ll be able to transfer freely between these international locations: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Nice Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Eire, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Sadly we don’t enable our campers to be pushed to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Turkey as they’re excluded from our insurance coverage plan and likewise for the security purpose[s].”
So almost in every single place in Europe.
Should you’re questioning what number of choices you might need for tenting in these international locations, right here’s a snapshot of all of the websites listed on Park4Night for Albania: 
I by no means would’ve considered Alabania as a well-liked tenting vacation spot, however you’ll be able to see they undoubtedly have choices! That is the app we utilized in Italy and will simply discover parking tons, boondocking, and campgrounds everywhere in the nation. Tenting is much more standard in Europe than it’s within the States, so there’s no scarcity of RV leases and campsites throughout the continent.
That’s 38 international locations in Europe that Wherever Campers mentions. Nevertheless, I imagine they’re incorrect in mentioning Monaco. The second smallest nation on this planet really prohibits motorhomes and caravans, however after visiting, I did see a motorhome driving down the highway. So you’ll be able to maybe go via this small nation, however don’t anticipate to remain in a single day. We share how we legally visited Monaco in our RV on this video:
South Africa, Namibia and Botswana
YES. I by no means would’ve considered southern Africa as being a well-liked space for RVing, however it’s. And never simply in line with my Google analysis! I had a pair attain out a couple of weeks in the past to inform me that they’ve been RVing in South Africa for years! RVing won’t be the suitable phrase although, as most motorhomes in Africa are extra like American overlanding automobiles.
Whereas I believe the thought of RVing in southern Africa sounds wonderful, it’s undoubtedly an journey reserved for extra campers than glampers. Should you’re snug offroading and being surrounded by animals, you would possibly love this journey.
Worldwide Campers additionally simply began providing leases at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, making visiting the Seven Wonders of the World somewhat extra doable!
Morocco
Most of Africa and the Center East aren’t RV-friendly, however simply throughout the ocean from Europe, you will notice campers! You’ll be able to ferry over or lease an RV in Morocco.
Of all of the locations the place you’ll be able to go by motorhome, I used to be most shocked by Morocco. Who would’ve thought? I do know you’ll be able to camp in tents within the Sahara, however motorhomes I didn’t anticipate. In response to the critiques, motorhome leases are standard with households with younger youngsters.
Belize, Costa Rica, & Panama
Should you cross the border into Mexico and wish to hold heading south, you will see that beachfront tenting choices all through Central America. Belize, Costa Rica, and Panama have all been singled out as international locations with the infrastructure to assist campers (though should you’re heading from nation to nation, you’ll additionally drive via different Central American international locations).
I discovered choices for campervan leases in Belize and Costa Rica, however I couldn’t discover as many in Panama.
As you’ll be able to see within the video above, campervan is an apt time period. A lot of the leases on this space are smaller vans or SUVs which have kitchenettes and rooftop tent beds.
The most important concern I’ve seen with RVing throughout Central America is border crossings. Some bordering international locations don’t have the most effective relationship which might make crossing the borders somewhat furry.
Cuba
Cuba seems like an island too small for RVing and some years in the past, this nation wouldn’t make the listing! RVing is turning into an increasing number of standard as a singular method to discover a rustic.
You’ll be able to lease campers from one firm out of Havana. You should reserve any parking spots forward of time as restrictions for in a single day parking are enforced.
Chile
That is the most effective nation in South America for a highway journey! Chile is understood for its abundance of nationwide parks and has loads of tenting choices—but it surely’s onerous to seek out RV tenting choices. Most campgrounds are for tents or cabins. However that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t RV there, simply that you simply received’t have full hookups. Assume overlanding!
It is a random photograph I discovered on Instagram of somebody who took a highway journey in Chile for his or her honeymoon. It seems unimaginable!
World Vast Campers affords leases in Chile, that are all 4×4 automobiles that may deal with the nation’s terrain. The time period camper right here means both an SUV with a rooftop tent or a truck camper.
Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Peru, Argentina
World Vast Campers additionally affords leases in Colombia and Argentina, although these aren’t the one South American international locations with tenting and glamping choices.
Principally, yow will discover tour firms that may take you on guided journeys throughout South America. The tour firm I researched recommends a 4×4 automobile below 35 ft lengthy that’s totally self-contained with a notice that claims “anticipate no hook-up services” on the continent. You must also journey with model new tires and a potable water air purifier.
A number of ideas different vacationers shared for RVing in South America that may be useful in these international locations are:
- Don’t drive at night time. (That is explicitly said in lots of locations. Partially as a result of highway situations, partly for security.)
- Carry an additional gasoline can and replenish each time you see a gasoline station. Stations are few and much between and also you don’t wish to get stranded.
- Train warning at border crossings. Have all vital paperwork (automobile registration, proof of insurance coverage, rental settlement if relevant, and so forth.), a global driver’s allow, and your passports prepared.
New Zealand
New Zealand has a status for being probably the most campervan-friendly nation for good purpose. The grocery shops even have campervan parking!
There are many boondocking choices throughout the nation—referred to as freedom tenting—and plenty of nationwide parks. New Zealand is likely one of the most stunning international locations on this planet, with gorgeous seashores, staggering mountain peaks, and a TON of climbing.
We now have RVed in New Zealand twice and it by no means disappoints. It’s a stunningly stunning nation constructed for tenting. We’ve shared a ton of knowledge on what it’s like campervanning in New Zealand on our Youtube channel. You’ll be able to take a look at all 30 episodes right here.
Australia
Should you’re a fan of seashores or deserts, Australia is a superb RVing vacation spot! The nation is camper-friendly with many caravan parks or vacation parks (AKA their two names for RV parks).
It’s vital to notice that Australia is the sixth-largest nation on this planet and that it’s largely inhabited alongside the coast. Enterprise inland and providers are few and much between.
However should you keep on the coast…
Look how cute! This photograph screams Australia.
One main distinction in RVing down below? Campgrounds in Australia (and New Zealand) doubtless received’t provide full hook ups as most vans received’t have a rest room or motorhomes can have a cassette rest room. Campers outdoors of North America usually don’t have a “metropolis water fill” hook up both. You fill your tank with water an then use the onboard water pump.
Canada
Our neighbors to the north, we’ve RVed solely in western Canada thus far and it’s one among our favourite locations. The Canadian Rockies are attractive in the summertime, fall, and coated in snow. I can’t suggest it sufficient!
Lake Louise blanketed in snow ❄
We’ve at all times pushed our personal RV throughout the border into Canada, however there are many RV rental firms throughout the nation too. Whereas elements of Canada are somewhat extra distant than in America, most of the RVing customs and tradition are the identical. It’s undoubtedly the best nation for Individuals to go to in RV!
USA
And final however not least, our nation. Once we began RVing in 2014, there have been approach fewer sources obtainable to RVers. Now there are apps, blogs and books all about easy methods to RV right here within the States.
Touring by RV within the US, you’ll discover that some states are extra RV-friendly than others. States like Arizona and Florida can have an abundance of RV parks and states like California have a status for being very RV-unfriendly (although it’s nonetheless our favourite state by way of magnificence!). You’ll be able to even lease a van in Hawaii and examine off all fifty states by way of RV!
RVing Across the World FAQs
Are you able to journey the world in an RV?
When you can’t go to each nation on this planet in an RV, you’ll be able to go to a great chunk of the world by RV if that’s your dream. I personally have discovered it to be the easiest way to jaunt throughout Europe with our household, however continents like Africa or Asia can be harder.
Do different international locations have RVs?
Generally referred to as by different names, the entire above-listed international locations have RVs of some sort. They’re typically referred to as campers, motorhomes, vans, tenting vehicles, auto caravans, caravans, or campervans.
Which nation is greatest for a campervan?
After visiting each, it’s onerous to decide on between France and New Zealand for probably the most camper-friendly nation. New Zealand has to win for its ample boondocking or “freedom tenting.” However France affords RV providers at gasoline stations throughout the nation and it’s very straightforward to navigate.
New Zealand is standard with adults and {couples}, however we lately revisited the nation with our younger youngsters and found a complete new facet to the islands.
Can you’re taking an RV abroad?
Sure! You’ll be able to ship your RV overseas.
Should you’re trying to spend a month or longer RVing overseas, transport your van or motorhome could be value it.
Our buddies Kathy and Peter lately shipped their Winnebago Revel to Europe for a six-month highway journey. The full value for transport (together with transport, import and export charges, and insurance coverage) was round $3,000. That’s lower than a one-month RV rental would value, making transport a pretty choice.
Nevertheless, you’ll need to think about what changes will should be made on your North American RV to be suitable with European campsites. For instance, you’ll want adapters on your electrical plugs and a composting or cassette rest room. Crossing the oceans to completely different continents means not being supplied the identical RV providers. Campgrounds overseas typically wouldn’t have dump stations for black waste such as you see within the US and Canada, so adapting your RV for world conveniences could also be troublesome. The Winnebago Revel is manufactured with a cassette rest room, making this rig specifically straightforward to ship abroad.
Understand that campsites and roads are considerably smaller overseas than within the US and Canada. I wouldn’t suggest transport an RV longer than 28 ft or 8.5 meters at an absolute most. The smaller the RV, the extra locations you’ll be able to go to.
For firsthand info and extra particulars on transport an RV to Europe, you’ll be able to learn this detailed submit on easy methods to ship an RV to Europe right here.
Is an RV the most cost effective method to journey?
Journey is at all times as costly as you make it. You’ll be able to lease an affordable van or an costly one. You’ll be able to go to glamping resorts or camp in parking tons! Foreign money and the worldwide economic system play a big issue, with RV life being dearer or inexpensive based mostly on the nation.
Associated: How A lot Does It Price to Campervan in New Zealand?
All of the Nations The place You Can RV
These are all of the international locations the place RVing is a factor. I didn’t listing international locations the place you’ll be able to drive your RV throughout the border (like Nicaragua), however solely international locations the place I may discover info on tenting, RV parks, or RV leases. Technically you’ll be able to cross many, many borders in an RV. However not all international locations provide the infrastructure to assist that sort of journey.
All collectively that involves roughly 58 international locations the place you’ll be able to RV around the globe. That’s 1 / 4 of the globe! Thus far we’ve solely RVed in 12…time to plan our subsequent journey!
Should you’ve personally traveled by RV abroad (or know of a worthwhile useful resource by somebody who has), be happy to drop hyperlinks beneath so I can replace this text with extra info on worldwide RV life.
Extra Sources for Worldwide RVing