Two spring weeks of Dunedin Airport freedom, from Otago Peninsula to the Catlins
Late September into October is lambing season in Otago. Newborns dot the paddocks around Momona, the light stays soft and long, and the wind can flip from sunshine to sleet before your coffee cools. Travellers come for the albatross at Taiaroa Head, the Catlins coast and the long road inland to Central Otago, and a 14 night Golden Week trip leaves room for all three. Dunedin Airport car rental is the easiest way to pull that off. The terminal is about half an hour from the city, and public transport won't take you to the best spots.
Check GO Rentals first. Its 8 listings average $1,436.75, and its cheapest car is the best of the lot at $1,029. Europcar follows at $1,575.93 on average, with a lowest listing of $1,171.62 for a mystery car. Hertz has the widest spread, from $1,522.32 to $4,272.73, so the supplier name tells you little and it pays to compare vehicle by vehicle. Three of the 25 listings showed $0. Treat those as unavailable and pick a car you can actually book.
Most of the fleet seats 5, which suits two couples or a family with a couple of suitcases, though check boot space if you're bringing skis or golf bags. Hybrids make up 7 of the listings, and they go easy on fuel along the long Southern Scenic Route and the gravel roads into the Catlins. Spring frost and the odd snowfall can close in on the Dunstan and Lindis passes, so a bigger, higher car like the $2,011.75 RAV4 Hybrid is worth the extra if you're heading to Queenstown or Wanaka. Leave some slack at the pickup desk on a busy Golden Week arrival, and ask whether snow chains are included before you drive inland.