Hands down, the BEST way to discover Scotland is by hiring a campervan.
We've been in Scotland in our own campervan on 3 separate trips, and there is a reason we keep returning!
Discovering Scotland via campervan or even motorhome, is the best way to see it!
We also realized just how MANY campervan motorhome rental firms there are in Scotland.
So if you haven't built you own camper (I don't blame you, it's stressful! ;) ), or you're visiting Scotland via flying in!
I wanted to take some time to do a deep rundown of all the best campervan rentals that Scotland has to offer.
To help you decide which one to choose when planning your own trip.
So here’s a look at the 10 best motorhome and campervan rentals in Scotland.
Where possible, I've included links below to GoSee Travel.
This is essentially a price comparison site for motorhome and campervan rental firms all around the world.
They feature the biggest array of motorhome and campervan rental firms in Scotland and are a great place to find the best deals and availability for your chosen dates.
In Scotland's busy summer season, rental firms tend to sell out well in advance. A quick search on GoSee will show what's actually available for you to book.
Other great reasons to book with GoSee:
For more info, read our in-depth review of GoSee Travel (Motorhome Republic).
Based on our experience with Spaceships Rentals in Ireland, I can confidently say that they are the top pick for renting a campervan in Scotland.
They have a large fleet of vans, suited to couple travellers right up to larger families looking to explore Scotland in style.
When we rented from Spaceships, we went for their smaller “Voyager” van which is perfect if you aren’t confident driving a larger motorhome.
They are built on the small and nimble Volkswagen Caddy van, meaning they are perfect for driving through the narrow, twisty roads you find everywhere in Scotland.
If possible, ask for an automatic version, which makes road tripping Scotland for long hours each day so much easier and more comfortable.
If you’re coming from America, then bear in mind that the majority of British vehicles are actually built as manuals.
Spaceships offer a range of campers and motorhomes sleeping between 2 and 7 people.
All vehicles are less than a couple of years old, meaning you always get a modern vehicle and shouldn’t have to worry about breakdowns.
They are also more economical, and we were getting in excess of 50mpg with our van!
All vehicles come with built in awnings, as well as full cooking facilities. In smaller vehicles, this may be outside cooking, but for the larger motorhomes, it is all inside.
As well as washing and showering facilities.
Open Road is another great all-around rental company in Scotland, offering a mix of campervans and motorhomes to rent.
They offer campervan hire in Glasgow, but also serve Edinburgh airport. Making it a convenient choice no matter which airport you fly into.
They regularly update their fleet, and as of writing, all vehicles are currently 2018 models or above.
Their vehicles are designed to sleep anywhere between 2 and 6 people. The larger motorhomes are the most luxurious option with tonnes of onboard living space.
Best designs for those of you travelling in larger groups and want a bit more luxury when campaigning each night.
Having onboard washing, toilet and cooking facilities is always a safe bet, no matter which time of year you choose to visit Scotland. Seeing as weather is so unpredictable!
If driving a bigger van isn’t something you want to do they also offer Volkswagen T5 campervan conversions.
These are all 4 berths and are much easier to drive around the widening narrow Scottish roads.
They still come fully fitted with everything you need, including an onboard water system.
All luxury vehicles also come with bedding, gas, bike racks, picnic and BBQ equipment. As well as full breakdown cover.
If you would rather hire a motorhome or campervan directly from a local in Scotland, then Outdoorsy is by far your best bet.
They have a HUGE amount of choice all across Scotland, and you are not limited to collecting just at airports, which most large rental firms will naturally only allow.
Instead, with Outdoorsy you are hiring a vehicle that is owned by a local Scot, giving you almost unlimited choice.
Literally everything.
Because you are hiring from locals, they could have everything through from off-road 4x4 campers to custom built VWs or even just traditional motorhomes.
With dozens of search filters to use, you can narrow down the vast amount of choice to find the perfect vehicle for you.
Based on things such as number of passengers, type of vehicle, budget, and of course, dates!
Outdoorsy have become a huge trusted firm globally now, think of them as the Airbnb of the campervan world.
Allowing you to spend your money directly with locals, get a truly custom vehicle, and usually a fantastic deal to top it off!
Touring Cars is one of the largest motorhome rental companies in Europe, operating over a dozen different countries.
They actually started operating all the way back in 1982, from their home base of Finland.
Today, they specialize in offering a modern fleet of motorhome rentals perfectly suited for groups of friends or families.
Their motto: “Good Feelings”.
They offer a range of 2-6 berth motorhomes, all based on the wildly reliable Fiat Ducato chassis.
All their vehicles come fully fitted with onboard washing, cooking and eating space. Perfect for road tripping Scotland, all the while having all the comforts of home at your disposal.
All vans are extremely modern and the fleet is regularly updated.
They’re certainly not the cheapest rental firm in Scotland, but are instead geared towards those travellers wanting a top-of-the-range camper.
With the confidence of knowing nothing will go wrong. And even if it did, there is a world-class team on hand to help you out and get you back on the road again.
Bunk Campers is one of the best campervan rental firms anywhere in the UK and Ireland.
And what sets them apart is the huge range of vehicles they offer. Right through from smaller 2 berth campers right up to larger 6 berth custom motorhomes.
They have been around since 2007 and own and maintain every single vehicle themselves.
They also update their fleet regularly, and none of their Scottish vehicles are more than 3 years old.
The depot is located just 10 minutes from Edinburgh airport. However, if you plan to fly into Glasow then you can still hire, but will need to travel for about 50 minutes to reach the depot.
As all vehicles are regularly updated, you benefit from things like built-in sat nav, Bluetooth stereo systems and even reversing cameras.
Which, if you’re not used to driving large vehicles, is a massive bonus (trust me!).
Their smallest vehicle, The Roadie, sleeps 2 and is best for navigating small winding roads.
If you’re travelling as a couple but still want extra space, then you can opt for the Aero 2 which is a standard LWB vehicle; offering tonnes of living space inside, as well as space to shower and cook while standing up!
If your Scotland road trip forms a part of a larger tour around Ireland and the UK, then these guys are probably your best bet.
McRent is actually a huge motorhome rental company, the biggest in Europe in fact!
Meaning they have tonnes of experience renting all sorts of vehicles and are a trusted brand anywhere in the United Kingdom.
They are a great bet if you plan to visit elsewhere in Europe, perhaps even heading from Scotland across to mainland Europe and beyond.
As they deal exclusively in Scotland motorhome rentals, you won’t be able to hire any smaller campers.
But if you are happy with the bigger vehicle, then they have one of the largest and most flexible ranges on offer.
Their largest motorhomes sleep 6, but they also have larger vehicles specifically designed to only sleep 4. Meaning you have tonnes of onboard space.
So, if you’re travelling with a group of friends, and each want your own space, then this could be your best route.
It’s worth doing a search to see just how many different vans they have available for your chosen dates.
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Just Go is a global rental company, operating in New Zealand, Australia, America and, of course, the UK.
Like McRent, they specialize in hiring out larger motorhomes, so are best for those travellers wanting extra space and comfort on their road trip.
They claim to have the largest self-hire motorhome fleet in the UK, so definitely have a look at their prices and range before settling on your final choice.
They offer a wide range of vehicles, all of which are either 2, 4, 5 or 6 berths.
So no matter how many of you are planning to travel, you can have a van with tonnes of space and all the comforts of home.
As well as a fully off-grid camper electrical system.
Depending on which can you opt for, expect to find an onboard shower, sink, toilet, heating, DVD player, reversing cameras and GPS system.
If you’re stuck trying to choose the ideal van, you can opt for a mystery 2, 4 or 6 berth van. Which can mean saving money on your rental but still being guaranteed a top-quality vehicle upon arrival.
Apollo is another campervan rental firm operating across Europe, with bases across the UK and Ireland.
Their Scotland depot is located close to Edinburgh airport, one of the likely places you will be flying into in order to begin your Scotland road trip.
Or if you're driving up from England, you could park your car at Edinburgh airport and then collect your van rental before heading further north on your adventure.
What's also great is that, by operating such a large fleet across Europe, they are able to offer incredibly competitive rates.
Depending on when you book, you may even be able to hire a campervan in Scotland for less than £100 per day, which isn’t something many firms can match.
They currently offer 5 different types of van to rent. Ranging from the Duo up to the family Voyager.
All of their vehicles are relatively large. So even the 2 berth vans offer loads of space inside, without the need to cook or shower outdoors.
So if you want to be able to spend your evenings in a nice warm van, watching TV with the heating on and some food cooking away on the stove, then you will get that no matter which you can opt for.
The North Coast 500 is definitely the most popular road trip in Scotland.
In fact, it’s probably the reason why Scotland has experienced such a huge boom in motorhome holidays in the last few years.
Well, though most hire companies usually offer campervan hire in Edinburgh or Glasgow (in the south of Scotland), these guys hire exclusively from Inverness. Which is, of course, the main starting point for the NC500.
So these guys are your best bet if your plan is to fly into Inverness airport, with the sole aim of driving this legendary journey before returning home again.
As you’d have guessed from the name, these guys specialise in offering top-of-the-range motorhomes. With a range of sizes to sleep between 2 and 6 people.
All of their vans are professionally converted, offering the same mix of luxury and practicality you’d expect to find in any Scotland campervan rental.
The more high-end vehicles, which cost only slightly more to rent, come with a few added luxuries. Including things like reversing cameras, television and a bike rack.
This is a small, family-run business with a select range of 5 types of campervans available to hire.
The company is based in Stirling, but to make the start of your trip much better, they offer an optional meet and greet service.
Meaning you can jump straight into your camper when arriving at Glasgow or Edinburgh airports.
All vehicles are 4 berths. Meaning they are perfect for individual travelers, couples, groups of friends or small families.
All of their vehicles are different and unique. If you are looking for something smaller and more compact, then you can opt for a pop-top VW T6.
With automatic gearboxes, driving one of these is an absolute breeze!
If you want some more space, then they offer long-wheelbase camper vans a well as a Pegaso 590.
The latter of which is a much larger motorhome with tonnes of onboard space and is really luxurious.
But no matter which vehicle you go for, they are all extremely modern (if not brand new!) and lovingly cared for.
As a rough rule of thumb, expect to pay anywhere from £100-£150 per day for a larger 4 or 6 berth motorhome in Scotland. Smaller campers come in at between £60 and £100 per day, depending on which time of year you visit .Prices vary depending on which size of camper you rent, for how long and at what time of year. Also, certain companies can be much cheaper than others.
It is possible to drive to most places in Scotland in a motorhome. Except for some mountain roads which are very narrow and can become dangerous with large motorhomes passing.
Many of these roads are located in the north western part of the country along the NC500.
If a road is too narrow to go down in a motorhome, you will likely see a sign telling you not to go down.
For those who are worried about this, you can always hire a car in Scotland instead!
The typical age for renting a motorhome in Scotland is 25 and above. Many firms will rent to you if you are aged 21-24, but you may have to pay a young driver surcharge. You can get more details about this from your chosen rental provider.
When in cities, it is best to stick to larger car parks with bays big enough for your vehicle. When out in the countryside, try to stick to properly marked roads and only wild camp in locations that are suitable and legal. Avoid places that you are likely to get stuck in if it rains heavily, or where you encroach on privately owned land.
Now that you've got your campervan rental sorted, it’s time to start planning the rest of your Scotland road trip adventure!
We’ve put together more guides to help plan such a holiday, all based on our personal experience of travelling Scotland for more than 2 months.
To get started, you may find these useful …
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