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Van life gained popularity over the last few years thanks to social media. And it has been something that we have always been interested in. Now we are not interested in van life for the long term but we thought it would be fun to try out for a road trip. And that is exactly what we did! In the fall of 2022, we rented a camper van with Indie Campers and road tripped through Utah.
In this weeks episode of the podcast, we are sharing our honest opinions about van life. We talk about the company we rented our camper van with, what we loved and hated about van life and our full Utah road trip itinerary. Our hope for this podcast episode is to open the possibility of renting a camper van for your next road trip!
Renting a camper van has always been high on our bucket lists and after a failed attempt at planning a trip to Guatemala, we decided to take a road trip through Utah in a camper van. And honestly, it has been one of the best decisions we have made so far!
Let’s first talk about how we chose a company. If you do your research, you are are going to find that there are a lot of rental companies located in and around the world. So how do you choose? This is solely going to be based on the type of vehicle you want to rent. Most companies will have several vans to choose from with different amenities. We knew we wanted a van that would allow us to camp whenever and wherever we wanted, which means we needed something with solar power, a kitchenette and a toilet. And what eliminated a lot of companies for us was the lack of a toilet in most vans. Believe it or not, a toilet is a luxury for most of these companies, but it was something we didn’t want to compromise on and we are so glad we didn’t because that toilet can in handy.
So what company did we settle on? We decided to rent the Solis Winnebago with Indie Campers. This camper van had everything we were looking for and the price was cheaper than most other vans.
Indie Campers
Indie Campers is a camper van rental company that operates in North America, Europe and Oceania, which makes them your go-to camper van rental company in the world. Not only do they operate in over 70 cities around the world, they also have several different types of vans to choose from to suit the needs of your road trip.
Like we mentioned above, we choose Indie Campers because they had a van that suited our needs for a week long road trip throughout Utah for a reasonable price. Speaking of price, how much did it cost for us to rent the Solis Winnebago? For a week we spent $950, not including extra costs, which we will talk about.
Let’s talk about what is included in the base rental price of renting a camper van with Indie Campers. The base price for a Solis camper van includes a full size bed, kitchenette that includes a gas stove, sink and fridge, a kitchen kit, a toilet and hot shower, mosquito net, a solar panel, indoor dining table, air conditioning and heat. So if you want to break down the cost, it is cheaper to rent a camper van then renting a car and a hotel for your road trip.
Let’s talk about the add ons. Indie Campers provides add ons to help make your trip more memorable. One of those add ons is an essentials travel kit. This includes an outdoor table and chairs. We think this is essential, especially if you are camping in more remote areas that do not provide picnic tables. We personally used the table and chairs daily for breakfast and dinner, as well as catching the sunset at our nightly campsites. The essentials travel kit also includes a bedding kit. If you do not need the full kit, items are available for rent separately.
Additionally, the other add ons to consider include mileage allowances, insurance, early pick up and late drop off. Your camper van rental includes basic insurance and mileage allowance but depending on your road trip, you may need to consider adding additional daily mileage allowance and added insurance coverage. Another option that Indie Campers provides is early pick up and late drop off. This is really unique to Indie Campers, as we found most camper van rental companies had strict times for pick up and drop off.
Indie Campers Reviews
I’m sure you are dying to know what our true and honest opinions are about Indie Campers and if we recommend them for your camper van rental needs. The short answer is: YES! We want to preface this by saying these are our own personal opinions based on our experience. With that being said, you should do your research. We have had comments left on our YouTube videos with people stating they have a very different experience and would not recommend Indie Campers, but I think it’s important to understand that everyone has a very different experience which in return affects their beliefs on a company. So let’s not waste any more time and lets talk about our personal opinions on Indie Campers.
What we loved
There was a lot of things that we loved about Indie Campers. We first want to touch base on our first impressions, which included a thorough walk through of the van and how everything operates. This was essential for us as this was the first time we have ever driven and operated a camper van before. So if this is your first time, no need to worry because Indie Campers will ensure you feel save before you hit the road.
Now let’s first talk about the van itself. The van was in perfect condition. The inside was spacious and had amenities that made living off grid easier. We loved that the inside of the van had a mini kitchenette and a fridge, which allowed us to store and make food when we wanted. The van is equipped with propane to provide heat and hot water. There is also a fresh water and a grey water tank. Another great feature of the van was the solar panels. Being in Utah, there was no shortage of sunlight, which allowed the solar panels to supply the van with power throughout the night. All of these features were amazing when boon docking.
We loved that the van also had a panel in the van that would allow us to check our propane, water and solar panel levels. The van also has a feature which allows you to see where you grey water level is at so you know when it is time to empty the tank. Another key feature was all of the outlets in the van to allow for charging of devices. Not only did the van have traditional outlets but there were also USB/USB-C ports scattered throughout the van.
Some features that we liked about the van is the murphy bed. You have the ability to put the bed up during the day to give you more space in the van, which was nice when we were cooking. Another great feature is the mosquito nets. The mosquito nets are located on each door which allows you to keep the doors open without allowing unwelcome guests inside the van. The best part about these nets was the magnetic closure to allow for easy access to the outdoors.
What didn't we like
Honestly, we do not have many dislikes about the Indie Campers Solis Winnebago. At least nothing that wouldn’t make us want to rent with them again.
One of the cons for us was the regulation of temperature but honestly that isn’t the vans fault. We camped in the desert, which meant it was hot at night and freezing cold in the morning. Another thing to note is the propane. Depending on the altitude you are camping in, your propane will be affected. We noticed some mornings it took a long time to boil water and other days it didn’t.
Van Life Resources
So we have talked you into a road trip in a camper van, what are some resources that we suggest?
First and foremost, I would do some research in regards to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and boon docking in the area that you will be traveling. Luckily we were road tripping in Utah which has a lot of BLM and free camping sites throughout the state. Some of the websites that we used to find camp sites include The Dyrt, BLM.gov, and Campendium.
I also suggest looking up guidelines for dumping grey water, where to fill potable water and where to get your propane tank filled up. Trust us, this will help you out in the long run if you do this quick search before your trip.
Utah Road Trip Itinerary
Let’s talk about our Utah road trip itinerary. We spent a full week road tripping around Utah stopping at some pretty famous touristy spots and even some hidden gems. We spent a majority of our time in the Moab area visiting Arches and Canyonlands National Park. If you are visiting between April-October, plan ahead as Arches National Park has timed entry into the park.
We spent 5 days in the Moab area visiting both national parks, hiking to Corona Arch and visiting Dead Horse Point State Park. The highlights of our time in Moab includes hiking to Delicate Arch, sunrise at Mesa Arch and our sunrise hike to Corona Arch.
We also spent time in other parts of Utah such as Great Salt Lake and Bonneville Salt Flats. We believe both of these should be on your Utah road trip and make easy day trips from Salt Lake City. Let’s first talk about Great Salt Lake. It’s just a lake right? Correct, but there is this little hidden gem called the Spiral Jetty and the water is pink! It’s not well known and you will most likely have it to yourself. And well, the Bonneville Salt Flats are just really cool and make the perfect backdrop for some photos!
The last stop on our itinerary that we want to mention are hot spring located in the middle of nowhere Utah. This makes for the perfect stop after a week of hiking on your way back to Salt Lake City. Welcome to Mystic Hot Springs! Mystic Hot Springs is an eclectic hot spring located in Monroe, Utah. What makes it unique? These hot springs are old porcelain bath tubs scattered throughout the property.
So did we convince you to rent a camper van and road trip this summer? We hope we at least opened your eyes to a new way of traveling and that you consider this type of trip in the future. Living van life for a week was challenging and fun all at the same time and we are surprised at how much we truly enjoyed it.
Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channels to see our full trip. It may only further convince you to try van life. At the very least, it will put Utah on your bucket list! As always, we hope you enjoyed this episode of the Passports and Coffee Podcast!
Thank you for listening!
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Passports and Coffee Podcast
Hi travel besties! It's Kayla and Cheraya, your co-hosts of the Passports and Coffee Podcast. We are fellow corporate world millennials looking to escape the 9-5 and are encouraging you to do the same.