Best RV for Single Travellers in Australia

Setting off on a solo adventure across Australia in a caravan or motorhome is an exciting and appealing prospect. Having the freedom to go wherever your heart desires and not having to factor in another persons wishes are just a few of the reasons why travelling by yourself is so appealing.

However, it’s probably more important for you to choose the right RV for you, to ensure your journey is comfortable, safe, and enjoyable.

Whether you prefer a compact motorhome, a small travel trailer, or a minimalist teardrop camper, there are plenty of options designed to meet the unique needs of single adventurers.

In this post, we’ll explore what to look for in an RV if you’re traveling alone, and highlight some caravans and motorhomes available in Australia.

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If you don’t want to go through this (long) post but just want to find the caravan or motorhome that fits your own criteria, the Australian RV Directory might be the right solution for you.

The Australian RV Directory is a spreadsheet of all the caravans, motorhomes, campervans and fifth wheels that you can buy new in Australia; with columns for dimensions, weights, berths, bathroom, batteries, solar, tanks, Australian made and URL. And price when it’s available.

So you can filter and sort for all the features that are important to you.

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What to Look for in an RV for a Single Person

I (Michelle) think the following factors will all still apply even if you’re not solo, no matter what your age, gender or abilities. But for those of us that will be travelling solo, you can’t just assume that someone else will be available to help you, you’ll need to be more independent and rely on yourself. If you’re newly single, that may take a little adjustment!

Ease of Driving

• Of course you’ll need to feel comfortable and confident driving, or towing, your RV. Something too big may make you nervous to drive, something too small may make your living space uncomfortable.
• Can you maneuvere the RV into a tight camp site without another person there to guide you?

Ease of Set up / Pack down

• Electronic features like an electric awning or electric pop up roof may be needed if you’re not able to do those manual tasks yourself
• Cupboards not to high (or low), bed not too heavy (to access storage underneath)

The importance of knowing your own systems and basic mechanics

It will be important for you to know how your systems and appliances (fridge, cooker, heating/cooling) work, as well as some basic mechanics.

Safety

I’m thinking about safety from a single female point of view… but having an escape plan, letting trusted people know your whereabouts or trip route and having reliable communication devices like a mobile phone, UHF and/or personal locator beacon.

Layout considerations

One of the best things about being solo is that you’ll have a lot more options in regards to layout.

For a couple it can be a challenge to find a layout that has a comfortable bed, has access on both sides (so no crawling over the other person to get in/out of bed) while still keeping things as compact as possible. As a single, you can opt for the East/West bed layout which takes up less room than an island bed.

If there’s a layout that has a single bed that may be even better.

Types of RVs Suitable for Solo Travelers

Obviously, any caravan or motorhome you choose will be big enough!

But since it’s only you, you can go for a smaller, lighter RV while still having enough space for you.

Below are some of the make and model of RV that I think could be suitable for a solo traveller in Australia. Whether you have a towed (caravan, fifth wheel, teardrop) or powered (motorhome, camper van) RV will depend on how you like to travel and live… but here are some options to get you thinking about what your ideal RV would be.

Campervan / Class B Motorhomes

Campervans are compact in size, most fitting into a standard car park, while still being able to fit the necessary ammenities like a kitchen & bathroom. They’re easy to drive, and are ‘normal’ looking so don’t always stand out as a motorhome.

Trakka Trakkadu

Built on the ever popular Volkswagen T6.1 Transporter LWB, the Trakkadu is a great camper van for just one person.

At only 5.3m long, it’s no different to driving an SUV, but this one has your bed and you can cook your meals inside. But no bathroom, so you will still have to find campsites with facilities.

There is an AWD option though, so this could be the ideal adventure mobile!

Jacana Envy

Jacana Motorhomes manufacturer a few different motorhome/campervan models, but what I like about the Envy, is that this one can be built on a MWB Sprinter (so it’s small), has a permanent bed, and the driver and passenger seats both swivel around to make a dining/office set up.

There’s also a huge fridge, so if you love to cook this could be ideal for you.

Here’s a video walkthrough that gives you lots of details:

Kimberley Kampers Kruiswagen

You may be more familiar with the Kimberley Kampers for their unique caravans, but they have recently launched their first ‘powered RV’, the Kruiswagen.

This camper van has all the amenities you’d want in a van, but their are 2 features that stand out to me:

• The Mercedes Sprinter chassis is 4WD (Yay!!)
• The electric drop down bed makes for plenty of space during the day, with a super easy bed making ritual at night.

The video below shows you heaps of the features:

Motorhomes / Small Class C Motorhomes

Class C motorhomes are generally larger than a campervan, so they’re great if you’re after a little more space. They’re often used by motorhome hire companies so it’s still quite a manageable drive even for a newbie.

Winnebago Cottesloe

https://www.gowinnebago.com.au/motorhomes/winnebago-cottesloe

The Cottesloe is the smallest of the Class C motorhomes by Winnebago (the Bondi is slightly smaller, but classed as a camper van or Class B) and it’s only slightly longer than the Bondi.

But having the area over the cab really does provide heaps more storage space.

The electric drop down bed ensures a comfy nights sleep without having to play tetris with the cushions by converting the dining area in to a bed.

And it’s a rare treat to have a seperate shower and toilet in a motorhome so small. That drop down bed really does change things.

Avida Leura

Again we have the electric drop down bed that just totally frees up the space inside this small motorhome.

And another seperate toilet and shower, so you’re not getting everything in the bathroom wet like you would in a bathroom with a combined toilet and shower (wet bathroom).

Explorer Motorhomes Pathfinder

I think that the Explorer Pathfinder is the only truly single person RV on this list. Where there’s the option to reduce the size of the bed into a large single and use the extra space for storage.

A good portion of Explorer purchasers are single women, so they listened to what their customers needed and wanted!

This model has a large seating / dining area with panoramic windows, perfect for watching the world go by without being out in the elements. This area converts to a double bed for those occasions when you do get overnight visitors.

Talvor Adventure Camper

The Talvor Adventure Camper is a very small and compact camper. With a pop top roof and no toilet, it will not be suitable for everyone, but those that want to get out on adventures will love the 4×4 and it’s diminutive size.

Caravan

Australia is definitely a caravanning country. We make and sell more caravans than motorhomes, campervans and teardrops combined.

So there are LOADS of options for caravans. Many of which are light and compact yet still have all the conveniences of their bigger counterparts.

If you’re more adventurous there are hybrid caravans that you can take off-road and get into the small and remote locations, or you can go with a bigger van but still off-road; and there’s also pop-tops and toy haulers.

One of the key benefits of a caravan IMO is the flexibility to unhitch and use the tow vehicle separately.

Jayco Starcraft 15.48-2.BP.SC-MY24

I really like this caravan for a single person. The bathroom and kitchen are minimal while leaving plenty of space for a work bench along the passenger side. I could imagine that would make a great work desk for someone who’s working from home, or for hobbies.

Dreamseeker Caravans Summit

My pick of the bunch. It has everything I need/want (including an optional washing machine) in a compact layout.

The interior decor looks nice (yes, that’s important to me), no pop-top to lift up, only 14ft body length and air-con as standard.

Silversun Caravans Pluto

Here’s a cute little caravan for one! It’s such a small van but it still manages to have a shower cubicle separate from the rest of the bathroom.

And with that bed and dining layout, you can have a single bed permanently set up while still having a sitting area.

At only 1300kg TARE it’s a lightweight little camper too.

Ridge Teardrop Campers Retro Caravan

If you’d like something that has vintage character but with modern convenience, then the Ridge Retro Caravan might be for you.

They’ve got a few different layouts and can even fit in a family of four, but there’s a version that includes a small combined bathroom. You will need to convert the dinette into the bed each night though.

MDC XT16HR 

https://www.marketdirect.com.au/product/xt16hr-east-west-mkiii-hybrid-offroad-caravan/

Another great little caravan is the XT16HR EAST WEST MKIII by Market Direct.

Of course I’m viewing this through the eyes of my own needs and wants, but the fact that this little camper is off-road capable, has a space-saving east/west bed, seperate toilet & shower, washing machine, air con and diesel heater, and is full height, just ticks all my boxes.

You can see a lot more caravans over on these posts:
Hybrid caravans
Pop top caravans
Toy hauler caravans

Teardrop Trailers

A teardrop camper is a great choice if you want to go ultra-compact and lightweight. They have only basic amenities for a minimalist travel experience. But because they’re so light, you won’t require a large tow vehicle.

Since it doesn’t have a bathroom, you may be limited in where you can camp. But if you’re planning to stay at campgrounds anyway, this could be a great option for you.

There are lots of options when it comes to teardrop campers, including those that aren’t in the ‘teardrop’ shape but still small and light like the teardrop with the kitchen facilities on the exterior. You can see a lot more options over on our post about teardrop campers<link>, but here are some that I love:

Little Guy Australia Deluxe

With just a bed and a kitchen, this Little Guy is small and light enough to be towed by a car; while still allowing you to have a comfy night sleep and the facilities to cook up a hearty meal for breakfast.

Jag Teardrop Camper

Newcomers to the teardrop campers scene, this father and son duo found their passion and panache for creating tear drop campers during the covid lockdowns.

This camper is bigger than the some of the other teardrop campers, but with that extra space they’ve managed to fit in a lot more features to make your travels more comfortable.

You can see a lot more teardrops over on this post: Teardrop Campers

Fifth Wheels

Winjana Strzelecki 550

Fifth wheel campers are generally larger campers, so there are not many fifth wheel options here in Australia anyway (compared to the USA).

But Winjana are one Australian fifth wheel manufacturer that does have small models.

See more small fifth wheel campers here.

Toy Hauler

Austar Playzone X Toy Hauler

There are actually a number of smaller toy hauler camper trailer type rigs (where the toy hauler is a tray at the back of the camper, or a trailer with a roof top tent), but this one is a caravan with a permanent bed and bathroom.

See more toy haulers here.

As you can see, there are a lot of options for solo RVers, it’s just about finding one that suits the way you like to travel and live.

Have any of these motorhomes or caravans stood out as a possible RV for you?

Don’t forget if you want the full spreadsheet of all the caravans and motorhomes you can buy new in Australia, then check out the Australian RV Directory here.

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