The Rotorua family who have been on a 4-year camping trip

Mike and Sophie Leopard and their children, Jade, Riley and Toby. Photo / Mike Leopard

By RNZ

The Leopard family decided to take time out to go on a 15-month camping trip in 2021.

But the allure of life on the road was such they’re still going strong, travelling the country towing an off-grid caravan.

Mike and Sophie Leopard and their three children, Jade, 13, Riley, 12, and Toby, 10​, were living the “good life” in Rotorua when the plan came to fruition, Mike Leopard told RNZ.

The family has always loved camping, but each trip just felt too short, he said.

“We’d do three weeks tent camping and we just really loved the travel, loved being outside, loved watching the kids use just the natural environment really as their playground and let their imaginations run wild and make up their own games and climb trees.”

So, they decided to get set up for an extended trip. They owned a light-weight caravan, not suitable for the kind of travelling they planned so they sold it, sold off other possessions, saved hard and invested in a large, off-grid caravan.

“We’ve got heaps of solar panels and batteries. We’ve got power points all through this caravan, so we can run any electrical appliance.

“Everyone’s got their own bed. It’s pretty well designed and thought out to make it work for the five of us to be in here, especially when the weather’s not so great outside,” Leopard said.

They’re towing the rig with a Toyota Hilux diesel.

Their house in Rotorua is rented out and Leopard, a plasterer by trade, is picking up work on the road which with their savings is keeping them going.

The kids are all homeschooling through a correspondence course.

“We thought that we would stop when our oldest had to go into high school, but she didn’t want to stop.”

On-the-road schooling is working out well, he said.

“We’ve got some great teachers, they know our kids now after doing online schooling with them.

“And they suggest modules and things to study that they are interested in from getting to know them.”

While they’re loving life on the road, there are inevitable limitations.

“Things like managing the power in the caravan in the winter can be pretty challenging.

“Conserving water, sometimes we can go for quite a few days without having a shower, just because you don’t have available water nearby.”

Some of the family’s most magical moments so far have been down south in the deep of winter, he said.

“Often there’s not many people out, not many people want to do that. So often you’re all on your own and you’re just in paradise really.”

The family are currently camped up in Ōpōtiki but are eyeing up more winter adventures next year.

“Trying to get ourselves into some hoarfrost and some snow.”

- RNZ