South Africa self-drive holidays
Planning your South Africa road-trip
Self drive or transfers?
It is important that we find the right transportation options for every trip, depending on the location this could be public transport or private transfers. However, in South Africa, most people decide that the freedom of a hire car allows you to take your time with your stays, discover more, and also explore more remote locations – perfect for wildlife spotting from your car window. We’d recommend self-drive in South Africa to anyone who enjoys making the journey between destinations part of the adventure. Driving in South Africa is not as daunting as you may think, the same side of the road as the UK, and all the road signs in English certainly helps!
Sat Nav/GPS
Apart from the obvious getting to and from a destination, a sat nav will be your partner in crime for seeking out remote restaurant locations, petrol stations, and the ever-useful ‘dangerous bridge ahead’ warnings. Simply pre-load your included satnav at the beginning of your trip with all hotel names and off you go.
Category B: Volkswagen polo (or similar)
- 2 litre – automatic or manual
- Air-conditioning
- Room for 3/4 medium pieces of luggage
- Maximum 5 people
- Wifi and satnav included
Category C: Toyota Corolla Cross (or similar)
- 3 litre – automatic or manual
- Air-conditioning
- Room for 2x large and 2x small pieces of luggage
- Maximum 5 people
- Wifi and satnav included
Top tips
Parking – We’ve rarely had any problems parking in South Africa – you can almost always leave the car outside your accommodation. This will usually be free and parking on the streets is usually fairly easy as well.
Allow time – Leave an hour earlier than you need to. South Africa is a beautiful country and as you drive through it, you’ll see many opportunities to stop and admire the scenery. By giving yourself a bit of extra time you’ll be able to appreciate these moments rather than speeding on towards your next destination.
View our favourite road trip spots
Self-drive terms and conditions South Africa
Doing a self-drive holiday in South Africa is the perfect way to explore this diverse destination at your own pace. About 80% of your driving will consist of good, quiet, dual carriageway roads and there are also a number of gravel roads in the more rural areas. Most tourists will drive small 4x4s, which is thought to be the ideal vehicle for these types of roads.
What’s included?
We think it’s very important that you are properly insured to travel and therefore we have chosen to include full insurance as standard with full coverage and no excess. This ‘all in’ insurance is included in our car hire prices, so you don’t need to worry about any hidden extras.
Included:
– Use of the car
– Taxes
– Full insurance
– Loss Damage Waiver
Full insurance includes (unless there is negligence on behalf of the client):
– Mechanic damages
– Robbery
– Car crash (covers the rental car and the other car as well)
– Damages to the car due to natural disasters
What’s not included?
Full insurance does not include:
– Damage or loss of the GPS
– Damage or loss of the emergency kit
– Damage or loss of tires and rims
– Loss or damage of the car keys
– Loss or damage of the license plate and car documents
– Loss or damage of personal valuables inside the car
– Traffic tickets
– Non-authorized drivers
– Not presenting police report in case of robbery or accident
– Not calling the insurance company in case of robbery or accident
– Emergency expenses
Rules and regulations – check before you travel
If you are planning to drive to abroad, you will need to be aware of your responsibilities to follow driving laws in your destination country. We strongly recommend you make your own investigations before travelling. The RAC website provides useful information and tips on driving abroad.
Additional driver policy
Additional drivers are allowed at a cost of 569 ZAR per day. 2 drivers are included in the rate
Age requirements
Minimum 21. No maximum age.
License requirements
Full and Valid Driver’s License from country of origin and international drivers license. Should your driving license not be resident to the country of origin of your booking there may be a charge at an appropriate rate for your country of residence. Please note that you must have original driving license. Copies are not accepted.
Refuelling policy
All vehicles are supplied full and must be returned the same or refuelling charges will apply. The amount is the cost of fuel plus 100%.
Roadside assistance
Contact the nearest location within South Africa. In the case of an accident, the customer must complete a police report at the time of the incident.
Information subject to change
All information quoted here on rates, drop-off fees, insurance premiums, and the terms and conditions are subject to change and can be changed by the car hire company or local government without any prior notice. Detailed terms and conditions will provided on the car rental agreement provided to you when you pick up your car.
