Your hire car is (obviously!) one of the most important components of a self-drive holiday, and you need to be confident that you will get a vehicle and the service you require.  Perhaps most importantly of all, you need to know that the company you have rented from have a comprehensive network of offices to assist you in even the most remote places.

Travel Butlers are delighted to work with both Avis and Europcar to offer a comprehensive service for self-drive visitors to South Africa.  You can simply request a quote for a hire car when you ask us to plan your trip, and we can book this for you as part of your holiday itinerary, or you can get a quote separately by clicking here.

Alternatively, there are many car hire companies at both Cape Town and Johannesburg International Airports, so you can just turn up and see what they have available.  However, this does mean spending more time standing in line when you first arrive, and you do run the risk of not being able to get a suitable car. 

Picking up your Hire Car

To pick up your hire car from the airport, all you need is your passport and a current full driving licence.  Please see the 'Driving in South Africa - Introduction' page for more information about driving licence requirements. Most hire car companies also insist that you leave a credit card number as a security deposit when you pick up your car.   The credit card HAS TO belong to the named driver - a person who is not the named driver cannot supply the credit card.

Filling out the paperwork will take about 10 minutes, and then you are ready to start your South Africa driving holiday! 

Popular hire cars include Toyota Corollas and Versos, VW Polos, Hyundai Tucsons and Hiluxes, Honda Civics, and for larger groups Toyota Quantums or VW Kombis.  

It is also advisable to take out additional insurance cover for 100% collision damage loss waiver, as roads do have the occasional potholes and accidents can happen. 

Bumps and Scratches

When you pick up the car, check round it carefully and note any scratches, bumps or dents and mark them down on the sheet, or tell the attendant.

This will ensure that you are not help responsible for them when you return the car.  Don't worry about being too picky - it is better for you in the long run to point out every small mark to safeguard yourself.  

And if you are not happy about anything, do not hesitate to ask for a replacement car.  After all, this car will be your faithful companion for your entire holiday, and you will be spending a fair amount of time in it, so you must be totally happy to drive it away.

Free Kilometres

Many car hire companies will include a number of free kilometres per day along with your hire car agreement. 

It is important that you work out in advance roughly how many kilometres you think that you will be driving, and ensure that you have sufficient for your entire holiday period. 

It is advisable to add a few extra hundred kilometres on - just for luck!

For every kilometre that you go over the agreed amount, you will be charged  - and if you are over by a lot, then this is an unwanted additional expense at the end of your holiday. 

Car Delivery and Additional Drop Off Charges

When you first arrive in South Africa, you may prefer to pre-arrange a transfer to your first guest house or hotel, rather than risk driving when tired after an overnight flight in an unfamiliar car and city.  

You can arrange for your hire car to be delivered to your guest house or hotel later on that same day, or the next morning (to give you more time to relax and unwind after your long flight!), but a delivery fee may be charged. 

Similarly, if you are not intending to return the car to the same town that you picked your hire car up from, which is a popular option for people wishing to fly into Cape Town and leave from Port Elizabeth or Johannesburg, then a one-way drop off charge will be applied to the total car hire cost.  

Crossing the Border

If you are planning on crossing the border into Namibia, Lesotho or Swaziland, then you need to inform the car hire company at the onset that this is what you intend to do.  

The hire company will issue you with an authorisation letter which should include the registration number and the chassis number.  All you then have to do is present this letter at the border post, and you are then OK to drive out of South Africa. 

There is usually no additional charge to do the paperwork, but you may have to pay extra insurance cover to cover your time in another country. 

Should you wish to leave your hire car in another country, then this is normally acceptable, but an additional one-way drop off charge will be applied to the car hire rate. 

You may wish to check with the car hire agency that they are happy with this arrangement, however, before booking.