Self Drive Holidays

Take a rental car for the freedom to travel where you want and when you want. Stunning coastal routes, empty country roads & vineyards galore, all to explore at your own pace.

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Why a Self-Drive Holiday in South Africa Might Just Be the Best Idea You've Had All Year

South Africa self-drive - Swartberg Pass

Thinking about a self-drive safari holiday in South Africa or Namibia? Perhaps friends have raved about it – cruising past vineyards, pulling over for spontaneous photo ops,soaking up the scenery, and meeting the people - all at your own pace. We think it's one of the most rewarding – and surprisingly easy – ways to explore southern Africa.

But maybe you’re feeling hesitant? Concerned about road conditions, car hire hassles, or getting lost in the middle of nowhere? We've been helping travellers confidently take the wheel since 1995.

So let's put those worries to rest...

Why Self-drive Holidays in South Africa?

  • Better value for money than private touring or transfers – especially when travelling as a couple or family See our blog post on Easy self drive tours in South Africa for a comparison of self drive vs private tours.
  • Maximum Freedom – no fixed schedules, no group tours, just you and the open road. You can do what you like when you like. All that’s booked for you is accommodation and any specific excursions you want to pre-book.
  • Local know-how – we advise on the best car type, optimal routes, hidden gems, and where GPS is more ‘guess’ than ‘global’
  • Stress-free planning – we include everything: detailed directions, data access or GPS, and a customized itinerary including highlights on the road. (The Data on the Go option gives 1GB of data per day.)
  • Maximum Choice - Select what type of car group you want from compact to luxurious.
  • Driving is on the left, roads are generally good and all the road signs are in English.

South Africa self-drive

Naturally, we craft most of our self-drive holidays to South Africa to your personal needs, taking a detailed brief from you.

Bonus Perks of Booking with Cedarberg Africa

  • We’ve planned thousands of self-drive trips – we know what works
  • We keep things realistic – no 8-hour drives or “short detours” across mountain ranges
  • We save you time, money and hassle – and offer peace of mind if you need help mid-trip
  • We have all the directions to the hotels at our fingertips. We know which routes are the easiest and most picturesque and how far people can comfortably travel in one day and still enjoy their holiday...

Best routes for Self Drive in South Africa?

Probably the routes that everyone finds easy are in the Cape. You can settle into the country in Cape Town, then have a car delivered to your hotel when you are ready to start exploring further afield.

  • Cape Town to the Garden Route – An effortless, picture-perfect start with great roads and endless vineyards, whales, and wildlife
  • Whale Coast for epic whale-watching in Season, glorious beaches and mountains year round
  • Combine the West Coast, Cederberg Mountains and Winelands for three contrasting areas

However there are many other parts of the country to explore. See our South Africa self-drive page for more info.

Want something more rugged? We also offer self-drive tours in Namibia or adventurous trails through the Kalahari. But don’t worry – we don’t throw you into the desert without a plan!

Self-Drive Holidays in South Africa: It’s not “all or nothing”...

Prefer to start with a few private transfers or guided tours and then pick up your rental later? Brilliant. Many of our clients mix and match - Cape Town with some guided tours, and then the Garden Route with keys in hand, ending with a fly-in safari. Easy, flexible, smart.

Important Note: It’s worth mentioning that most safaris are accessed via road transfers. When we talk about self-drive, we mainly mean the non-safari portion of your trip. But sometimes a safari stay is an integral part of the road trip. Chat to us!

In South Africa, driving is a pleasure, not a chore. Outside the cities, the roads are empty enough to remember why driving used to be fun.

 

Useful Blog Articles on Self drive Holidays in Namibia or South Africa:

Still not sure? Why not check out our interactive quiz below?

 

Tempted by the open road?

Tell us what kind of road trip you’re dreaming of – and we’ll do the rest.

Start planning with us today.

 

Top picks for Self Drive Holidays

Download our Free Guide to Car Rental in South Africa & Namibia

All you wanted to know about renting a car in South Africa or Namibia. Find out how easy it is, and what a great way to get around the country with our Frequently Asked Questions. Get our Free Guide
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The whole travel experience was excellent!
"We were very happy with the kind and professional way our travel request was dealt with. We received an outlined itinerary swiftly with an elaborate description that sounded very attractive. A couple of changes were made to adapt it somehow a little more to our wishes. The whole procedure was easy going and agreeable. A last minute change concerning our rental car was dealt with swiftly and smo ..." - Mrs Fenagun, UK
It was a fabulous holiday
"I have booked through Cedarberg before and this is why I came back, as I was highly satisfied. This time it was a bit more complicated as Peter had less experience with Uganda himself and he had to communicate with Wildlife Frontiers a lot, which took time and some backwards and forwards. In the end it was so worth it, as it was a fabulous holiday. Peter also recommended the group experience an ..." - Mrs Monika Maintz
Exactly what we wanted
"The services Cedarberg provided was excellent. We had a few hiccups and needed to change the itinerary a couple of times but Cedarberg was very quick to respond to our needs and helped us out very quickly. All the accommodations were excellent and suited us perfectly for what we wanted and doing at that time. " - Mrs Kim Swain
Great Recommendations
"I am into the details and ask lots of questions and I got all the info that I needed (and more) very quickly, which enabled my review all of Cedarberg’s recommendations and check for alternatives. I am very pleased to say that I changed none and all of the recommendations were 1st class. " - Mr Ian Crispin, UK
We had a great time, a very memorable holiday
"Thank you for your patience with us through the planning stage. Standard of room we realise is important to us maybe we should have discussed this more at the planning stage. It was a very memorable holiday " - Mrs Sara Brill, USA
 
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Ginny Russell

AFRICAN TRAVEL SPECIALIST

Hi I'm Ginny, I'm here to help you plan your ideal holiday experience GET IN TOUCH