Self Drive Holidays

Take a rental car for the freedom to travel where you want and when you want….

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Overview

South Africa self-drive - Swartberg PassHave you considered taking a self drive safari holiday in South Africa or Namibia? Perhaps friends have done it and told you how easy it is? We certainly believe it is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore these country. You experience beautiful landscapes and meet the people at your own pace.

But perhaps you are more hesitant? Concerned about the condition of the roads, the ease of car hire, or getting lost? Cedarberg Africa started way back in 1995 as self-drive experts for South Africa and Namibia. Thousands of our clients have happily enjoyed a self drive holiday for all or part of their holiday. So we’re here to explain that a self drive safari holiday is easy to enjoy in South Africa or Namibia…

Why Self-drive Holidays in South Africa?

  • Excellent value for money compared to having private transfers or a private guide. See our blog post on Easy self drive tours in South Africa for a comparison of self drive vs private tours.
  • Flexibility – no set daily plan. You can do what you like when you like. All that’s booked for you is your accommodation. So you can get up late if you wish. Or stay longer at a place that grabs you.
  • Select what type of car group you want from compact to luxurious.
  • Driving is on the left, the roads are generally excellent and all the road signs are in English.
  • We provide detailed directions and a comprehensive travel itinerary outlining suggested routes & what to see in each area.
  • GPS or Data on the Go is always included in the rental car. The Data on the Go option gives 1MB of data per day.

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.

Using a specialist tour operator who books a lot of self-drive in South Africa also saves you plenty of time and money. We have all the directions to the hotels and lodges at our fingertips. We know which routes are the easiest and most picturesque. AND we know where GPS is not to be relied on. We also know how far people can comfortably travel in one day and still enjoy their holiday...

Best routes for Self Drive Safari Tours in South Africa?

Probably the routes that everyone finds easy are in the Cape province. You can settle into the country in Cape Town, then have a car delivered to your hotel when you are ready to start exploring around the Cape Peninsula, out to the Winelands. From there you can head north to the Cederberg and West Coast. Or east to the Whale Coast, the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape on a safari.

However there are many other parts of the country to explore. KwaZulu Natal is a perfect destination for self-drive as private touring is expensive there. Plus there's lots of variety. You can also head into more off the beaten track areas such as the Northern Cape, Namaqualand and the Kalahari, the Waterberg or even the northern Limpopo.

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

South Africa self-drive

Of course it’s one thing enjoying a self drive holiday in the Cape or along the Garden Route. You may feel comfortable with that. But you may want road transfers elsewhere? Not a problem! Combining a little bit of self drive with private transfers and touring is a great way to have the best of all worlds.

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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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
1st class
"We have had Sonja with Cedarberg plan our trips for years and they have all been excellent. The properties she has chosen for us have all been 1st class and exactly what we wanted. Many were a giant puzzle of flights, drivers and lodging reservations and they all fit together perfectly. " - Mrs Marianna Willis
Thanks for setting up the most glorious flowers trip for us!
"From start to finish we experienced fantastic service from Cedarberg Africa especially from Sonja. The itinerary was perfect, accommodation was great and the suggestions of things to see were very useful. We especially liked the variety of accommodation you set up from glamping to some awesome 5 star establishments. Thank you. We have already provided your company details with other frie ..." - Davies & Edwards family
Exceeded our expectations
"We absolutely loved EVERYTHING and our trip absolutely exceeded our expectations. Thank you so much for your help in planning our trip and organizing it as well as you did. " - Mrs Elena G, UK
Superb holiday
"Peter put together a superb holiday for us. He found out what sort of things we liked and then tailored the holiday for our needs. Whilst working the logistics out! " - Mrs Helen Severs
 
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Lorna Trevelion

AFRICAN TRAVEL SPECIALIST

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