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

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"Milandi (et all at C. A. T.) …”Like talking to a good friend/family member who genuinely, listens… then sets skill and extensive knowledge to work to fulfill (AND OFTEN BEYOND!!) all expectations!!” This Africa holiday was simply “ANOTHER” dream animal photo safari and experience Milandi (Cedarberg) put together… we have experienced TWO previous “ ..." - Mr Wally Rohrer
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"Peter was extremely helpful. He answered any questions and concerns I had really quickly. Cedarberg website is great with lots of tips. I thought the booking information and itinerary were outstanding and all the pre holiday information made us feel really looked after. " - Mrs Lottie Murphy, UK
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"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
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"I loved the trip. The accommodation was all lovely, i.e. comfortable, nicely located, some nice touches (e.g. treats at bed turn down), the managers were all helpful. The locations of each were also beautiful and convenient for what we wanted to do " - Mrs Deb, USA
Your prices better than the bigger companies
"Brian came home with your attractive brochure and we started looking at possibilities. We both thought Cedarberg would be too expensive for us but were pleasantly surprised to find your prices better than the bigger companies. The itinerary you gave us went totally to plan. All our airport pickups and transfers went smoothly and local drivers were friendly and informative. We also appreciated a ..." - Dale Family, UK
 
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Dijanke Jung

AFRICAN TRAVEL SPECIALIST

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