South Africa

Africa > 🇿🇦South Africa

Should You Hire a Car in South Africa? This can be broken down into two similar questions - do you need a car in South Africa (in other words, will your holiday be ruined without one), and is it worth hiring a car in South Africa - i.e. is a car better value than using public transport? We'll weigh up both questions and give you a response generated by Chat GPT, together with our own curated opinion before finally giving a yes or no verdict at the end.
CITYIATAScore
BloemfonteinBFN
Cape TownCPT
DurbanDUR
East LondonELS
GeorgeGRJ
GqeberhaPLZ
HasimaraHSR
JohannesburgJNB
Kruger MpumalangaMQP
NelspruitNLP
PietermaritzburgPZB
Port AlfredAFD
PretoriaJNBp
SishenSIS
UisUIS
South Africa is one of the most diverse and spectacular countries on Earth — but also one where choosing whether or not to drive is a critical safety and practicality decision.

The answer depends on where you go, your comfort level with driving, and whether you want freedom or guided security.

🚆 Travelling Without a Car (Best for Cities, Game Reserves & Safety-Conscious Travellers)

✅ Why No Car Can Be a Smart Choice

  • Guided safaris include transportation, game drives & airport transfers.

  • Domestic flights are efficient & affordable (Johannesburg ↔ Cape Town is 2 hrs).

  • In major cities, Uber is safe, cheap, and widely used.

  • Luxury trains like Rovos Rail and The Blue Train offer scenic no-drive travel.

🚕 Top No-Car Itinerary (10–12 Days)

Stop Transport Experience
Johannesburg Uber + hotel transfer Apartheid Museum, Soweto (guided tour)
Kruger (Private Game Lodge) Flight + lodge transfer Includes all safaris & meals
Cape Town Uber & tours Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Winelands
Cape Winelands Guided wine tour No need to drive between vineyards
Garden Route Small-group tour Fully guided coach trip

This style gives maximum experience with minimum risk.
Perfect for first-time travellers.

🚗 Travelling With a Car (For Garden Route, Drakensberg & Full Independence)

✅ Why Driving Can Be Incredible

  • South Africa offers one of the top road trips in the world: The Garden Route.

  • Roads are scenic, well-maintained, and signposted.

  • Freedom to explore coastlines, mountain passes, and small towns.

  • Ideal for repeat visitors, adventure travellers, and photographers.

🚘 Best Regions for Self-Drive

Region Why Drive Highlights
Garden Route (Cape Town → Port Elizabeth) Safest & most scenic drive Mossel Bay, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Tsitsikamma
Cape Winelands & Western Cape Short drives, world-class wine estates Stellenbosch, Franschhoek
Drakensberg & KwaZulu-Natal Rugged mountains & battlefields Sani Pass (4×4 required)
Eastern & Northern Cape Coastal deserts, wildflowers Namaqualand, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

⚠️ Driving Considerations

  • Safety varies by area – daylight driving only advised.

  • Carjacking risk in some urban areas – avoid driving in central Johannesburg at night.

  • Wildlife can wander onto roads near national parks.

  • Distances can be long – always refuel when you can.

🚫 Do NOT self-drive in or around townships or at night in unfamiliar regions.

🏁 Final Recommendation

Travel Style Best Option Why
First-time visitor No car (guided + flights) Safer, stress-free, luxury experience
Safari-focused trip No car Private lodges provide all transport
Garden Route explorer Car recommended Safest & best scenic self-drive route
Wine & food traveller Car or private driver Short safe distances from Cape Town
Adventure / hiking Self-drive (daytime only) Needed for Drakensberg, Wild Coast
Budget backpacker Baz Bus (hop-on hop-off coach) Designed for travellers without cars

South Africa rewards both travel styles —
Cars unlock the wild beauty,
No-car travel maximises safety and ease.

Should You Hire a Car in 🇿🇦 — or Not? Advice on this page has been written using Chat GPT, backed up by 20 years experience in the travel industry. This site is planned for full launch on 1st January 2026. Full terms, advice, FAQs, disclaimer etc to follow. UN flag is a placeholder

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