Cheap Car Hire in South Africa from $19

Hiring a car in South Africa is one of the best ways to explore the country. The country is home to several famous driving routes that are best explored with your own vehicle. For example, the Garden Route is a multi-day trip that takes travellers through national parks and along the country's coastline. There are also several areas in South Africa where you can do your own self-drive safari. You'll generally need to hire specific vehicles for this with some major international companies such as Avis offering this service. With your own vehicle, you'll have the freedom to explore South Africa at your own pace and you'll be able to visit places that are harder to reach via public transport.

Toll roads are quite common throughout the country. Your vehicle will likely be equipped with an e-tag that will add the cost of your tolls to your total costs. Petrol stations can be found frequently along the roads, even in more rural areas, but it's still a good idea to fuel up before a long drive. In South Africa, an attendant will usually fill your tank up. While planning your route, pay attention to the various types of roads. N and M roads are national roads and motorways respectively, and they are generally very well-maintained. N roads are usually toll roads. R roads are highways that may have potholes or other damage, and D roads are local roads that may be unsealed.

Drivers must be at least 18 years old to hire a car in South Africa and most companies require you to have held a full licence for at least one year. Some companies will only hire vehicles to drivers over 21 or 23 years old, and most will add a young driver's surcharge for any driver under the age of 25. You will need to present a valid driving licence (written in English) and a credit card that matches the name on the licence. If your licence is not in English, you will also need an International Driving Permit. Make sure to keep your driving licence and passport on you at all times when driving in South Africa.

When hiring a car in South Africa, the most popular provider of hire cars among Cheapflights users is Europcar, and with prices around $31/day, it’s easy to understand why. The most popular car type from Europcar is ECONOMY, which starts as low as $18/day.

When visiting South Africa, it is typically cheapest to hire your car in Cape Town where rental cars typically will cost around $36/day (23% less than the country average). The absolute cheapest car hire price in South Africa was found in Cape Town for just $23/day.

Cars travel on the left side of the road in South Africa.