In a nutshell
- A rental car is the best way to explore South Africa. Book as early as possible and pay close attention to the details — especially insurance coverage.
- For your South Africa trip you’ll need an international driving permit and need to remember that traffic drives on the left.
- Safety first: don’t pick up hitchhikers, keep windows and doors closed while driving, and only park in guarded lots. Also watch carefully for animals and potholes when driving through national parks.
Renting a Car in South Africa
A rental car is the best way to get around in South Africa. With a car, you can see so much more of the country than you ever could with public transportation. Here’s everything you need to know before you book.
When Should You Book Your Rental Car for South Africa?
In short: the earlier, the better! Ideally, book as soon as your flights are confirmed and your South Africa itinerary is set.
Book early and all vehicle classes are still available — plus there are often early-bird discounts or free extras like a GPS or an additional driver. Wait until the last minute and it’s usually much more expensive, child seats may no longer be available, or there are simply no vehicles left at all.
You can book your rental car for your South Africa trip either directly with rental companies like Sixt or Europcar, or through a comparison site. We always use a comparison site so we can see all providers side by side and pick the best deal.
Compare rental car deals for South Africa on Discovercars
Rental Car Prices in South Africa
Prices vary widely depending mainly on the vehicle class. During the peak travel season, a compact car with full coverage starts at around €40 per day. An SUV will run you from €100 at the same time of year.
If your budget allows, we really recommend going for an SUV. The higher seating position gives you a much better view — especially in the national parks — and it makes driving on gravel roads a lot more comfortable. A good engine is also worth it, since you’ll be climbing and descending hills constantly, especially on routes like Route 62.
Also pay close attention to what’s included. A one-way rental — picking up and dropping off at different locations — is always significantly more expensive. You generally don’t need a GPS: pick up a South African SIM card when you arrive and Google Maps works perfectly.
Heads up: Fill up your rental car at the last gas station before returning it. If the rental company has to refuel it, you’ll pay a lot more!
Which Insurance Should You Choose?
You can choose between liability, partial, and full coverage as usual — and you definitely shouldn’t skimp here. We went with full coverage and added a few extras on top:
- Glass protection (stone chips)
- Tire protection (potholes)
- Undercarriage protection
- Water and sand damage (especially in the national parks)
Heads up: Inspect your rental car for any existing damage when you pick it up, and take photos as proof.
Checklist: What to Watch Out for with a Rental Car
- Insurance coverage (liability, partial, or full coverage)
- Deductible
- Additional insurance (e.g. tires, glass, undercarriage)
- Fuel policy (usually full-to-full)
- Mileage policy (possible surcharge for every kilometer driven)
- One-way rental fees
- Minimum age
- Vehicle class (which car makes sense for your travel plans?)
- Cancellation policy
- Extras like a child seat, GPS, or additional driver. Read our article our travel car seat picks if you’re heading to Cape Town with kids.
Important Documents for Renting a Car in South Africa
To rent a car in South Africa, you need three documents:
- your ID,
- your driver’s license
- and an international driving permit.
The international driving permit is essentially a translated version of your regular driver’s license. In practice, many rental companies won’t even ask for it. But if you get stopped at a police checkpoint, you’re required to have it on you — so don’t skip this step.
You can get your international driving permit from your local driver’s license office. It’s issued on the spot, valid for two years, and only works in combination with your regular driver’s license. You’ll need:
- your ID or passport,
- your regular driver’s license,
- a biometric passport photo
- and approximately €15 to €25.
The Most Important Traffic Rules in South Africa
One thing upfront: there’s really no need to be nervous about driving in South Africa. Here’s a quick rundown of the key rules you need to know.
Left-Hand Traffic
In South Africa, you drive on the left side of the road. The steering wheel, turn signal, windshield wipers — everything in the car is mirrored.
Especially important: driving on the left also means that in a roundabout you go clockwise, not counterclockwise as you may be used to.
If driving on the left makes you nervous, book a car with an automatic transmission — it takes one thing off your plate. Otherwise, just follow the cars ahead of you and you’ll be fine.
Seriously, you’ll get used to it much faster than you expect!
Speed Limits
- In urban areas: 60 km/h
- On highways and main roads: 120 km/h
- On smaller rural roads and gravel roads: 80 km/h.
Heads up: Be especially careful on gravel roads! When there’s oncoming traffic, move as far left as possible and slow right down.
Traffic Lights
Traffic lights in South Africa are called robots. When they’re out of order, the 4-way rule applies: all four cars at the intersection must stop first, then whoever arrived first goes first. The same rule applies at intersections with four stop signs.
Passing
You’ll quickly notice that it’s completely normal to pull over to let faster vehicles pass. Just ease a little to the left and — if there is one — behind the yellow line.
The passing vehicle goes by and thanks you by flashing its hazard lights. You flash your headlights back as a “you’re welcome.”
Always check your blind spot when passing. Often, a passing vehicle is itself being overtaken by a third vehicle at the same time.
People and Animals
People often walk right along the edge of the road — including on national highways and freeways. This is especially dangerous at night. The same goes for animals. Cows, hippos, penguins — it’s all happened before.
Potholes
If you see warning signs for potholes, slow down.
Along the Garden Route there aren’t too many, but in other parts of the country you can quickly end up with a flat tire. That’s exactly when you’ll be glad you have tire insurance.
Unpaved Roads
You’ll also occasionally encounter unpaved roads in South Africa — especially if you follow Google Maps blindly, which sometimes routes you along a gravel road without warning.
That’s generally not a big deal. Most of these roads are perfectly drivable. But grinding along one for more than a few minutes isn’t exactly fun, so if you end up on a gravel road by accident, it’s worth checking whether there’s a better route.
Sometimes you can’t avoid it though, since some destinations are only accessible via these gravel roads.
Driving in National Parks
Driving in the national parks comes with its own set of challenges. Here are our most important tips.
- You’re usually not allowed to drive faster than 30 or 40 km/h, so as not to disturb the animals.
- Getting out of the car is only permitted in designated rest areas.
- Drive especially carefully on gravel roads and watch out for potholes.
- Don’t go too fast over speed bumps.
- When leaving, there are sometimes vehicle inspections to catch poachers.
- If you encounter an elephant or rhino, give the animals plenty of space and don’t drive up close to them.
Our tip: An SUV makes driving in the national parks so much easier. You also sit higher up, which means you’ll spot animals much more quickly.
Safety When Driving in South Africa
South Africa has a reputation for being dangerous — but we can reassure you: South Africa is safe as long as you follow a few basic ground rules. You can find the full picture in our article on safety in South Africa.
Here we want to focus specifically on how to stay safe behind the wheel.
Where Can You Park Safely?
Always park in monitored parking lots and never far from the bustle of activity.
Parking lot attendants are called car guards, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Often they’re official car guards formally employed by a security company — they even wear uniforms. In that case, you can be confident you’ll find your car exactly as you left it. These lots do charge a small fixed fee, though.
Then there are unofficial car guards. Anyone can do this job, which means you’ll sometimes encounter someone who’s had a few drinks and is waving you wildly into a parking spot while paying zero attention to your car.
As a rule, tip a small amount anyway — it keeps the peace, and unofficial car guards are usually extremely poor and simply trying to get by.
Never leave your valuables in the car!
Yellow and red road markings mean no parking.
Staged Accidents
Don’t let anyone lure you out of your car!
This is especially important in two situations: if bystanders alert you to a flat tire or something similar, drive a little further and check at a safe spot. The same goes for accidents — which often aren’t accidents at all. Keep driving and call the police.
Don't Pick Up Hitchhikers
Never pick up hitchhikers. The risk of being robbed is simply too high.
Smash and grab are lightning-fast break-ins — for example when you’re stopped at a red light. Within seconds, your valuables are gone. Whatever you do, don’t try to argue or fight back, as the perpetrators could be armed.
Keep your windows and doors closed while driving. Don’t leave valuables sitting out in the open on the passenger seat.
The good news: smash and grab incidents are very rare in tourist areas — they happen mostly in townships.
Don’t Drive at Night
It’s best to avoid long-distance drives after dark. Potholes, animals on the road, cars with broken headlights, or poorly marked construction zones can all become seriously dangerous at night.
Watch Out for Minibus Taxis
Always keep a good distance from minibus taxis. These are white Toyota vans with a South African flag on both sides. Minibus taxis almost never follow traffic rules — it’s not uncommon for them to cut you off or stop suddenly right in front of you.
Toll Roads in South Africa
Some national roads in South Africa are toll roads, especially in and around Johannesburg. The fee depends on the region and the length of the route — usually very small amounts of around one to two euros.
Note that not all toll booths accept credit cards — some are cash only.
On heavily traveled toll roads, the fee is also deducted electronically (E-Toll). Your rental car will have a small device hanging behind the rearview mirror for this. It beeps briefly when you pass a toll station.
Filling Up in South Africa
The gas station network in South Africa is very dense, so you’re never far from a fill-up. Fuel prices are reasonable — currently around €1.10 per liter for gasoline and around €1.20 per liter for diesel.
Gas stations in South Africa have attendants, so you can stay in your car. An employee will come to you, fill up your tank, and often clean your windshield or check oil and water levels at the same time. A small tip is appreciated in that case.
Payment is made after fueling, either by credit card or cash.
