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Any advice on the best rental company -- picking up at Kruger airport, dropping off at Phalaborwa?

It appears to me that Budget charges the same as Avis, but includes insurance for the price!

Also, any advice on whether it's OK (for two people) to rent the smallest car? What about convenience for game viewing?
Thanks.

Hi Leopards4all,

I've sent you an email with a suggestion. Forgot to mention that the company I mentioned is linked to Hertz so that might solve the Phalaborwa drop off?

I use the Avis on a weekly basis and have had only exceptional service from them. About half the time I go they don't have the vehicle in the smaller class available so I get upgraded.

I had a problem last month and needed an urgent rental. I went to all the companies at KMIA - and Tempest SixT came up trumps - better rates, better customer service, etc than any of the others. They gave me internet rates (with unlimited mileage) when the others would only offer 200km/day, and upgraded me too. Sarah is the lady to talk to.

Does anyone have any suggestions on the least expensive place to rent an automatic basic car at the Nelspruit airport? Anything I need to look out for? Do I need an international drivers license?
Thanks,
Audrey

If you are comming from overseas then you need an International Licence.
There is Avis and Europcar.
Avis' number at the airport in Nelspruit is +27 13 750-1015.
Europcar's number is +27 13 750-2871. They both have websites where you can book on-line

Audrey,


We rented this summer from both the Johannesburg and Cape Town airports and did NOT need an international drivers license nor was this even mentioned. Our licenses issued in Canada were fine on their own.

Thomas

Audrey where are you coming from.

UK driving licences are accepted if it's the photo one.
The old fashioned paper only ones are not accepted and one needs an International permit.

We have used both Avis and Europcar at Nelspruit.
Both were fine, Europcar is usually a bit cheaper.

Rhino car hire also delivers at KMIA, and has very good rates.

Hi Audrey,

I presume you come from the UK. You will need an international driving licence. Last year we used tigercarrental.com and this year we used drivesouthafrica.co.za. Both were very good. Tiger uses budget car hire and the other uses Europcar. Prices are reasonable and unlimited mileage. Neither of them looked at my UK driving licence, only the international one and passport.

Hope this helps
Mike

Not if your UK licence is a combined photo and paper one.

We stay in SA 6 months each year on a holiday visa, and our photo/paper licence is all we need. We hire time and time again. Trust me.

If however it's the old paper only version you will need an international permit.
(That is of course assuming that you are from UK!!!!)

Hi - I think your questions have been answered, but I'll throw my two cents in as well: I hired a car from Nelspruit last November, and booked with Thrifty through their UK website, which was easier as I could book and pay direct via a UK website in pounds. Also, they were a lot cheaper than the others, particularly for an automatic with unlimited mileage The actual booking was then handled by Dollar/Budget at Nelspruit - I was very pleased with their service, and the car, particularly as the queue for Avis was out the door and Dollar/Budget had no queue at all.

I did get an international drivers license just in case (it only takes a few minutes at the post office in the UK), but it wasn't necessary as they just took the UK license (both the photo card and paper counterpart were asked for). Good thing it wasn't necessary anyway, as I forgot to pack it in the end

Only thing I can add is to give Carhire3000 a try from the UK. Certainly, in the last 3 years I have used them, they have always been cheaper than going to the "main" 2 or 3 hire companies, despite getting a voucher from them for either Avis or Hertz

Aside from that, good luck and have fun in paradise

Mike Goss

Thanks to everyone for your help. As i am from the US, it was least expensive for me to go with Thrifty. All done, onward to the next task! Thanks again.

Hi,

I also have been using Car3000 for several years I have just rented one with them for our trip in November they have changed their name to rentalcars.com. We didn't come last year and I have just obtained a photo/paper driving licence, but certainly up to November 2010 we had no problems with the very old paper ones.