SANParks.org Forums

Hi TX,
There is quite a bit of advice about car rentals in the FAQ.
Please let us know if you have any more questions.

I let http://www.carhire.co.za/ handle my rental for August 2006. Same agent as mentioned in the FAQ.

Hi, its great that you'll be visiting!

Are you spending your entire time in SA in Kruger? It is beyond wonderful but there is so much else to see and do, especially since you will have come sucha long way.

Anyway, about the rental advice.

The most reputable companies all have offices at our airports including KMIA. Companies like, Avis, Imperial and Budget are all good and often have special rates. I suggest you take a look at their SA websites, perhaps someone could provide a link.

In terms of what kind of car to rent: Most have air conditioning but it is needed because it can get quite hot, however, you should drive around Kruger with the windows wide open, to take in the fresh air, sounds and smells of the bush that help you find game but are invigorating!!

A 4x4 is not needed as Krugers roads are very well maintained, however, the higher vantage point of cars like the Toyota Venture is better, it also has good luggage room and is ideal. However others should be fine (you will see people in everything from small two door cars to luxury German SUVs all of which do just fine in the Park and on national roads) Also, its worth paying a little extra for insurance, not that anything will happen but it is worth the peace of mind. You will also find that these companies give good deals on free daily kms.

Try to avoid a red car, purely because it is an eyesore among the quiet colours of the wilderness!

The others will give you plenty more advice..good luck!

Meaning
We did however saw hardly no cats. Could be because of the colour.


But specific ask them not to delivered a red one

Thanks Gwendolyn and Bushmad for the car advice. We are going to spend the entire three weeks in the park and in the immediate area. From what I have read, you simply cannot get too much Kruger. Other parts of South Africa will just have to wait for another trip.

Booked through the same agent as Gwen.
TXDrifter, even three weeks are much to short

We've always used Avis and they have been fine. On one occasion when the car developed a fault they sorted it out pretty quickly (bearing in mind where we were!) and gave us a free tank of fuel.

It is important to consider the internal comfort of the car, particularly the seats. You will be sitting on them for some considerable time. On our last visit we hired a luxury Mercedes which was a mistake, the seats were much too hard.

Catherine

I highly recommend AutoEurope, which is a consolidator that is actually based in Maine. I used them for my last SA trip and will be using them again in 2006. They use Avis in SA and their rates are excellent (far better than going directly with Avis or Hertz) as is their service. Locally in SA, if you have any problems you deal directly with Avis. I had a flat last trip and shredded a tire, which was replaced at the Avis office in Phalaborwa.

Your CD insurance may be covered by your US credit card, so you should be sure to check. Better yet, if you have Diner's Club, they cover you as first party insurer ... others cover you only in excess of what your personal auto insurance covers. I highly recommend always using Diners for auto rentals as they are invaluable if you have a problem that involves insurance reimbursement. I've also had a couple of after-the-trip problems with overseas car rentals and Diner's has simply taken over and resolved the problem.

There are pros and cons for what type of vehicle. Some prefer the higher view from a 4x4, and you can also see over lower profile vehicles at the occassional sighting traffic jam, but I personally prefer the "direct" view from a sedan, rather than to be looking down at the animals. Also, AC, which I almost never use at home, is a must in SA. Even tho you will want to drive with windows open, when your car has gotten hot and stuffy while you've been relaxing over lunch, you'll be glad of the AC to cool it down before your drive .

You should have plenty of choice for car rentals from Nelspruit. I've both picked up and dropped off a car there in the past and that was long before it became in "international" airport. My last flight from there was in a 9 seater in a thunderstorm â€â€

My car broke down recently on a trip to Swaziland and I used Budget. The service was outstanding as was their prices. Because I am a club mccarthy member I get discount. I had the car two days, and travelled 700km with it. My final charge (excluding fuel) was just under R300. I think that is very reasonable considering it had aircon and power steering.

One thing to bear in mind is that most cars in South Africa are not automatic. If you not used to changing gears, make sure you request an automatic. This might influence your choice of car.

Juat to clear it up in case you are not sure. The Americans use the term driving "stick". Most our vehicles are "stick"

Personally I prefer an automatic in the Kruger anyway - I find it much easier for edging forwards/backwards and crawling along slowly than a manual gearbox.

I had a problem with Hertz in SA - they rented me two consecutive cars with expired road tax. I didn't notice on the first one and was stopped and fined by the Police (although Hertz naturally paid the fine, and a letter of complaint got a huge refund). On my last trip I used Avis and their service was fine.

We will be renting an automatic too for this reason. We edge and crawl a lot

And then the big Ellie comes along

Auto's better for that too - just floor the accelerator into kick-down and off you go

Yep!