Driving in South Africa: 17 Tips for an Epic Road Trip

With diverse landscapes and countless attractions waiting to be discovered, South Africa is a road-trippers paradise. 

Renting a car is the perfect way to experience the Rainbow Nation, giving you the freedom to make your adventure truly your own. 

That said, driving in South Africa is not without its quirks and challenges. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! 

We went all in and bought a car in South Africa for an epic year-long overland journey across Africa. All up, we’ve spent over 4 months driving through this incredible country. 

With plenty of experience driving in South Africa under our belts, we’re here to share everything you need to know for an unforgettable South African driving adventure!

Why Rent a Car in South Africa?

Exploring South Africa by car is an unforgettable adventure and the best way to explore this beautiful country. 

With your own wheels, you have the freedom to uncover South Africa’s epic landscapes and vibrant culture at your own pace. 

Read next: 15 Awesome Things to Do in Johannesburg

Renting a car unlocks boundless flexibility, letting you discover incredible (yet unknown) national parks, go on a self-drive safari and experience the magic of South Africa without limits.

Need we say more?

How to Rent a Car in South Africa

If you’re planning to rent a car in South Africa, booking online is the way to go.

Sure, you can use local providers directly, but we’ve found it’s usually cheaper and much more convenient to sort it out in advance online.

Discover the magical Wolfberg Arch and Wolfberg Cracks in South Africa

Booking online lets you choose trusted, well-reviewed providers and skip the potential hassle of dealing with cultural or language barriers at local agencies. 

Renting a car is a big part of your trip, so why not keep it simple and stress-free?

Which Online Provider to Use For Your South African Car Rental

For renting a car in South Africa, we highly recommend Discover Cars. It’s our go-to and the website we trust the most.

So, what’s Discover Cars? It’s an online platform that lets you compare rental deals from multiple providers all in one place.

They keep things transparent by including all mandatory fees, taxes and extras upfront in their quotes.

Plus, they negotiate directly with rental companies to offer some of the most competitive rates out there.

The site is super easy to use and offers great value. But don’t just take our word for it—go check it out at Discover Cars and see for yourself!

Pro tip: Only choose suppliers with a rating of 8 or higher.

Requirements for Hiring a Car in South Africa

To hire a car in South Africa, you need your passport, driver’s licence and a credit card. 

So long as your driver’s licence is in English, you do not need an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) to rent a car in South Africa. 

Read next: Cape Town’s Top 5 Coolest Neighbourhoods

What Type of Car Do I Need For South Africa?

The type of car you need for South Africa will be determined by the nature of your trip and what experiences you are looking to have. 

Unlike its neighbour, Namibia, a 4×4 isn’t strictly necessary for South Africa. There are plenty of attractions and awesome places that are accessible with a non-4×4. 

If you plan on sticking to major highways and well-travelled routes such as the Garden Route, then you will be fine with hiring a sedan or a small non-4×4 SUV. 

What about Kruger National Park? Well, at the very least you’ll want a mid-size SUV. It’s a big park with more than a few bumpy roads. 

While a 4×4 isn’t necessary to visit Kruger, you will be much more comfortable in a 4×4.

That said, there are some great offroad tracks in Kruger, so if you want to really explore, then get the 4×4!

If you plan to go really off the beaten track in South Africa, like to the Richtersveld, then you’ll absolutely want a 4×4. 

Head over to Discover Cars to begin planning your epic South Africa trip!

How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Car in South Africa?

Generally speaking, car rentals are not expensive in South Africa.

Due to the low value of the rand, you will be amazed at how far your dollars will go in South Africa. 

You can check current prices for a car rental in South Africa here.

Important Tips for Choosing a Car Rental in South Africa

Confirm the Mileage Allowance

When picking your car rental in South Africa, don’t forget to check the mileage allowance.

While most companies offer unlimited mileage, some might cap it at 200 km per day—so it’s worth double-checking.

South Africa is a huge country and chances are you’ll want to cover a lot of ground! 

Read next: 12 Epic Cape Town Hiking Trails + Essential Tips

Check the Rental Conditions

When choosing your rental, don’t forget to check out the ‘Rental Conditions’, which can vary depending on the supplier. 

The rental conditions for each car are easy to find. On the desktop version, they’re right below the car picture.

Get Full Coverage

For a stress-free driving experience in South Africa, we highly recommend opting for Full Coverage.

It’s got you covered for things like damage and theft deductibles, repair costs, towing, taxi rides after an accident, lost keys, lockouts and even those annoying admin fees for damage or downtime.

Let’s be honest: shit can happen in South Africa. Get Full Coverage and peace of mind!

Check out the magnificent Jonkershoek Nature Reserve during your South African adventure

Check the Condition of the Car At Pick Up

Take a good look at the car before you drive off and make sure to snap a few photos while you’re at it. Get shots of the front, back, and both sides—just to be safe.

If you spot any scratches, dents or little marks, make sure to capture those too. It’ll save you any hassle later!

Driving in South Africa

Driving in South Africa is generally straightforward, but like in any foreign country, there are a few key points to keep in mind.

Important: In South Africa, you drive on the left-hand side of the road.

Is it Safe to Drive in South Africa?

It’s no surprise to anyone that South Africa has a very high crime rate. Don’t let this dissuade you from visiting though!

Related: Is South Africa Safe to Visit?

The most common crime that occurs whilst driving is a smash-and-grab.

This is when someone smashes your window and grabs something off your seat, usually while you’re stopped at a traffic light.

We always use SafetyWing for our travel insurance.

Even rarer are carjackings. These usually occur at night at isolated traffic lights and in rural areas.

High-risk rural areas are usually well-known and can be avoided.

If you are parked at a red light and you feel like you are at immediate risk, you are allowed to run a red light (granted it is safe to do so). 

South Africa Safe Driving Tips

This doesn’t mean you need to be paranoid when driving in South Africa. It just means you need to be more cautious than you would while driving in say, Europe. 

Drivers in South Africa

Drivers in South Africa are seriously crazy! In all honesty, they’re some of the worst drivers we’ve ever encountered. 

Think tailgating, speeding and overtaking in the most dangerous places.

We once saw a double overtake on a windy, narrow road. And by double overtake, we mean a second car overtaking the first car that was already overtaking. Yep, it was insane.

Questionable driving choices are common practice in South Africa, so staying alert and driving defensively is absolutely key.

Road Conditions

The roads in South Africa can be split into 2 categories: toll roads and everything else.

The toll roads in South Africa are in excellent condition. They’re wide, pothole-free and generally amazing to drive on.

Everything else is pretty terrible. Maintenance of public roads is low to non-existent and massive, frequent potholes are the norm.

Again, this requires vigilance and defensive driving. You’ll be amazed at how frequently you’ll be swerving to avoid potholes while driving in South Africa!

Navigating

In general, Google Maps works well for navigating while driving in South Africa. 

However, in big cities, always check your route with a local. Google will try to take you the most direct route, which can include sketchy, no-go areas.

In areas with minimal to no reception, we recommend having maps.me or another offline map downloaded.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is the single most important thing when travelling, especially if you’re going on a road trip.

Don’t skimp on it and never travel without it – especially to South Africa.

We always use SafetyWing. They’re flexible, affordable and most importantly – easy to make a claim with! (We’ve made multiple).

Load Shedding and Traffic Lights

Loadshedding, or scheduled power outages, are very common in South Africa. Due to these power outages, traffic lights will often not work.

In big cities, it’s common for local citizens to step in and direct traffic. These people are a godsend! 

If no one is directing traffic, approach the intersection as you would a 4-way stop. 

Toll Roads

Toll roads are very common in South Africa. Most of the major highways (which begin with the letter ‘N’) have some sort of toll attached to them. 

Tolls can be paid at booths (called ‘plazas’) using cash, credit cards or preloaded electronic tags like e-tags, which allow for seamless passage through dedicated lanes.

Rates vary depending on the type of vehicle, distance travelled and the specific toll point. 

The toll roads are always of excellent quality – often very different from non-toll roads!

On highway signs, if a road requires a toll it will be marked with a capital T within a yellow circle. 

Fueling Up

Fueling up is very easy in South Africa. It is always full service – meaning someone always pumps your gas for you.

Due to security, South Africa is a very card-based society, so you can almost always pay for fuel with a card.

It is customary to give the attendant a small tip (around 10 ZAR or so). 

Now that we’ve got you excited about driving in South Africa, head on over to Discover Cars to book your car rental!