Ready, set, hire a car and enjoy the best of self-drive in Cape Town!

Cape Town’s splendour is the stuff of tourism legends. Perhaps the best part though is how much you can see no matter the kind of adventure you’re in the mood for, within the city itself but also just a mere hour or more away.

Vehicle Hire

The roads are well-maintained and satellite-mapped. There are numerous car hire companies to choose from, from the well-known such as Budget and Avis, to less well-known companies such as Velocity Car Hire Cape Town, Wiggle Car Hire Cape Town and OLX Car Hire Cape Town. There’s also a company to suit every budget and every comfort requirement.

Wiggle Car Hire Cape Town

Velocity fills a niche to get around in style. Choose from a range of convertibles, luxury sports cars, executive SUVs, supercars and 4×4. Wiggle Car Hire Cape Town is about more than just the destination but the journey itself. Whether you’re tackling a coastal or inland route, nothing quite says vacation like a smooth handover procedure, the highest service standards and experiencing the wind in your hair as you tackle the open road Top Gear style, or something like that. For R900 to R6000 a day, there’s no reason not to live it up and drive in style – after all, you only live once.

Velocity Car Hire Cape Town

Another lesser known but highly affordable and reliable service is Velocity Car Hire Cape Town. This under-the-radar car hire company has a car to suit every budget and taste, with a focus on making things possible and troubleshooting for the individual.

OLX Car Hire Cape Town

Another great care hire option is OLX Car Hire Cape Town, with vehicles for hire for under R200 and even under R150, with trailer hire also being an option. This is a classified car hire option, so you’d need to speak to individual owners on this popular classified site to enquire about their terms and conditions. Simply search for your requirement and the area in which you need it, and wait for OLX Car Hire Cape Town to return a match.

Self-drive on the Atlantic seaboard

This stretch of coast lies to the west of the peninsula and straddles the Atlantic Ocean. You can join the route at any point but to experience the full drive start at  Mouille Point/Granger Bay near the Waterfront or Hout Bay. Take in the splendour of Camps Bay, Clifton and Llandudno, not forgetting Green Point and Sea Point. View the sunset from Chapman’s Peak, which stretches from Noordhoek to Hout Bay. Chapman’s Peak is actually on the False Bay route but if you’re anywhere near Hout Bay, it is not to be missed. It has often been rated as the most singularly scenic drive on the planet.

This route is great if you don’t want to venture too far or are time pressured. A morning or afternoon is all you need. Stop at the many trendy cafes, beach bars, restaurants and sundowner spots along the way.

Use Olx Car Hire Cape Town to see the Garden Route

The Garden Route along the east coast is so named for the lush greenery you’ll encounter. It stretches past Mossel Bay, George and Knysna well into the Eastern Cape. You’ll probably need more than a day especially if you’re stopping at the many places of interest along the way, including Hermanus.

Hermanus is a top whale-watching site between August and November, when southern right whales entertain onlookers with their fun-loving nature.

Constantia, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Tokai Forest.

This short two- or three-hour trip will literally transport you to a world away right on Cape Town’s doorstep. Take the N2 from the airport and then head onto the M3 and make for Kirstenbosch. Do this by following the signs to Rhodes Memorial. In recent years, this memorial and reminders of colonialist Cecil John Rhodes has become controversial, sparking the ‘Fees Must Fall’ Movement, when students at the University of Cape Town demanded that the statue they dubbed as ‘imperialist’ be taken down. Rhodes has since become a symbol of the local fight for free access to education.

Kirstenbosch is internationally renowned for its flora and fauna. It is near the memorial. From there the Southern Cross Drive will take you to Constantia and Alphen Farm Stall. Enjoy the homemade goods in the cobble-stoned setting.

Then venture on to the Constantia Wine Route. Enjoy the many wine farms – many of which provide award-winning wines – that hug Constantia Main Road.

A note on driving in Cape Town

There is no need to fear hijackings or safety incidents in general, if sensible safety rules are adhered to. Do not venture into risky or abandoned areas at night, and let your guest house manager know when they can expect you back. Alternatively, stay in contact with someone you know.

Keep doors locked and do not flash your valuables. Depending on where you are, you may encounter informal traders at street stops. They are harmless and will try to sell you anything from fruit and vegetables to licence disks and earphones. Keep your windows rolled up if you do not wish to be hassled. Have change ready if you do wish to buy something. Hawkers are a part and parcel of the local economy.

When filling up, it is customary to tip the petrol attendant a small amount. Petrol attendants are eager to please and usually a windscreen wash, tyre pressure check and oil and water check is on the house. Take advantage of the checks, especially on day-long routes. Esure that the petrol attendant has placed the pump back into a resting position and removed it from your car before driving off.

Petrol price adjustments are made every month locally. The price could go up or down depending on an under- or over-recovery of the local rand against the dollar at the time of importing oil.