Car Hire South Africa

Car Hire in South Africa  is one of the best ways to get around when travelling in South Africa. Hiring a car gives you the freedom to travel wherever you want and it means that you don’t have to rely on the South African public transport system which can be very unreliable.

If you opt for Johannesburg car hire make sure you book your car hire well in advance to avoid disappointment. This gives you the opportunity to inquire about possible free upgrades or discounted rates on your car hire.

Consider how long you will need the car for. Occasionally weekly car hire rates are much cheaper than daily car hire rates.

If you would like to read more please visit Around About Cars

Cape Peninsula Virtual Tour

The Western Cape with it's scenic beauty is the ideal place to start an African journey. Described by Francis Drake when he rounded the Cape all those years ago as "A most stately thing and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the globe".

The Cape was also named "The Cape of Storms" by other voyagers, this difference in perception illustrates the huge variety of moods which influence this southern tip of Africa dominated by its famous flat topped mountain, rising 1000m out of the ocean.

The Cape Peninsula comprises many parts, the vibrant night life of the V&A Waterfront to lonely windswept rocks of Cape Point, graveyard of many a ship. Gracious homes set amongst vineyards, comical penguins at Africa's only mainland breeding colony at Boulders Beach, Simonstown or lively street markets where bargain priced clothes, jewellery and art may be found.

Kalk Bay is a fishing village which still retains much of its original character and has a vibrant night life as well as interesting shops which are open seven days a week.The town was first inhabited in the seventeenth century by shipwrecked seamen and deserters.

The "Historic Mile" (twenty one of the buildings in St Georges street are over 150 years old), is a popular walk along pavements once trodden by Admiral Nelson. The Simonstown Museum has displays on the early history of the town, and is open to visitors daily except Sunday. The boulders beach penguin colony is one of only two mainland breeding colonies of the jackass penguin and also offers sheltered swimming.

Cape Town Tours-Take 2 Tours

Western Cape Province – Self drive tour of major sites

The Western Cape Province only dates back to 1994, prior to this, since the Union of South Africa in 1910, it was part of the Cape Province. Today the province is home to around 4.5 million people, as well as some of the country's most breathtaking scenery.

It's made up of 6 Tourism Regions – Cape Town, Cape Overberg, Cape Winelands, Cape Garden Route and Klein Karoo, Cape West Coast and Cape Karoo.

The best way to discover the area is to hire a car. It's South Africa's 4th largest province but attracts the most tourists each year. T

he province covers a diverse geographical area from stunning mountain ranges to farmland valleys, beaches lapped by the waters of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, to the semi desert Karoo Landscape.

It's bordered to the north by the Northern Province, to the south by the Indian Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic and the east by the Eastern Province.

What to do and see in the Western Cape Province…

Cape Town Region: The scenic beauty of the Western Cape, its cultural diversity, and landscape make it a great place to visit and get around.

Cape Town, the capital city of the province, and one of the oldest cities in South Africa, is a perfect place to start your self-drive tour of the region.

Cape Town is positioned between the ocean and the majestic Table Mountain. Among the many activities you can enjoy in this vibrant city, apart from shopping and the nightlife, are surfing at the many beaches in the area, climbing, wine tasting and much more!

Roads into Cape Town include the N1, which links to Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, the N2 to Port Elizabeth and Durban, and the N7, which takes you to the Northern Cape Province.

Table Mountain National Park is perhaps the jewel in the crown of the tourism industry in the Western Cape.

Located at the southwestern point of Africa, the park incorporates the Table Mountain Chain from Signal Hill in the North to Cape Point in the south, and looms large over the city of Cape Town, the surrounding seas and coastline.

The truly stunning Table Mountain and the legendary Cape of Good Hope are located within the park. It's a wonderful area of steep cliffs, seascapes, diverse and unique flora and fauna you are ever likely to see, and it's well worth a visit.

Accommodation and tours of the area can be arranged.

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The Best of What Western Cape Can Offer - See It All in 9 Days

We traveled in a luxury 30 seater coach with a toilet and air-conditioning, we had a professional tour guide and stayed in 3 star hotels. With the tour we got picnic everyday and a very good Western Cape guide book and maps.

On Day 1: in Cape Town we where collection at 08:00 at the Holiday Inn on the Waterfront in Cape Town. We will take you on a short orientation tour of Cape Town. We stayed in a hotel on the Waterfront.

Day 2: we went to the famous Cape Winelands. We depart early towards the Boland. We visited Eikendal Wine Estate for a cellar tour. We also visit the town of Stellenbosch for lunch dating back to the sixteen hundreds. Then we departed for Franschhoek and Paarl via the Boschendal Wine Estate. We also visited the Simonsvlei Private Cellar and Fairview for a wine and cheese tasting.

On Day 3: We departed early to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve along one of South Africa's most beautiful coastlines. Our journey took us through Sea Point and Hout Bay for a boat ride to seal island. We also visited the lovely town of Simonstown for lunch where we saw the rare Jackass Penguins at Boulders Beach.

Day 4: After breakfast we departed for a visit to Table Mountain and Robben Island.

Day 5: We departed from the cape towards Paarl on the N1, we traveled over the Drakenstein Mountains to Worcester where we visited Kleinplasie, a living open-air museum depicting the lives of the early settlers. We also stopped at a Aloe Factory in Albertina. We had dinner at a restaurant in George.

Day 6: We traveled inland to Oudtshoorn to visit to the famous Cango Caves, Ostrich Show Farm, Wildlife Ranch. We went back to George via the scenic Outeniqua Pass.

Day 7: We traveled to a 800 old Yellow wood tree where we had a walk in the forest. Back in George we visited the Dutch reform Church and then boarded the Outeniqua Tjoe Choe Steam Train for our trip to Mosselbay. In Mosselbay we saw the Post office tree and the Dias Museum.

Day 8: We travel up the coast visited the town of Knysna, Plettenberg Bay playground to the rich and famous in South Africa. We then went to Natures Valley with a walk in the forest at the The Big Tree. Overnight in Port Elizabeth.

Day 9: We went to the wonderful Addo Elephant Park. End of tour in Port Elizabeth.

We suggest you will need to consider the list below when preparing for your holiday on the Western Cape Tour. Although personal tastes differ we suggest you pack: comfortable brown or beige or kaki color casual cloths that included: long trousers, shorts, underwear, tracksuits, light walking shoes, long socks, 5 light shirts, long-sleeved shirt, sweater, bathing costume, light rainproof jacket or anorak and hat. Smart-casual clothes for evening wear, although a few up-market destinations will expect something more formal.

Essential equipment: water bottle, personal toiletries, lip balm, sunscreen SPF 30+, insect repellent, waterproof copy of ID document / passport / plain tickets.

If you are traveling north Malaria tablets, insect repellent and (if you are going to the Kruger National Park or Northern KwaZulu-Natal) a mosquito net.

Prescription medications: make sure you have enough to last during your trip, as well as a copy of the prescriptions.

Over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medicine (just in case!) if you think you'll have trouble finding a pharmacy on your trip.

Visa or MasterCard credit card and/or Travelers Cheques - Diners and American Express are not always accepted. Keep travel documents in a safe place - many airlines no longer resubmit lost tickets and require a police affidavit if you want to avoid paying the full fare for their replacement.

Optional equipment: sunglasses, camera, binoculars, compass, maps.

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Take 2 Tours & Safaris

Cape Town, a Tourist Mecca

The city of Cape Town has many attractions and unique scenery, the diversity of the people and places as this cosmopolitan city begins to dominate. Winning many awards and accolades as a top tourist destination, enticing people from all over the world to grace our shores and experience Africa first class.

Cape Town is a city with it's own flavour and style, the weather is mild and the ocean and mountain creates a holiday atmosphere. Therefore the city has a mixture of nature, great restaurants and nightlife all in a the city bowl for a convenient day out.

In the article below Gerald Crawford discusses the different aspects of Cape Town and what makes it a great city to visit. Use the navigation link to view various articles on city of Cape Town on CBN's website as well as business related articles.


Cape Town Lure Visitors With Spectacular Beauty and a Rich Cultural Diversity
Author: Gerald Crawford

Cape Town has had a long and turbulent history. With Apartheid still linger in the minds and hearts of its people. Transformation has led to the new 'Rainbow Nation', which can be experienced in the cosmopolitan city centre of Cape Town.

Flower sellers, business executives, parking attendants, office workers and shoppers all rub shoulders in a setting of both historical and modern buildings, backed by the city's most famous landmark, Table Mountain. The colourful Malay Quarter, the remains of District Six, St George's Cathedral, Government Avenue and the old Castle are historically significant, while world-class African and international restaurants tempt travellers with their culinary delights.

Although an African city, Cape Town has a European flavour but the city has comforts of First World standard.

Cape Town's unique setting means that it can be enjoyed from various vantage points: Table Mountain provide breathtaking vistas over the city bowl and the Cape peninsula.

You can find many scenic routes along magnificent stretches of coastline and inland terrain leading to special places like Cape Point.

The city has four distinct seasons.

Summer - White sandy beaches, Autumn - Crisp colours, Winter - Ferocity of stormy seas in winter, Spring - Show of Cape 'fynbos' flowers.

From culture, history and scenery - to an unforgettable experience.

Cape Town is a special place with much to contribute towards its growing reputation as a favoured travel destination.

Cape Town Excursions

** Robben Island and Table Mountain

South Africa's most widely known tourist attraction is probably Robben Island, seven miles (11 km) from Cape Town in the centre of Table Bay.

For nearly 400 years this tiny rocky island outcrop was utilised as a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment for numerous categories of people ostracised by society, ranging from political protestors to lepers.

During the years of Apartheid, Robben Island became synonymous with institutional brutality as numerous freedom fighters, including the island's most famous resident Nelson Mandela, were imprisoned here for more than a quarter of a century.

The island is now a museum, symbolising liberation and the triumph of the human spirit. Regular island tours are conducted, lasting three and a half hours. The tours, which are guided by former prisoners, include a visit to the maximum-security prison on the island where an estimated 3,000 freedom fighters were incarcerated between 1962 and 1991.

** Capman's Peak Drive lookout Chapman's Peak

Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in South Africa, linking the seaside community of Hout Bay to the Noordhoek Valley along the Atlantic Coast, with breathtaking views from along the narrow, winding road blasted into the cliffs.

Constructed in 1915, the six-mile (9km) route took about seven years to complete and was built as a shorter, alternative route between Cape Town central and the South Peninsula. Many visitors use this scenic route to reach Cape Point Nature Reserve situated at the tip of the Peninsula.

** Penguins on Boulders Beach

A recommended day excursion from the city includes a trip through the southern suburbs and along the scenically beautiful False Bay coastline via Muizenberg to Simonstown, South Africa's principal naval base.

Simonstown lies about 25 miles (40km) from the city and is a quaint town built around a naval dockyard, with well-preserved Victorian buildings, museums, sidewalk cafes and local legends to learn about. One such legend is about a dog called 'Just Nuisance' who 'joined' the British navy, becoming their mascot, when Simonstown was a British base.

A short distance from the town is Boulder's beach, famous for its protected colony of African Penguins (formerly Jackass Penguin) that can be viewed from the boardwalks.

Transport: Metrorail suburban train from Cape Town's central station; Admission: Boulders Beach Penguin Colony: R15 (adults), R5 (scholars)

** Cape Point

Most visitors to Cape Town are keen to make a day trip 40 miles (65km) from the city to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, not only to take in its floral diversity in what at first sight appears to be a bleak landscape, but to stand at the top of the towering promontory at the most southerly point of the Cape Peninsula (not of Africa, visitors must go further afield to Cape Agulhus for this).

From the viewpoint and lighthouse at Cape Point, reached via a funicular, it is awesome to watch the thundering waves crashing at the base of the cliffs 686ft (209m) below. The reserve itself is worth exploring, particularly on foot, for those interested in birds and botany. The restaurant at Cape Point has a terrace offering spectacular views.

Resident baboons here enjoy the spoils from tourists' snacks - particularly their ice-cream; they can be quite aggressive. Because feeding of the baboons carries a stiff penalty, it is worth ensuring there are no free lunches for these hirsute scavengers!

** Cape Town township Township Tours

The N2 highway that connects Cape Town International Airport to the city is lined with townships, consisting of a mixture of shacks and solid buildings. During the days of apartheid, people of colour were not allowed to live in the white suburbs and were banished to areas away from the city. Township tours allow visitors to experience how the majority of Capetonians live in the townships that surround the city.

Guides, often residents, take visitors around to meet the people, see community projects, have a drink in a 'shebeen' (township pub) and shop for local crafts. Each township has its own colourful character, and despite their difficult living conditions, residents are generally hospitable and delighted to receive visitors.

Townships were once no-go areas for many people, but today a visit is becoming a popular experience for tourists to Cape Town.

Visit Langa, the oldest of South Africa's black townships, established in 1923, or the newest and second largest in the country, Khayelitsha, which dates from the 1980s. Guguletu and Nyanga were set up in the 1950s.

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10 Things Travelers Need When Visiting Cape Town

Cape Town is a beautiful city with rich cultural events and the top 5 attractions in all of South Africa. When you visit Cape Town, South Africa, you will need to make sure you are prepared, so your trip will be more enjoyable. The more preparation you do before you leave, the less you have to worry about once you get there. Then you will be free to relax and enjoy your visit.

1. Sun Protection
The sun in South Africa can be harsh, so you'll need to wear sun protective lotion, as well as protective clothing like hats or visors to keep the sun out of your eyes and face.

2. Copies of Passport and Travel Documents
You always want to make sure you have more than one copy of your passport and travel documents in case you are to lose them or have them stolen. These are the only means by which you can return to your country, so protect them well.

3. Proper Clothing
Light cotton clothing is advised in the summer. The evenings get cooler so pack warmer clothing as well. Dress is typically casual in Cape Town even for evenings at the theater or restaurants.

4. Good Accommodations
My favorite place to stay in Cape Town South Africa is the Commodore Hotel. This is a 5-star hotel on the waterfront near the center of Cape Town. While, the room rate is a bit pricey, a hot breakfast buffet and world class service certainly makes up for it.

5. Money for Tipping
South African currency is called the Rand (R). The Rand is split into 100 cents, similar to the US Dollar and cents. You will need to carry money with you to tip people for service such as wait staff, taxi drivers, hotel staff, etc. 10% is a fair tip in Cape Town.

6. Safety Precautions
Never walk unpopulated streets of South Africa alone. Do not wear excessive jewelry or watches and keep the amount of cash you carry to a minimum. The Police emergency number is 10111.

7. Immunizations
While there are no international immunizations needed to enter South Africa, you should be aware that Malaria is a risk throughout the year. So protect yourself from diseases as you feel necessary. It's better to be safe than sorry.

8. Local Driving Rules
In Cape Town everyone drives on the left side of the road. Many of the National roadways have tolls so always bring money with you if you are planning on traveling by car. Seat belts are required and if you have a young child with you, you should reserve a car set in advance.

9. Local Prices
You should have some understanding of the local prices, so you don't get surprised or taken advantage of while on holiday in Cape Town. The average McDonalds meal is R23.00, bottled water is R5.00, a ticket to the movies is R30.00 and dinner out is about R100.00 each person.

10. Travel Insurance
Medical services are available at private hospitals and doctors in private practice. You should have some form of travel insurance that covers medical expenses. Again, it's better to be safe than sorry in case something does happen during the trip away.

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