A Travel and vacations forum. TravelBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » TravelBanter forum » Travel Regions » Africa
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Self-drive in Botswana & SA



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old March 14th, 2007, 09:23 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
Nancy[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Self-drive in Botswana & SA

Hi all,

In October my husband and I are returning to Botswana, flying into
Joburg. We plan to rent a vehicle for the 5 weeks we'll be there. I've
found places that rent cars, and ones that rent 4WD trucks with full
camping equipment. Does anyone rent SUV-type vehicles? We'd like the
higher seating of an SUV but don't want to pay as much as we're seeing
for the big trucks, when we can bring our own camping gear. Or, know
anyplace in Joburg or Gabarone where we can rent for under $100 US/day?

nancy
  #2  
Old March 15th, 2007, 12:04 AM posted to rec.travel.africa
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 23
Default Self-drive in Botswana & SA

On Mar 14, 4:23 pm, Nancy wrote:
Hi all,

In October my husband and I are returning to Botswana, flying into
Joburg. We plan to rent a vehicle for the 5 weeks we'll be there. I've
found places that rent cars, and ones that rent 4WD trucks with full
camping equipment. Does anyone rent SUV-type vehicles? We'd like the
higher seating of an SUV but don't want to pay as much as we're seeing
for the big trucks, when we can bring our own camping gear. Or, know
anyplace in Joburg or Gabarone where we can rent for under $100 US/day?

nancy


Just got back. We traveled on some gravel roads on every part of SA
and had no problems. 10,000 km. We rented a Renault Clio with manual
for $21 per day with THRIFTY.

  #3  
Old March 15th, 2007, 06:46 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
Come-Along.nl
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 24
Default Self-drive in Botswana & SA


"Nancy" schreef in bericht
...
Hi all,

In October my husband and I are returning to Botswana, flying into Joburg.
We plan to rent a vehicle for the 5 weeks we'll be there. I've found
places that rent cars, and ones that rent 4WD trucks with full camping
equipment. Does anyone rent SUV-type vehicles? We'd like the higher
seating of an SUV but don't want to pay as much as we're seeing for the
big trucks, when we can bring our own camping gear. Or, know anyplace in
Joburg or Gabarone where we can rent for under $100 US/day?

nancy


Take a look at: www.come-along.nl

But my Land Rover is occupied during october...

Reg. Hans


  #4  
Old March 15th, 2007, 09:32 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
Wildpicture
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 50
Default Self-drive in Botswana & SA

Nancy schreef:
In October my husband and I are returning to Botswana, flying into
Joburg. We plan to rent a vehicle for the 5 weeks we'll be there. I've
found places that rent cars, and ones that rent 4WD trucks with full
camping equipment. Does anyone rent SUV-type vehicles? We'd like the
higher seating of an SUV but don't want to pay as much as we're seeing
for the big trucks, when we can bring our own camping gear. Or, know
anyplace in Joburg or Gabarone where we can rent for under $100 US/day?


Hi Nancy,

it depends very much on where you want to travel. All parks in Botswana
require a 4x4 vehicle to enter the park. And for a very good reason.
Most of these renatl 4x4 vehicles don't just have camping equipment.
that is not what makes them expensive. They are specially equipped for
the rough African bush, with extra strong suspension, plated underside,
long range fuel tanks, second battery, water tank etc etc. That kind of
equipment makes these vehicles suitable for the bush, but also
expensive. Please don't underestimate that!

Please do not regard the bush and parks in Botswana as Amrican Style
national parks. This is the true wilderness!!! As you mention you are
returning to Botswana, I guess you have been there and you do know this.

In my opinion the best place to rent a 4x4 is with Britz.
http://www.britz.co.za/
They have an office in Jo'burg right next to the airport. Their vehicles
are not most inexpensive ones, but they are well prepared and safe and
their service is very good indeed. We have used them for many trips and
will be using one of their Landrovers again in a few months.

Regards,
Hans
  #5  
Old March 17th, 2007, 09:24 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
Mitch
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Self-drive in Botswana & SA

A Toyota Hilux 4x4 will fit your needs perfectly. They are used
extensively by rental companies and locals alike, and can be rented
without gear.

Get a diesel engine for better fuel mileage/economy and torque and in
our opinion, pay the extra money for a fully kitted out camper. A
great value for what you get and over five weeks, you'll use the full
equipment and enjoy the extra comforts - are you going to bring your
own cozy camp chairs?

We're giving you a gold mine here... contact bushlore.com for your
rental. Read the testimonials and believe them. This company is rock
solid and the camper you will get has all the necessary equipment to
take you anywhere in the world and keep you comfortable and safe.
Bushlore rents the Hilux without equipment, but with the equipment is
were they really shine.

There are many camper rental companies in South Africa, we've tried
three of them, but none come close to Bushlore's, price, equipment
list and overall concern for doing the best job possible.

You'll see all types of rental campers in the park. We love the Landy
station wagon (Defender), but used the Toyota Hilux out first time out
without any problems at all. The Hilux drives and has an interior
similar to a car.

The camper price depends on the exchange rate, but at any price (well
except if your currency plunges to some crazy lows against the rand)
renting a 4x4 and doing the self drive thing is a super, super deal.
It's very easy and so much, much cheaper than any other means of
viewing wildlife. And in Bots, you get a big bang for your money.

A fully equipped camper will cost more than $100. a day (if the $$
keeps getting stronger, maybe not), but what you get is unbelievable.
A refrigerator, all sleeping gear - having the tent on the roof is a
great feature you won't have when you bring your own ground tent.
You'll have a good view above the ground and you won't have to worry
about Hyenas biting your head - also full kitchen equipment, extra
large fuel tanks (absolutely essential), water tanks, safety gear,
full tank of diesel at pickup (remember, you want a diesel engine, for
better fuel mileage/economy and torque) anything you'll need and more,
a fully kitted out camper.

Check out Fodor's scubatv posts, (that's us). You can track these
posts back to when we inquired about renting a cheap sedan car ($23. /
day) in Joberg and traveling into Bots. We then considered renting an
SUV for around $100. and bringing our camping gear and some were
available.

Luckily for us, others did as we're doing and quickly steered us in
the right direction. We caught on and now, three years later, we're
planning our third self drive in a row, into Zambia and Zimbabwe.

If game viewing is your goal, as you already know, it would be a
mistake to travel into Botswana without a 4x4. It can be said, without
getting much of an argument from anyone on the planet, that Bots host
the world's best, the world's most abundant, and the world's most
easily accessible wildlife.

Wildlife is ubiquitous in Bots parks, and while the camps are filled,
on the tracks you won't see many vehicles, just enough to know there
are people around to help you out if needed.

While a 4x4 is necessary, the tracks through the game parks can be
driven by anyone who has experience and confidence driving a car. The
roads are bumpy and quite sandy, but the 4x4's do all the work. There
are a few places that are a bit harder to get to, but just don't go
there.

We've done this trip two years in a row (July/August), traveling from
the states, renting a 4x4 in Joberg and driving up to Moremi and Chobe
in Bots and Vic Falls, Hwange, Harare, Mana Pools, Chitake in Zimbabwe
and then back.

These routs are well traveled and documented on the internet.

Our first time out, we had never driven a 4x4 until we pulled it out
of the lot and two days later, we were tearing through the sand in
Moremi.


Extra notes:

Call, fax, quickly, now, the Bots parks office to reserve your camping
spots.

Get a hold of Bushlore, they sellout all of their campers every year.
Actually, most of the camper rental companies will be fully booked
soon. It's a sellers market.

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Self-drive in Botswana prcek Africa 5 December 16th, 2004 09:25 PM
Botswana, I look for some travel agencies in Botswana. Jones Africa 0 October 16th, 2004 03:39 PM
Drive from Sanford Airport to International Drive, Orlando Anonymous USA & Canada 0 July 30th, 2004 06:15 AM
Help. Drive Amalfi Coast. Land by plane in Naples. Is it dangerous to drive coast? marv Europe 3 June 14th, 2004 10:35 PM
Drive from Sanford Airport to International Drive, Orlando WMcG USA & Canada 1 March 14th, 2004 05:28 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 01:47 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 TravelBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.