Travel independently on this budget South Africa holiday package from Durban to Port Elizabeth. A private Self Drive South Africa Tour that enables you to explore the highlights of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, at your own pace.
Highlights on this self-drive tour of South Africa include the striking natural scenery of Drakensberg mountain range, the spectacular KwaZulu-Natal coastline, the untouched beauty of the seaside village of Chintsa in the Eastern Cape, an Addo Elephant Park wildlife safari, and the friendly seaside city of Port Elizabeth.
This South Africa Self Drive Tour includes all accommodation and rental car bookings – as well as expert recommendations for the best attractions along the way. But, you are entirely free to plan each day of your South Africa self-drive holiday as you prefer.
This Self Drive South Africa Tour starts in the coastal city of Durban, one of the most popular seaside holiday destinations in the country.
Once you have arrived at King Shaka International Airport, pick up your rental vehicle at the Avis Car Hire Depot, then enjoy the city at your leisure. Visit any of the myriad exciting activities around the city, or make your way to one of Durban’s stunning golden sand beaches, where you can do some dolphin spotting or simply enjoy the sunshine.
On day two of your South Africa holiday, drive inland for an incredible two nights in the Drakensberg Mountains. The Drakensberg is a World Heritage Site renowned for its rocky clifftop crags, untamed indigenous forests, and fresh mountain streams.
Also known by its Zulu name ‘uKhahlamba’ (‘Barrier of Spears’), the Drakensberg is South Africa’s largest mountain range. Topping out at 3,482 meters at its highest point and stretching for almost 1000 kilometers, the ‘Berg offering the visitor a wide array of exceptional landscapes to explore and enjoy.
Leave the majestic mountains of KwaZulu-Natal behind on day four and head for the beach. The next two days of your self-drive tour are set aside for a scenic beach holiday.
Drive from the undulating highlands of the Drakensberg Mountains to the picturesque rural scenery of the Eastern Cape, for an overnight stay in the village of Chintsa, on South Africa’s rugged Wild Coast. Often described as a little slice of paradise, this secluded seaside hamlet features a river, quiet lagoon, long, wide, and often deserted beaches, overlooked by towering dunes and wild coastal scrub. Here you can choose to participate in a variety of activities or you may choose to simply enjoy the beautiful beaches in this wild part of the country.
Next up, an exciting wildlife safari in Addo Elephant National Park. Setting an international example as a wildlife conservation park, Addo offers visitors a unique African safari experience. While best known for its elephants, this 1 640 km² wildlife park is also home to a wide array of wild animals, including lions, leopards, buffalos, and black rhino.
Traverse Addo Park at your own pace in your hired vehicle – or continue your quest to see the Big 5 of Africa on an optional open vehicle game drive on your second day here.
On day eight, drive from Addo Park to the closest city, Port Elizabeth. Although officially named Gqeberha, locals still call this friendly city PE for short.
Port Elizabeth is one of South Africa’s largest cities, located a few hours from lies a few hours from our last beach stop, Chintsa. PE is a welcoming city, known as 'the friendly city'. The city is located on the beautiful Nelson Mandela Bay, which hosts many attractions and activities, as well as several great beaches.
Whether you spend the last afternoon of your elf Drive South Africa Tour at the seaside or exploring the charms of PE is entirely up to you.
After breakfast at your seaside hotel, enjoy a final bit of exploring or head to the airport, depending on the departure time of your flights.
When it is time to depart, you'll drive to Port Elizabeth Airport to return your rental vehicle in time for your outbound flight bringing your budget South Africa holiday package to a close.
Please take note of the following travel stipulations and requirements:
This South Africa self-drive holiday package includes vehicle rental of a VW Polo Vivo or similar (Avis Car Hire Group B). This includes Premium Insurance, which covers collision damage and theft waiver, as well as personal accident insurance, unlimited mileage, a location surcharge, third party, and general public liability insurance.
It also includes a VAT and claim administration fee and a tourism levy, plus windscreen damage and repair, water, sandblasting, and undercarriage damage as well as rim, tire, and hubcap damage.
It does not include your fuel or a refundable rental deposit, the contract fee for your vehicle rental, charges for a one-way drop-off, delivery and collection fees, fees for the administration of any traffic fines you may incur, nor the cost of an additional driver, GPS navigation or a child safety seat should you require these. Additional spare tire rental and deposit are also excluded.
We utilize mid-market or standard South African lodge accommodation on this self-drive tour package. There will be a variety of lodge types, which will come with en-suite bathrooms. Most of the establishments also feature restaurants, bars and entertainment areas, and swimming pools.
Breakfast in the restaurants or dining areas of the accommodation establishments is included in this South Africa Tour. If you have any special dietary requirements, please notify us ahead of time.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have applied for and received, in good order, any visas you may require to legally enter South Africa before your departure date.
Kindly note that travel and cancellation insurance is a mandatory requirement for all of our guests and obtaining this insurance is your sole responsibility.
You must ensure that you arrange insurance with protection for the entirety of your self-drive holiday covering personal injury, damage, and loss of personal items, such as but not limited to cameras and other electronic items and accessories, loss or theft of luggage, medical costs, repatriation costs, etcetera.
For more information see our Travel Insurance guide or talk to one of our travel experts for assistance with obtaining suitable travel insurance.
Our team has the destination knowledge to help you plan an unforgettable African adventure. We're based in Cape Town and ready to help.
We can also plan you an affordable private group or tailor-made tour. We built our business on turning luxury travel into affordable travel.
