SANParks.org Forums

We're using them too for this summer.
Seemed to be the best value.
Gemma

Has anyone experience renting with Drive South Africa, pick up from Nelspruit Int Airport, returning to Phalabora. We are looking at a 10 seater bus for a family.

Hi wildebeeste,

If you have a read through This Thread I am sure you will find loads of advice re the various rental companies.

and also more recent Here

Hi All,

I was reading through some of the car break-down stories, and am wondering if (probably not) there are any rental places inside the park in case a calamity of sorts happens to yours?

Are there any outside the park, near Lower Sabie for instance, or repair shops?

Does Kruger have any type of towing service?

I know these are all remote-chance questions, but I would imagine quite a few things do happen while there.

Thanks greatly..

There is no rental facility in the park itself. You can however rent vehicles at all the adjoining airports and places such as Phalaborwa and Nelspruit.

There is a limited breakdown assistance facility available, operating from Skukuza. Call the KNP emergency number in case of breakdown.

Skukuza has car hire (Avis), and of course you'd find it in Nelspruit, the Kruger-Mpumalanga airport, Malelane, and Komatipoort as well (I assume you're going to the southern regions). Both Skukuza and Letaba have repair workshops, and both would arrange towing if needed, while all towns along the Kruger border have garages too.

Now, make sure your car is in good running order, Morgandy, and stop worrying that it may break down; rather, enjoy your holiday to the full!

I know that there is an Avis counter within the Skukuza-reception building, so I assume that the cars must be stationed somewhere close by.

I once hired a car from Avis Kruger-Mpumalanga airport, but when we got to Croc Bridge, there was something wrong with it. The depot at Skukuza immediately drove a new car out to us at Croc Bridge, where it was swapped free-of-charge. I actually asked the driver where he had come from, and he confirmed that it was Skukuza.

And of course most car-hire places have their own emergency lines in case of breakdowns and will always be able to help.

Unfortunately if your rental car does get stuck in the KNP due to a mechanical fault you will have a wait for the replacement vehicle to arrive.
This is due to the fact that most of the rental companies will be based at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.
If you do want peace of mind the closest, as has been mentioned, is Avis in Skukuza.
I would hope that most of the big rental companies will have procedures in place to deal with a break down in Kruger.

I've had several experiences with car problems whilst in KNP, it's best to be sure that you have local — Nelspruit or Phalaborwa — phone numbers for whatever car hire company you use.
Just the reassure you, I'll detail my experiences:

1. Years ago (I think it was 2000), I had a flat near Olifants (where I was staying) and rather than waiting for another passing car, I drove the 8-9Kms back to camp, which destroyed the tyre.
The petrol station attendant at Olifants removed the tyre and installed the spare, but as I had another few weeks in the park, I needed to replace the ruined tyre.
This was before everyone had cellphones, but I was able to reach Avis at the Phalaborwa airport (using the pay phone and a local calling card!) and drove there next day.
They replaced the spare (and charged me for the destroyed tyre), but also discovered that there was a fault (warning light) with the car I had, so they replaced that as well.

2. In 2006 I had several car problems.
I was renting through the excellent consolidator AutoEurope (which you might check as their rates are very good) and my car was actually from National/Alamo.
In the far north (Parfuri) one of the car's electric windows jammed and couldn't fully close — which can be dangerous, particularly when you're around baboons.
I contacted National/Alamo (at, I think, their Polokwane office, which was the closest) and they arranged to meet me at Mopani (my next camp) with a replacement car.

Later in that same trip, when I was staying at Lower Sabie, my car died totally near Skukuza.
I was out of emergency cellphone range, but fortunately a passing motorist reported my situation and help arrived and I was towed back to Skukuza.
A replacement car was sent from Nelspruit, but only arrived after gate closing — we had arranged the late entry for the car-hire company — so I had a long, long wait at Skukuza that day . I then had to pay a fee to be escorted back to Lower Sabie after gate closing time.
The plus on this "adventure" was that the second leg of my "escort" (from Nkulu to LS) was provided by a ranger in an OSV and en route we had a superb sighting of a female leopard!

Next day I discovered that a major warning light was flashing in this replacement car, so I rang National/Alamo at Nelspruit yet again and several hours later they met me at Crocodile Bridge (seemed to me better to take a drive to Croc Bridge than to wait in camp at LS) with a third replacement car.
And on my return drive to LS, I had only my second ever cheetah sighting in KNP — which I likely would not have had if I hadn't needed to go to Croc Bridge to change cars.

Since then (KNP visits in 2007 and 2008), I've not had any further car problems.
But I don't think that you need to worry unduly.
As long as you have contact numbers for you car-hire company (and I expect their national emergency number would connect you with the local office as well), you'll be fine.

(And if I can help with any other advice for traveling from the US to SA, please ask!

Have used them 3 or 4 times in the last few years. Always had good service from them, but never been sent to the same Hire Company twice

As a tip, watch out for Avis, they have a habit of auto sending out an invoice for fuel some 2/3 weeks after the car is returned.

Mike Goss

Our friends always use them too, although we use Holiday Autos.
I know of no problems with either and both seem cheaper than going direct with the rental companies.