Maximise Your December Holidays With Drive South Africa

The South African summer is made for road trips. Long days, warm evenings, beaches humming with family energy, and game reserves alive after the first rains – it all comes together over the December holidays. Whether you’re planning an easy coastal cruise, a wildlife-rich safari loop, or a sand-track adventure that needs a proper 4×4, hiring the right vehicle gives you the freedom to shape the festive season around your family, your pace, and your budget.

Below you’ll find the key dates for December public holidays and the school holidays in South Africa, smart ways to squeeze the most time off from your annual leave, practical rental tips for peak season, and three hand-picked family road trips (including one 4×4-only option). Let’s start inspiring your festive season!

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday | Photo: Lilishia Gounder

Key December Dates at a Glance

December Public Holidays (2025):

• Day of Reconciliation – Tuesday, 16 December 2025
• Christmas Day – Thursday, 25 December 2025
• Day of Goodwill – Friday, 26 December 2025

January Public Holiday (2026):

• New Year’s Day – Thursday, 1 January 2026

Good to Know: South Africa’s Public Holidays Act states that if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday – handy when planning future festive seasons.

School Holidays in South Africa (Public Schools)

For the 2025/26 festive period, public schools close in December 2025 (Term Four runs from 13 October to 10-12 December) and return in mid-January 2026 (Term One begins 14 January 2026). Private schools may vary, but most follow a similar pattern.

How to Maximise Your Leave in December & January

With public holidays nicely placed, you can turn a few days of annual leave into a proper summer break. Here are four practical combos for 2025/26 (all dates inclusive):

The Quick Win

• Four days off, one day of leave
• Saturday 13 – Tuesday 16 December 2025
• Take Monday 15 December as leave to create a long weekend around the Day of Reconciliation on the Tuesday. Perfect for a short Garden Route hop or a Karoo farm stay.

Christmas Week Stretch

• Nine days off, three days of leave
• Saturday 20 – Sunday 28 December 2025
• Take Monday 22 – Wednesday 24 December as leave; then Thursday 25 and Friday 26 are public holidays, followed by the weekend. Ideal for a relaxed coastal holiday without too many big driving days.

Into the New Year

• 11 days off, four days of leave
• Thursday 25 December 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026
• Take Monday 29 – Wednesday 31 December and Friday 2 January as leave; public holidays take care of Thursday 25, Friday 26 and Thursday 1 January. A great window for a family safari plus beach time.

The Big Festive Break

• 16 days off, seven days of leave
• Saturday 20 December 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026
• Take Monday 22 – Wednesday 24 December, Monday 29 – Wednesday 31 December, and Friday 2 January as leave. You’ll enjoy two full weeks plus weekends wrapped around Christmas and New Year’s Day – exactly when kids are on school holidays.

Coastal drives are busier on changeover weekends | Photo: Sandy Ravaloniaina

Peak-Season Car Rental & Driving Tips

• Book early, choose smart. December demand is high, so secure your vehicle class and extras (child seats, roof racks, second driver) well in advance. If you’re packing surfboards or camping gear, consider a larger boot or an SUV with fold-flat seats.
• Think about your route. Coastal drives are busier on changeover weekends (around 21-22 December and 27-28 December), and the N1/N3 corridors can be congested. Aim for early starts and midweek transitions where possible.
• Match the car to the terrain. Tar-only routes are fine in a sedan or compact SUV, while gravel-heavy safaris benefit from higher ground clearance. True sand tracks or designated 4×4 trails require a proper 4×4 with low-range and good all-terrain tyres.
• Heat matters. December can be scorching inland, so prioritise reliable air-conditioning, carry plenty of water, and plan shorter driving legs with picnic or playground stops.
• Wildlife rules. In parks, keep to speed limits, don’t feed animals, and time gate entries carefully. Summer dawn game drives are superb and cooler for kids. In Kgalagadi, for example, allow several hours between camps and arrive before gate closing times.

Aim for two-night stays in at least two locations | Photo: Matthias Wesselmann

Three Family Road Trips to Try This December

Garden Route Family Explorer (7-10 days)

Route: Cape Town → Mossel Bay → Wilderness → Knysna → Plettenberg Bay → Tsitsikamma → (optionally) Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).

Why Families Love It:

• Distances are manageable, there’s accommodation for every budget, and there’s always a beach, forest boardwalk, lagoon paddle, or playground nearby.
• The Tsitsikamma section of Garden Route National Park offers easy family walks to the famous suspension bridges and ocean viewpoints, with picnic spots and shaded trails.

Highlights:

• Wilderness: Canoeing on the Touws River, boardwalk birding, and wide, family-friendly beaches
• Knysna: The Heads viewpoints and gentle cruises on the lagoon
• Plettenberg Bay: Robberg Peninsula walks (choose the short loop with kids) and farm stalls for picnic supplies
• Tsitsikamma National Park: The suspension-bridge walk and rock pools at Storms River Mouth (check signage and tides)

Driving Notes:

• Aim for two-night stays in at least two locations, such as Wilderness and Plett or Tsitsikamma, to cut down on pack-and-go stress.
• A regular car is perfect; a compact SUV can help with luggage and the odd graded gravel road.

December is the green, productive season | Photo: SA Chikane

Panorama Route & Southern Kruger Loop (6-8 days)

Route: Johannesburg → Graskop/Sabie (Panorama Route) → Kruger (e.g., Skukuza/Lower Sabie) → Johannesburg.

Why Families Love It:

• It’s a “best of both worlds” holiday: dramatic waterfalls and canyon views first, then a full-on safari to cap it off.
• Camps such as Skukuza and Lower Sabie have shops, pools, and picnic spots – easy for first-time family self-drivers.

Highlights:

• Panorama Route: God’s Window, Lisbon and Berlin Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and views over the Blyde River Canyon
• Kruger National Park: Sunrise self-drives on tar loops, hippos and crocs at Sunset Dam near Lower Sabie, and night drives or kids’ junior ranger activities (bookable at camp)

Driving Notes:

• December is the green, productive season – more birds and babies, lush scenery, and occasional afternoon storms. Roads are good; an everyday sedan or SUV is fine.
• Pre-book popular rest camps well ahead; plan gate times and picnic brunches to keep drives playful, not pressured.

A true 4×4 unlocks designated sand routes and exclusive wilderness experiences | Photo: Jenny Smith

Kgalagadi Family 4×4 Adventure (7-10 Days, 4×4-Only Option)

Route: Upington → Twee Rivieren → Nossob → Mata-Mata (loop), with optional wilderness detours.

Why It’s Special:

• Red dunes, camel-thorn trees, black-maned lions, Kalahari sunsets – it’s pure desert drama and a proper adventure for families with older kids who love wide open spaces.
• A true 4×4 unlocks designated sand routes and exclusive wilderness experiences you simply can’t do in a normal car. For example, the Nossob 4×4 Eco Trail is a guided, multi-day sand-dune route that runs between Twee Rivieren and Nossob on set days and is closed for two weeks over Christmas-New Year.

What You Need:

• A high-clearance 4×4 with low range, recovery gear supplied by your rental provider, a compressor and tyre gauge, and a confident driver comfortable with sand.
• Camps such as Twee Rivieren, Nossob, and Mata-Mata have fuel and basic supplies. Nevertheless, stock up in Upington and carry extra water. Travel times between camps are long – you must arrive before sunset, as no driving is allowed after dark.

Family Tips:

• Plan short driving legs (morning and late-afternoon game drives) and siestas in the heat of the day.
• December can be very hot – aim for air-conditioned accommodation, schedule shaded picnic stops, and make the most of early mornings and evenings.
• If you’d prefer to test the waters first, stay on the main camp-to-camp roads for a day or two, then add a guided 4×4 activity when everyone’s comfortable.

Hire a 4×4 to reclaim your festive season | Photo: Wade Lambert

Why Hiring a Vehicle is the Best Move for the December Holidays

Hiring a car or 4×4 allows you to reclaim your festive season. You can arrive on your dates (not just the ones with flights that match), pick a vehicle sized for your family and luggage, and design a route that balances adventure with downtime. Want beaches today and a waterfall walk tomorrow? Easy. Prefer dawn drives in the bush and pool time after lunch? Done.

With your own wheels, you’ll stop for the farm stall with the best pies, pull over for viewpoints without a timetable, and adjust plans around naps, weather, and mood. And, if your dream trip includes genuine off-the-grid sand tracks, a well-equipped rental 4×4 makes it possible – safely and comfortably.

Ready to plan your December holidays? Choose the vehicle that fits your family, pick one of the routes above (or use our Road Trip Explorer to find one), and enjoy the freedom of the open road when South Africa is at its sunniest and most sociable.