Car Hire Pretoria

Car Hire in Pretoria

Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa and where the main parliament buildings are situated. Pretoria is an extremely green city which is famous for its Jacaranda trees which illuminate the streets with their purple presence. It’s also a stone’s throw away from bustling Johannesburg. Car hire Pretoria is optimal as it means you have the freedom to traverse within these two major urban hubs of Gauteng whilst also having the option of exploring the sights and sounds of the nearby areas including game drives, lion parks and world-class shopping facilities, restaurants and nightlife.

Best time to visit

Pretoria is home to over 70,000 Jacaranda trees hence it gets the title of ‘The Jacaranda City’. Spring in September is the best time to visit as you can witness the flowers in full bloom.

Around the area

The Union Buildings have beautifully kept grounds to enjoy as you gaze at the iconic architecture. The Voortrekker Monument pays homage to Settler history in South Africa. If game is what you’re after also check out the Rietvlei Nature Reserve which is a short drive from the centre of Pretoria, which is also a great place to go hiking, have a picnic, go fly fishing or do some bird watching pick up your hired car and go out and explore. Pretoria is also one of the rugby capitals of South Africa and a match at Loftus Versfeld is part of the experience. Pretoria is quite vast with a limited public transport system, so using uber or taxis is generally not an option if you’re planning on doing more than the inner city. We recommend car rental in Pretoria as your first option, to avoid aggressive transport costs.

Getting around

Pretoria isn’t as gigantic as Johannesburg, but for this reason, public transport is even more limiting, if you really want to experience all that Pretoria has on offer as well as getting to explore some of the other areas adjacent,  car hire in Pretoria will suffice. However Pretoria also boasts some of the country’s best 4×4 trails close by, so hiring a 4×4 could also be an option.

Length of stay

Pretoria has many historically significant locations for the legacy of South Africa so to really experience this a week at least would be sufficient. If one wishes to explore the other locations nearby a little more extensively and get a chance to see some game in the area and do a bit of off road driving, 2 weeks would be a better option with visits to Johannesburg being an optimal way to experience Gauteng province.

What to pack

Pretoria experiences chilly to cold winters, spring and summer is optimal, with hot dry days. Prepare for the occasional thunderstorm though. You might need a long sleeve shirt or light jacket on colder evenings.

Where to stay

Centurion

What’s nice about this area is that’s in the world-class Gautrain route so commuting from here into the city will be a breeze. Centurion offers a world of great places to stay from quaint guest houses to major hotel chains. There are also nice places to shop and eat not far away.

Menlyn

This is a great place to stay and also home to the Menlyn shopping facility which has everything one might need from cinemas to world-class cafes and restaurants.

Pretoria East

This is a suburban area situated just outside of the central business district itself and is well known for being more tranquil with many options for great accommodation facilities. This is for the traveler seeking a bit of nature. Expect boutique hotels and charming family-run guesthouses.

Hartbeespoort

The Hartbeespoort dam is an area well known for its dam, where water sports such as water skiing and wakeboarding are enjoyed year in and year out. The area also boasts, many natural areas not far from this location including some world class 4×4 trails.

Why hire a car in Pretoria with Drive South Africa

If you’re looking for car hire Pretoria, Drive South Africa really has you covered. You might decide to be in the city for just a few days then all you will need is a simple standard wheel drive car. If you’re looking to explore the rest of the area a 4×4 or camper is also a great option. We really do have the best deals and the right people to get you behind the wheel and driving through South Africa.

Why hire a car with Drive South Africa?