When hiring a vehicle ANYWHERE in Southern Africa please remember to treat it as if it's your own and with care.
"Excess" is something you will see on the car hire and this means this is the maximum amount you will have to repay if you damage the vehicle. Whilst we can ensure you have "super" cover (limited excess) or "zero" excess on the vehicle it will still rarely give you cover for undercarriage damage. Please also bear in mind that if you do incur damage to the vehicle and it is deemed "negligible or reckless driving" you will have to pay for the full damage to the vehicle and needless to say this can be costly. In addition, many car hire companies will not cover you for sand or water damage and in most instances you will have to pay for damage to windscreen or tyres. It is worth purchasing the extra insurance particularly for windscreen and tyres.
Fully equipped vehicles - mean that they normally come with roof tents (for 2 or 4 people - 2 people per roof tent), mattresses and mossie proofed tents as well as cooking equipment, table, chairs, light, gas cooker and cylinder, water container and tools. Fridges can often be hired for an additional cost.
We generally have all the relevant terms and conditions on car hire on file so if you book a vehicle with us we are more than happy to send this contract through to you in advance to your arrival after you've booked the vehicle.
When you pick up your vehicle from the car hire company we recommend you check the vehicle and equipment thoroughly, once out on the road sorting a problem or something not working correctly can be costly, time consuming and of course, frustrating. Please note
- the car hire company will take an authorisation of your credit card for security and to ensure that deposit amount can be covered and will be held until you return the vehicle. If the car is returned in the same condition as it went out then the credit card slip will be destroyed, if the vehicle is damaged they will then take payment from your card. This is standard practice with the car hire companies and will form part of her agreement. Normal credit cards accepted are mastercard or visa. Amex cards are rarely accepted.
- Full home address, telephone number and email contact details are required
- They will also need a copy of your driving licence. This can be either an international driving licence or one in English (if you have a foreign licence then a translated copy must be supplied). Your passport is also required
- Additional drivers must be listed on the rental agreement (the car hire company will take this information from you at the time of hire). If an undisclosed driver is involved in an accident the renter will be liable for the damage.
All of this may seem like hard work and off-putting but the benefits of the freedom of travel certainly outweigh the negatives
ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS FOR DRIVING ON THE ROAD
Not all gravel roads are the same. Be aware of this and drive accordingly. Take note of the following before you set out;
Punctures are common on gravel roads so ensure you have at least 1 spare
Do not exceed the prescribed speed limit. The safest speed on a gravel road is between 60-70kms hour
Observe road traffic signs at all times, particularly those indicating a hill or curve ahead and reduce your speed accordingly
In hazy conditions its recommended to switch on the headlights of your vehicle so as to be more easily observed by other road users
When there is oncoming traffic, keep to the left of the road as far as possible
In rainy or wet conditions, beware of slippery roads, sections of the road washed away, running and/or stagnant water at drifts and/or causeways - some gravel roads are particularly slippery and so a slow speed is essential
Watch out for domestic and wild animals, at all times
Be on the lookout for the unexpected, such as loose and sandy patches, potholes or a sharp bend in the road, just because the roads have little traffic doesn't mean you can relax and not be observant
Other hazards are dry stream crossing and dry dips in the road, these are often eroded or rocky
Be constantly on the alert – as road signs may have been removed or run over
Overtaking on gravel roads can be dangerous. Draw the attention of the driver in front of you by flicking your headlights thus indicating that you wish to over take and indicate
The simple rule when going into a skid is – skid left, steer left – skid right, steer right. Gently! In other words, if the car starts to slide towards the left side of the road, gently steer to the left and vice versa. Take your foot off the accelerator for a moment as the car is gently bought under control and stay off the brakes
Be careful when you approach the top of a blind rise, occasionally there is a slight bend just out of sight that maycatch you off-guard
You may also wish to consider taking a 4x4 driving test and course before embarking on your trip.