Camper vans and motorhomes for the Garden Route and the Little Karoo
Compare the 3 campervan and motorhome rental companies in George to find the best price, and book at the price shown, mandatory fees included.
Hiring a campervan in George means starting from the centre of the Garden Route, the coast of lagoons, indigenous forests and long beaches that runs along the Indian Ocean between Mossel Bay and Tsitsikamma. The town lies on a plateau at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains: the beaches of Wilderness are a few minutes away, and on the other side of the Outeniqua Pass begin the ostrich farms of Oudtshoorn and the arid landscapes of the Little Karoo. With 3 partner companies, Britz, Britz Cars and Maui, George is our departure point in the middle of South Africa's south coast.
As the main town of the region, it has supermarkets, garages and services: everything you need to stock up before heading to the national parks and coastal villages.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Heading east, the N2 descends the Kaaimans Pass to the beaches and lakes of Wilderness, then skirts the Sedgefield lagoon before Knysna, its estuary guarded by the cliffs of the Heads and its yellowwood forests. After the beaches of Plettenberg Bay, a detour via Nature's Valley leads to Tsitsikamma National Park, where a coastal trail runs to the suspension bridge at the Storms River Mouth. The short stages leave time for walking.
To the north, the Outeniqua Pass crosses the mountains and drops in less than an hour into the semi-arid Little Karoo. Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital, and the Cango Caves open the loop; via De Rust, the tarred Meiringspoort gorge then cuts through the Swartberg Mountains to Prince Albert, a Great Karoo village of white houses and olive groves. The exceptionally clear night sky alone justifies spending a night there.
This one-way trip west starts in Mossel Bay, with its sheltered bay and its museum dedicated to Bartolomeu Dias. After Swellendam, one of the oldest towns in the country, a partly unpaved road leads to De Hoop Nature Reserve, its white dunes and its elands. Cape Agulhas, where the Indian Ocean officially meets the Atlantic, comes before Hermanus and the coastal Clarence Drive to Cape Town, another departure city of our partners.
The ideal seasons to leave from George: mild days, green vegetation and campsites less crowded than in summer. In spring, the fynbos flowers on the slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains; in March and April, the sea is still pleasant and the Little Karoo, past the worst of the heat, is good for hiking and sightseeing.
Peak season on the Garden Route: long days, warmer sea and crowds on the coast. During the South African summer holidays, Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Wilderness are fully booked; in the Little Karoo, the afternoon heat becomes oppressive, so it is best to drive early in the morning.
Winter is cool but it is the least rainy period on the coast, often sunny, and campsites are quiet. Snow sometimes dusts the peaks of the Outeniqua and Swartberg ranges, and nights freeze in the Karoo: ask for a heated vehicle and bring warm sleeping bags. In George, however, rain falls in every season.
Most pleasant months: All year round.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 °C | 17 °C | 80 mm | 12 h/day | 22 °C |
| Feb | 23 °C | 16 °C | 53 mm | 11 h/day | 21 °C |
| Mar | 23 °C | 16 °C | 66 mm | 10 h/day | 19 °C |
| Apr | 21 °C | 13 °C | 54 mm | 10 h/day | 17 °C |
| May | 20 °C | 11 °C | 42 mm | 9 h/day | 17 °C |
| Jun | 19 °C | 10 °C | 44 mm | 8 h/day | 16 °C |
| Jul | 18 °C | 9 °C | 35 mm | 9 h/day | 16 °C |
| Aug | 18 °C | 8 °C | 40 mm | 10 h/day | 16 °C |
| Sep | 18 °C | 10 °C | 65 mm | 10 h/day | 17 °C |
| Oct | 19 °C | 12 °C | 63 mm | 11 h/day | 17 °C |
| Nov | 20 °C | 13 °C | 68 mm | 12 h/day | 19 °C |
| Dec | 22 °C | 15 °C | 70 mm | 12 h/day | 21 °C |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
After collecting the vehicle, don't aim too far: Wilderness, about a dozen kilometres away via the N2 and the Kaaimans Pass, offers beaches, lakes and forest trails. This short first drive lets you get used to driving on the left and to the size of the vehicle before tackling the passes and the long stages.
Around George, several famous roads are gravel: the Montagu Pass, built in the mid-19th century next to the Outeniqua Pass, the Seven Passes Road to Knysna and the Swartberg Pass. Most contracts restrict or exclude unpaved roads for motorhomes: check the offer conditions before setting off on them.
Between Plettenberg Bay and Storms River, the N2 passes through a toll plaza, payable on the spot. The old R102 road via Nature's Valley makes a beautiful detour over the Groot River Pass, but some of its sections have long been closed: check its condition before relying on it to avoid the toll.
In the campsites of Tsitsikamma, Wilderness or Knysna, baboons and vervet monkeys know how to open a door or raid an awning: never leave food outside or a window open while you are away, and do not feed them. Very tame rock hyraxes also roam around the pitches at the Storms River Mouth.
Three partner companies offer departures from George, each with its own offer: Britz and Britz Cars, at the Britz George branch, and Maui, at the Maui George branch. The exact depot address and the vehicle handover time are given in your booking confirmation; from the airport or your accommodation, a taxi is enough to reach the depot.
The price depends on the season, the length of hire, the type of vehicle and, for a one-way trip, the return city. Comparing several departure dates can change the total noticeably. Run a search with your dates: you get the companies' real prices, mandatory fees included, ready to book straight away.
Yes. Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), 287 km as the crow flies to the east, and Cape Town, 372 km to the west, are the most logical return points; Upington, Durban, Johannesburg or East London, other departure cities of our partners, open up long journeys inland. Any one-way fees are included in the displayed price as soon as you enter the return city in your search.
Allow at least five days for the coast between George and Tsitsikamma without rushing, and a week if you add Oudtshoorn and the Little Karoo. Distances are short, but the trails, beaches and kayak trips invite you to stay two nights in the same place, especially in Knysna and at the Storms River Mouth.
Booking for the first time was canceled by the site as the provider had no more availability, and the second proposal is double the price!
The motorhome is rented out simply, quickly, and professionally.
We were given a Maui Camper Van with a lot of defects, Maui Cape Town was kind enough to replace the van but the new van's geyser did not work and the water tank had a leak. We were out in the middle of nowhere in a campsite without electricity and we were far away from a bathroom (no hot water) and a tap. Also, it was inconvenient to not be able to shower in freezing cold weather. They did send someone out to try and fix it but he could not do so. It was also inconvenient to re-pack all our belongings (6 pax) from one truck to the other. It felt as if all our little break away was revolving around a camper van. My experience was not great, especially since we had guests from Durban and I would have thought Maui Cape Town would at least contact me today and release my holding deposit. We left a message for the manager to contact us on Saturday when we dropped off the van. This did have an impact on our trip and experience.
Your national licence is accepted if it is written in English and bears your photo and signature; otherwise, you need to carry an international driving permit with it, which some companies ask for anyway. Traffic drives on the left. The minimum age and years of driving required vary by company and are shown in the offer conditions.
The national park camps run by SANParks, at Wilderness on the banks of the Touws River and at the Storms River Mouth facing the ocean, are among the most beautiful on the coast. Knysna, Sedgefield, Plettenberg Bay and Mossel Bay also have well-equipped caravan parks. Wild camping is not tolerated: plan a pitch for every night.
Southern right whales come to calve in the bays of the south coast, generally from July to November. The cliffs of Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay, as well as the Dolphin Point lookout above Wilderness, let you watch them from land; supervised boat trips leave from Plettenberg Bay. Dolphins can be seen all year round.
George Airport, a few kilometres south-west of the centre, receives domestic flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town. By road, Cape Town is about 430 km away on the N2, around five hours' driving, and Port Elizabeth about 330 km. Long-distance coaches also link George with the country's main cities.
Yes. The N2 crosses forests and villages where pedestrians, livestock and wild animals cross the unlit road, and the winding Outeniqua and Kaaimans passes carry heavy truck traffic. Plan your stages to arrive before dark, and leave nothing visible inside the vehicle when you stop.
Several months ahead for a departure between mid-December and mid-January or at Easter, South African holiday periods when the vehicles of the town's three companies go quickly. Book the SANParks camps at Wilderness and Storms River at the same time, as they are in high demand. Outside the holidays, a few weeks before departure is often enough.
George enjoys a rare position: in the centre of the Garden Route, between the Indian Ocean and the Outeniqua Mountains, it lets you head off in the morning to the lagoons and forests of Knysna and Tsitsikamma, or cross the mountains to spend the evening in the Little Karoo. Starting here means avoiding long hours on the road from the big cities and enjoying, from the very first day, the landscapes you came for.
Britz, Britz Cars and Maui, our three partner companies, offer their vehicles from the town. Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg or Durban, other departure cities of our partners, open the door to one-way trips, along the coast as well as inland. And with a pleasant climate all year round, George is suited to motorhome travel in every season.
