Fitted 4x4s, motorhomes and campervans for Addo, the Garden Route and the Karoo
Compare the 8 campervan and motorhome rental companies in Port Elizabeth to find the best price, and book at the price shown, mandatory fees included.
Airport branches: Bobo Campers, Britz
Hiring a campervan in Port Elizabeth, officially renamed Gqeberha in 2021, means starting your trip on the shores of Algoa Bay, at the eastern end of the Garden Route. An hour's drive away, Addo Elephant National Park offers a first safari; to the west, Jeffreys Bay and the Tsitsikamma forests open the coast towards George, while to the north the plains of the Karoo lead to Graaff-Reinet. With 8 partner companies, including Britz, Maui, Bushlore Africa, Bobo Campers, Asco and Caprivi, the range puts the emphasis on Toyota 4x4s equipped for camping.
Britz and Bobo Campers hand over their vehicles at Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, a few minutes from the city centre.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
| Vehicle | Winter July | Spring October | Summer January | Autumn April |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campervan | from €220/day median €305/day | from €220/day median €293/day | from €162/day median €240/day | from €194/day median €260/day |
| Car and SUV | from €268/day median €311/day | from €258/day median €292/day | from €231/day median €253/day | from €237/day median €265/day |
Daily prices observed on October 19, 2026 for a 15-day rental: CoolDrive selling price, mandatory fees included, 3 rental companies compared. 100% of offers with unlimited mileage. Median excess: €1,623.
This one-way trip west begins with the surf breaks of Jeffreys Bay, then follows the N2 to the Storms River Mouth, in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park: suspension bridge, coastal trails and a campsite facing the ocean. After the Bloukrans Bridge and Nature's Valley come Plettenberg Bay, the Knysna lagoon and the lakes of Wilderness, before you return the vehicle in George, another departure city of our partners.
Addo Elephant National Park, an hour to the north, brings together elephants, buffalo, lions and rhinos in dense bush. The N10 then climbs towards Cradock and Mountain Zebra National Park, a refuge for the Cape mountain zebra. In the Karoo, the village of Nieu-Bethesda is home to the strange Owl House, and Graaff-Reinet, one of the oldest towns in the country, lies below the Valley of Desolation, in Camdeboo National Park. Return via the R75.
To the west, the farmland of the Gamtoos Valley leads to Patensie, gateway to the Baviaanskloof, a reserve listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the protected areas of the Cape Floral Region. A gravel track cut by river crossings and steep passes runs through gorges home to kudu and baboons as far as Willowmore. You return via the N9 to Uniondale, then the R62 and the orchards of the Langkloof. Check that the rental company allows these tracks.
The best times to leave from Port Elizabeth: mild days, sea between 17 and 19 °C and quieter campsites than in summer. In March and April, swimming in Algoa Bay is still pleasant; in spring, southern right whales still pass offshore and the Karoo turns green again. October is the wettest month, without excess, and the wind often blows hard along the seafront.
The peak beach season: sea at 20 °C in December and February, up to 12 hours of sunshine a day and lively beaches from Kings Beach to Summerstrand. On the coast, the heat is tempered by the breeze from the Indian Ocean; in the Karoo, in Graaff-Reinet or Cradock, afternoons become scorching: drive early in the morning and keep a reserve of water.
With highs around 20 °C, winter stays mild on the coast, and the rain, spread throughout the year, is no heavier there than in summer. It is a good season for Addo, where animals gather near the waterholes, and humpback whales then travel along the coast. Nights freeze in the Karoo, however: bring warm sleeping bags or choose a heated vehicle.
Most pleasant months: All year round.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 °C | 19 °C | 33 mm | 12 h/day | 19 °C |
| Feb | 25 °C | 19 °C | 31 mm | 11 h/day | 20 °C |
| Mar | 25 °C | 18 °C | 38 mm | 10 h/day | 19 °C |
| Apr | 23 °C | 15 °C | 36 mm | 9 h/day | 18 °C |
| May | 22 °C | 13 °C | 33 mm | 9 h/day | 18 °C |
| Jun | 21 °C | 11 °C | 31 mm | 9 h/day | 17 °C |
| Jul | 20 °C | 10 °C | 26 mm | 9 h/day | 18 °C |
| Aug | 20 °C | 10 °C | 29 mm | 10 h/day | 18 °C |
| Sep | 20 °C | 12 °C | 42 mm | 10 h/day | 18 °C |
| Oct | 21 °C | 14 °C | 47 mm | 11 h/day | 17 °C |
| Nov | 22 °C | 15 °C | 36 mm | 12 h/day | 19 °C |
| Dec | 24 °C | 17 °C | 36 mm | 12 h/day | 20 °C |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
In Addo Elephant National Park, signs remind drivers that dung beetles have right of way: these large flightless insects, a protected species, roll their balls of elephant dung across the road. Watch the road as much as the bush, only leave the vehicle in the designated fenced areas and respect the opening hours of the park gates.
Port Elizabeth is nicknamed the “Windy City”: gusts coming off Algoa Bay are frequent, especially on the seafront. Park the vehicle facing the wind, do not leave the awning out while you are away and fold up a 4x4's rooftop tent as soon as the wind picks up. On bridges and exposed stretches of the N2, a tall motorhome should slow down.
Towards the Garden Route, the N2 passes a toll plaza in the Tsitsikamma area; check the current rates and keep a bank card to hand. Secondary roads in the Karoo are sometimes damaged, and goats, sheep or donkeys cross without warning: keep your speed down and reach your stop before nightfall, as there is almost no lighting outside towns.
Beyond Patensie and Addo, towns become sparse: fill up with fuel, water and supplies in Port Elizabeth or Jeffreys Bay, where supermarkets are plentiful. In the Baviaanskloof, expect neither a filling station nor a shop before Willowmore, and carry a spare wheel in good condition as well as a compressor if the rental company provides one.
Eight partner companies operate here. Britz hands over its 4x4s at Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, at the Sani Car Rental desk, and Bobo Campers, which has no physical branch, meets you at the airport. Asco, Bushlore Africa, Caprivi and Maui have a depot in Port Elizabeth: its exact address and the handover time are given in your booking confirmation.
The rate varies with the season, the rental length, the type of vehicle and the return city: a 4x4 fitted with rooftop tents and a family motorhome do not belong to the same range. Run a search with your dates to compare the offers of our partner companies, mandatory fees included, and book the chosen vehicle directly.
Yes: George, in the heart of the Garden Route, and Cape Town, at the end of a long journey along the N2, are departure cities of our partners, as are East London, Durban and Johannesburg. Any one-way fee is included in the price shown when you choose a different return city in your search.
The roads of Addo and the Garden Route suit a motorhome such as the Discoverer 4 or the Discoverer 6. The tracks of the Baviaanskloof, on the other hand, require a high-clearance 4x4: the rental companies offer several Toyotas equipped for camping, from the Hilux Bush Camper for two people to the Safari Camping with four berths.
Both refer to the same city. Since 2021, its official name has been Gqeberha, the isiXhosa name of the Baakens River, and its airport is called Chief Dawid Stuurman. Port Elizabeth is still widely used, including by rental companies, and the city is part of the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan municipality: signs, maps and GPS devices use either name.
Good customer service during the rental.
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.
A national driving licence written in English and bearing a photo is generally recognised; otherwise, bring an international driving permit, which some rental companies ask for in every case. The minimum age and years of driving experience required, sometimes higher for a 4x4, are set out in the conditions of each offer.
Wild camping is discouraged and usually prohibited in South Africa. Travellers stop at caravan parks, plentiful by the sea in Port Elizabeth, Jeffreys Bay or St Francis Bay, and at the campsites of the Addo, Tsitsikamma, Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra national parks, which are booked through SANParks.
Yes. The main camp welcomes motorhomes and tents, and the roads of the main section, tarred or well-maintained gravel, can be driven without a 4x4. More remote sections, such as the Zuurberg mountains, sometimes call for a higher vehicle. Keep your distance from the elephants, which often block the road, and never drive through a herd.
No: Port Elizabeth, Addo Elephant National Park, the Garden Route and the Karoo lie outside malaria areas, which makes a safari possible without preventive treatment, a real plus for families. The risk concerns the north-east of the country, around Kruger National Park and northern KwaZulu-Natal: see a doctor if your trip extends there.
Yes: SANParks charges a daily conservation fee per person in Addo, Tsitsikamma, Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra, on top of the campsite. For a long trip, the Wild Card, an annual pass giving access to many parks, can work out cheaper. The rates, which differ for residents and foreign visitors, are published by SANParks.
Several months ahead for the year-end holidays, from mid-December to mid-January, and for Easter, when South African families head for the Garden Route. 4x4s equipped for camping are few in number and go quickly all year round. For a departure in the southern winter, between June and August, a few weeks' notice is often enough.
Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha, combines three trips in a single departure: a safari in Addo, an hour's drive away, the Garden Route coast to the west and the wide open spaces of the Karoo to the north. The first stages are short, which leaves time to get used to driving on the left before tackling the long inland roads or the tracks of the Baviaanskloof.
With eight partner companies, the range stands out for its Toyota 4x4s equipped for camping, alongside Discoverer motorhomes for families. Cape Town, George, East London, Durban and Johannesburg, other departure cities of our partners, let you return the vehicle elsewhere and link the Garden Route with the east coast. And with a pleasant climate all year round and no marked rainy season, Port Elizabeth lends itself to a road trip in any season.
