Hilux and Land Cruiser campers for Kruger, the Waterberg and Botswana
Compare the 2 campervan and motorhome rental companies in Pretoria to find the best price, and book at the price shown, mandatory fees included.
Campervan hire in Pretoria here means a 4x4 camper: a Toyota Hilux or Land Cruiser equipped for sleeping, cooking and driving on gravel tracks. South Africa's administrative capital, in the north of Gauteng, Pretoria gives direct access to the N4 towards the Panorama Route and Kruger National Park, to the N1 towards the Waterberg and Limpopo, and to the Botswana border posts. The vehicles are offered by Bushlore Africa, which rents out campervans and 4x4s in Pretoria.
Starting from northern Gauteng rather than Johannesburg lets you reach the reserves on the very first afternoon, without crossing the metropolis.
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 €181/day median €225/day | from €181/day median €225/day | from €116/day median €159/day | from €149/day median €188/day |
Daily prices observed on October 22, 2026 for a 15-day rental: CoolDrive selling price, mandatory fees included, 1 rental companies compared. 100% of offers with unlimited mileage. Median excess: €1,622.
The N4 heads east to the Dullstroom highlands, then the escarpment leads to Sabie and Graskop. The Panorama Route links God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels above the Blyde River Canyon. You then enter Kruger for two or three nights in its rest camps, before leaving through Malelane and driving home on the N4.
A short malaria-free loop to the north-west: Hartbeespoort Dam, then the volcanic crater of Pilanesberg and its Big Five. Marakele is home to a large colony of Cape vultures on its cliffs, and the Waterberg reserves around Vaalwater offer tracks and bushveld. Return via the hot springs of Bela-Bela and the N1.
Via the N1 and the Groblersbrug border post, you reach the Khama Rhino Sanctuary near Serowe, then the vast Makgadikgadi salt pans around Nata and Gweta. Maun is the gateway to the Okavango Delta and the Moremi Game Reserve, where deep sand tracks call for a real 4x4 and some experience.
From March to May and in September-October, days are warm and dry, nights cool and tracks passable. In October, the jacarandas lining Pretoria's avenues burst into purple bloom: setting off at this time begins with the sight that earned the city its nickname, Jacaranda City.
The southern summer is the rainy season on the Highveld: violent thunderstorms often break out in the late afternoon, then the sky clears. The December and January school holidays fill the park camps. On dirt tracks, mud and flooded rivers can cut some routes, especially in Botswana.
Winter is dry and bright, but nights are cold on the Pretoria plateau and can bring frost to the heights of Dullstroom. Bring warm sleeping bags and several layers of clothing to sleep in a tent; during the day, the clear skies and mild temperatures make long drives pleasant.
Most pleasant months: March to November.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 °C | 17 °C | 100 mm | 11 h/day |
| Feb | 27 °C | 17 °C | 117 mm | 11 h/day |
| Mar | 27 °C | 15 °C | 69 mm | 11 h/day |
| Apr | 24 °C | 13 °C | 58 mm | 10 h/day |
| May | 22 °C | 9 °C | 15 mm | 10 h/day |
| Jun | 19 °C | 6 °C | 5 mm | 10 h/day |
| Jul | 19 °C | 6 °C | 4 mm | 10 h/day |
| Aug | 23 °C | 8 °C | 3 mm | 11 h/day |
| Sep | 27 °C | 12 °C | 13 mm | 11 h/day |
| Oct | 28 °C | 14 °C | 44 mm | 11 h/day |
| Nov | 28 °C | 15 °C | 87 mm | 11 h/day |
| Dec | 28 °C | 16 °C | 111 mm | 11 h/day |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Between Pretoria, Centurion and Johannesburg, the N1 is one of the busiest motorways in the country, and Pretoria's eastern bypass grinds to a halt at rush hour. Leave town mid-morning or at the weekend, and keep some leeway to return the vehicle at the agreed time.
Leaving Pretoria, the N1 towards Polokwane and the N4 towards Mbombela or Rustenburg have toll plazas, where you pay in rand by card or cash. Gauteng's electronic motorway tolls were scrapped in 2024. Check the current rates before you set off.
Traffic drives on the left, and traffic lights, known locally as robots, as well as four-way stops require attention during the first few days. Outside towns, avoid driving at night: pedestrians, livestock and potholes are then hard to see. In town, keep the doors locked and nothing visible inside the cab.
Pretoria's large shopping centres, such as Menlyn, let you do all your shopping and buy firewood, charcoal and gas refills before leaving. Filling stations are staffed by attendants, who are usually given a tip. Fill up at every opportunity: towards Botswana and in the parks, stations become scarce.
Pick-up is with Bushlore Africa in Pretoria, which offers campervans and 4x4s there. Your confirmation states the place and time of the vehicle handover. Allow time to get to know the 4x4 and its camping equipment, then plan a short first stage, towards Hartbeespoort or Dullstroom.
It all depends on the season, the length of hire and the model: a Hilux Bush Camper for two and a four-berth Land Cruiser 79 are not in the same range. The dry season, popular for safaris, is in high demand. A search with your dates shows the real rates, mandatory fees included, bookable straight away.
All the models found are Toyota 4x4s, with single or double cabs. For two, the Hilux Bush Camper 2 Pax or the Land Cruiser 79 Bush Camper are enough; for families, the Hilux Camp 4 Pax or the Land Cruiser 79 Camp 4 pax offer four berths and five seats. The sturdier Land Cruiser is better suited to Botswana's deep sand.
Only with the written consent of the rental company, which issues a cross-border authorisation and the vehicle papers, usually for an extra fee. At the border, Botswana charges road levies and applies its own formalities depending on travellers' nationality. Veterinary checks may also lead to raw meat or dairy products being confiscated.
Depending on the dates, a one-way hire is possible to other departure cities of our partners: nearby Johannesburg, Mbombela (Nelspruit) and Hoedspruit at the gates of Kruger, Durban on the Indian Ocean or Upington on the edge of the Kalahari. Simply enter the return city when searching and any one-way fee is included in the displayed price.
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 enough if it is in English and carries a photo; otherwise, add an international driving permit, which the Botswana authorities may also ask for. Keep your licence and passport on you, as roadblocks are frequent on national roads. Age and licence-holding requirements are detailed in each offer.
The camps of Kruger, Marakele and Pilanesberg, as well as the private campsites of the Waterberg reserves, welcome vehicles equipped for camping. Near the city, the shores of Hartbeespoort Dam and the Magaliesberg have several. Land is private and fenced: forget wild camping, and in Kruger you must spend the night in a camp.
Pretoria and its surroundings, including Pilanesberg and the Waterberg, are not exposed to malaria. The risk does exist in Kruger, the Lowveld and northern Botswana, especially during the humid southern summer. Ask a health professional for advice about preventive treatment a few weeks before departure, and sleep under a mosquito net in these regions.
The dry season, from June to October, offers the best chances: the grass is short, the trees shed their leaves and waterholes concentrate the herds, in Kruger as in Botswana. The green southern summer attracts migratory birds and sees impala and wildebeest calves born, but the dense vegetation hides the wildlife more. The early morning hours remain the richest.
O. R. Tambo International Airport, where most international flights land, lies east of Johannesburg, about fifty kilometres from Pretoria. The Gautrain rapid rail links it to Pretoria and Hatfield stations, with a change at Marlboro. A taxi or a booked transfer takes you straight to the rental company's meeting point.
Several months ahead for the dry season and the South African school holidays, especially in July and from mid-December to mid-January, as 4x4s equipped for camping go quickly. Book your nights in the Kruger or Botswana camps at the same time: the vehicle alone guarantees no place in the parks, which are often full.
The two cities are only about fifty kilometres apart. Starting from Pretoria saves time towards the north and east, since the N1 to Limpopo and the N4 to Kruger pass through it, without crossing the Johannesburg conurbation. Johannesburg, another departure city of our partners, is more practical if you are heading for the Drakensberg or KwaZulu-Natal.
Pretoria is one of the best starting points in southern Africa for a 4x4 camper trip: in a day's drive you reach the canyons of the Panorama Route, the plains of Kruger or the mountains of the Waterberg, and the Botswana border is only a few hours to the north. Before or after the trip, the capital offers its Union Buildings, the Voortrekker Monument and its museums.
At departure, Bushlore Africa provides Hilux and Land Cruiser 79 vehicles with two to four berths, as comfortable on sand as in national park camps. With a pleasant climate from March to November and generous sunshine all year, the region can be explored in any season. To finish elsewhere, Johannesburg, Mbombela, Hoedspruit, Durban and Upington also host our partners and are suited to one-way trips.
