Known for its variety of landscapes, East Africa has wide spread out savanna in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania filled with unique wildlife to the few remaining ancient rain forest of central Africa in Western Uganda and Rwanda filled with variety of unique primates and colorful birds, high mountains to places where the ocean meets the tall sand dunes at the East African Coast and Zanzibar. East Africa is a true jewel of Africa and not yet discovered by the majority of tourists. This complete guide covers all you need to know to rent a 4×4 car in East Africa to make the entire process a lot easier.
What makes the region unique is the fact that it’s located in the part of Africa, where the Ancient thick rain forests of central Africa meet with the East African Savannah. Meet the greenest world, High mountains and rarest of wildlife species. A trip to East Africa guarantees ultimate adventure, rawness and authenticity – politically safe to say, making it a trip of a lifetime.
For adventures in East Africa, Public transport use is not really a thing in East Africa and most highlights are located hours away from each other and main highways. Which causes a rental car to be essential on your East African road-trip. Whether you decide to explore the Region camping or staying in lodges.
Driving in East Africa
Driving in East Africa is quite an adventure kind that requires one to carefully pre-plan than usual. With more tourists’ arrivals to the region every year, roads are being improved to make it even more enjoyable for travelers on self-drive to travel through East Africa in their own rental car with ease.
Rental Car Companies in East Africa
East Africa is getting more and more popular tourist destination during the last few years, so new companies are joining the party every now and then. Some more luxurious than others, fitting every budget. The 4×4 car rental companies in East Africa include Drive East Africa ltd, Self drive 4×4 Uganda Ltd, 4×4 Off-road Africa ltd, among others. Most of these car rental companies, allow border crossing rental, provide proper vehicle paperwork to drive in another country and have cars that are in an average price range, can provide great service, good quality cars and pick-up service to and from the arrival airport!
What kind of 4×4 Vehicle do you need?
While booking East Africa car hire, have in your mind that a 4×4 is the way to go. Considering the nature of terrain and the roads conditions in East Africa, you don’t want to settle with less. Many of the main highlights are accessible with a normal car, but you’ll experience many situations where you feel very fortunate with your 4×4. Car rental companies often give the option between a Toyota Hilux double Cab, 4×4 Land Cruiser V8/VX, 4×4 Land cruiser hardtop or a 4×4 Safari Land cruiser, all great options.
What to look for in a car?
Before renting a car in East Africa, there are things to consider especially if you want to go rooftop tent camping and enjoy and adventure of a lifetime. At the back of your mind, make sure you consider your car has the underneath specifications.
Spare Tires: Changing a flat tire and fixing a puncture is rather usual than unusual when driving in East Africa. Therefore, prepare yourself well and order your 4×4 with 1 or even 2 good spare tires.
Double Cab: For 4×4 Toyota Hilux make sure you order a Double cab, this means you have a backseat (suitable for 4 persons). Even though you’re traveling only 2 persons, the backseat is key to store your sleeping bags, pillows and possible backpacks and medium size suitcases.
Fridge: A car fridge aboard is really a necessity for keeping your food cold with the hot climate in East Africa savannah. Be aware that you need to unplug your fridge from the car and plug in when you arrive at your campsite, otherwise you might run low your car battery.
Camping Equipment: Choosing to Travel with a rooftop tent and camping on your adventure through East Africa is becoming popular and budget-friendly way to explore this bio-diverse Region. This is of course a personal choice whether you decide to only stay in lodges/hotels or having night where you’re planning to camp. The 4×4 cars with camping equipment will come with all the necessities for your ultimate East African camping trip.
Second fuel tank: With a diverse Region as big as East Africa prepared to see much more, you know you’ll make a lot of kilometers during a self-drive road-trip. Therefore, you’ll want that extra fuel tank. Luckily most 4×4 cars have this, but make sure order for it and make it a point to check it on car delivery. Or else order for extra fuel can
Air conditioning: When spending more hours on the road through the heat of East Africa savannah, you must make sure it as comfortable as possible. Air conditioning is a must, but luckily often maintained and included in your 4×4 Vehicle.
Truck opens from the sides: A must when renting a Toyota Hilux car or Land cruiser 78-79 series double cab in East Africa to be able to open the trunk not only from the back but also from the sides. Perfect to fold out your kitchen utensils or to grab stuff quickly and easy without crawling through the back of your truck. Most double cab cars or single cab cars come with this feature automatically.
Car rental camping equipment Included;
Rooftop Tent(s)
Mattress + sheet
Gas cylinder /Bottle (full)
Cooker Top
Braai Grid and Braai Utensils
Cutlery (Forks, Spoons, serving spoons)
Plates + bowls
BBQ
Mugs and glasses
Cooking Source pans
Camping lamp
Sleeping bags
Fiber Pillows
Table Chairs (one for each person)
Table
Jerrycan
Cooler box (often free upon request)
Wash Basin
First Aid Kit
Car tools
East African Road Map
Fire extinguisher
To rent
- GPS
- Fridge (sometimes included)
- Satellite phone
- Ground tent
These are the most important, the full equipment are mentioned on the car company’s website, those from Advanced Car Hire here.
What to bring/buy yourself when renting a car in East Africa
- Cleaning equipment (soap, drying towel, sponge)
- Lighter
- Extra batteries
- Firewood + firelighters
- Flashlight
- Toilet paper
- Sanitizer
Things you can’t forget to bring from home
- Microfiber towels
- Headlight with red light option
- Binoculars for spotting wildlife
- Strong power bank (look up the max mAh of your airline)
- Medicines
- Car charger
- Reusable water bottle
- Camera with good zoomlens
Costs of renting a car in East Africa
4×4 rental cars for adventure with camping equipment range between US$80 (€70) and US$200 (€190) per day depending on the company, 4×4 type, the model, excess waiver, Rental period, the equipment, the specs and more. 4×4 Land cruiser 78-79 series are the most expensive.
For the mid-range 4×4 Toyota Hilux double Cab (manual/Automatic) from Drive East Africa ltd with camping equipment can cost US$2,500 in total for 16 days including bedding, a fridge, the tyre & glass insurance and excess waiver.
Budget Tip! Renting a car in East Africa during low season will save you a noticable amount of money.
Insurance for your rental car
Excess waiver
Keeping covered is most important while you travel and make sure to protect yourself well in advance. While renting your car most rental companies have an excess waiver. This means, in case anything happens to your car, you have to just pay that amount of money yourself and the rest will be met by the car company. Getting a higher excess waiver means the rental car will be cheaper per day than the ones with a reduced excess waiver. This is indeed a personal choice and also depends on your own travel insurance.
Glass and Tyres waiver
It’s highly recommended that you add this type of insurance to your quote as getting a flat tire or cracks in your front windscreen is not something rare in East Africa especially when driving through a section of the road which is still under construction. This insurance is a small extra fee per day, with some companies charging about €10 per day.
Fundamentals for renting a car in East Africa
- Passport Valid for at least 6 months upon arrival
- Valid Driver’s License
- Language on license in English
- Credit Card
Do I need an international driver’s license?
No, an international driver’s license is not necessary if your own a valid driver’s license in English language. But showing up with an international driver’s license just makes it more safe and sure. Often these only cost a few euros and in some countries it can even be free.
Watch out for wildlife
While driving around East Africa you’re likely to come across a number different road signs with animals on it, wildlife zones, Cattle crossing among many which means you got to be carefully driving a cross.
Don’t forget you’re driving in an African remote Regions where animals and people share the road and animals including domestic ones are seen roaming around freely in most places, so keep watch during your road trip. Most national parks don’t have boundaries and you can come across many wild animals outside of national parks like giraffes and Impalas, Zebras, Gazelles. So while driving please keep your eyes on the road all the time!
Gas stations
Some days you’ll drive in remotest of places and you will take for hours upon hours with nothing like a petrol station in sight, Upon seeing a gas station up in sight please fill up and this is highly recommended. While getting gas, it’s usual that someone will be fueling for you and kindly tip the gas station pump attendant.
Once in the morning, please check if the bolts of your 4×4 tires are still fastened. Due to the terrain or road conditions tire bolts tend to loosen with time.
Don’t trust online GPS 100%
In East Africa, Google Maps are the best navigation app service but if you’re using it or other navigation services for a specific route in East Africa please don’t over rely on it 100%. If it said 4 hours, please add about 2-3 hours as a total budgeted time. The route can actually be more due to road conditions, at times there is where you really need to drive slower.
And of course, along the route, you will likely to frequently stop to enjoy the landscapes too as they’re among the best and truly unique! Do some nice photography as well. Keep this in mind and make sure to start your long day drive as early as possible because always the early the better.
No signal
East Africa has some of the remotest places in the world. You’re likely experienced no service in some areas or let alone 3G, causing a problem if you rely on your service for Google Maps. To places like Serengeti National park, unless you’re at the lodge, you won’t find network especially in the game drive. Make sure to download offline Google maps you’re going to need beforehand or rent a GPS with your car rental company.
Driving rules on the road
Fog lights and parking lights
Your fog and parking lights must be on all the time while driving in East Africa but turn them off while parked somewhere for lunch because you may drain the battery. When they are on, you can easily be seen by another driver even from a distance, a random stop at the road side easily noticed by other drivers or road users.
Driving on the left side of the road.
It may take you some hours to get used driving on the left side, on your first day on the road, but for drivers coming from francophone nations or USA, can thrive well in Rwanda but they can quickly get used to keeping left! For people from countries driving on the left side, they’re already at home, please make sure to enter the roundabout a head of you to the left side as well
Speed limits
Speed limits signs are well visibly marked on roadsides but here are the general rules: 80km/h on highways, 50km/h on gravel roads and towns, then 30km/h at sections of the roads under construction, unless told otherwise. The roads in Rwanda are so winding you hardly drive 80km/h
However, some rental companies in East Africa have their own limits especially on highways, for example max 60-70km/h instead of 100km/h, they warn you of over speeding and speed limits inside protected area (40km/h), so check these while reading through the terms of contract to stay protected by the insurance.
Seat belts
Much as this one may speak for itself I guess, but it’s a common practice where many people aboard tend to pull seat belts on when they see a traffic police officer a head. Wearing a seat belt is a personal safety and individual responsibility.
Road conditions
East Africa roads are relatively in good condition, most of the highways connecting to other cities are paved while more and more roads are being newly paved. Governments have combined effort to construct major highways connecting countries and they are beautifully paved which make your road trip through East Africa only more enjoyable. However bear in mind that East Africa is still a wild Region that requires some driving skills, but most touristy spots in the Region are accessible by paved or tarred roads.
Though, getting off major highways the roads are mostly dirty and marrum roads including those accessing protected areas like National Park, while some are loose sand which requires a 4×4 vehicle and a little more driving skills than usual.
Most of tracks in the National park are raw and in remote areas of East Africa, you are likely come across some challenging roads along the way especially if it rains. Prior research about the routes beforehand is essential to prepare yourself well on the road conditions along the way.
Renting a 4×4 adventure car in East Africa to drive through the region on your own, is such a sweet feeling but have the 4×4 with a rooftop tent and camping gear gives you more since it allows you even sleep in the middle of the wilderness. The drive take you through beautiful landscapes, wildlife and beautiful cultures.
