Self-drive car hire

Self-drive is straightforward here, and cheaper than a chauffeured hire because you are only paying for the vehicle. What you need is a driving licence you have held for at least two years, a passport or national ID, and a refundable security deposit. Visitors driving themselves also need an International Driving Permit — or a temporary Tanzanian permit, which we can arrange for you in about a day if you arrive without one.

A few honest words about driving in Tanzania, because we would rather you knew now. Traffic is left-hand drive. Speed limits are enforced with cameras and with roadside checks, and the fines are real. Outside the cities you will meet livestock, bicycles and unlit vehicles after dark, which is why we tell every self-drive client the same thing: do not drive between towns at night if you can avoid it. In the wet season, roads that are simple in the dry become genuinely difficult, and that is a question of the vehicle you chose as much as your driving.

So we will steer you towards the right car rather than the most expensive one. For tarmac and city work a Noah or a Prado is plenty. For district roads, mine sites and the parks, take proper low-range 4WD — a Prado, a 70-series or a Hilux double cab. If you tell us the route we will tell you which, including when the cheaper car is the correct answer.

Every self-drive vehicle goes out cleaned, fuelled and through the 38-point pre-hire check, and it is GPS tracked — which mostly means that if you call us from the side of a road, we already know where you are.