Help! I need an inexpesive tour operator/driver.
 

Help! We had arranged to use a tour operator/driver to pick us up at Kruger National Park and take us to Swaziland to drop off a friend who plans on meeting her family at Phophonyane Falls Lodge & Nature Reserve. We planned on spending the night and then leave early the next morning to get back to Johannesburg for an 8 p.m. flight. After receiving advice against driving on our own, we decided to get a driver. However, now he is coming back with additional costs not included in the original quote.

Our trip is two weeks away and I am not sure where else to look. Do you have any suggestions for inexpensive drivers? We would like to keep it to about $2000 total. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your suggestions.

I have rented cars and driven myself on three occasions in South Africa -- the roads are as good, if not better, than in the United States. I would save the $2,000 for better use and rent a car.

last Sep 2006 we rented/hired a car, Avis, at Joburg and drove to Kruger, left the car at Mala Mala. Plan to do the same this year. Easy driving, but, is on the other side of the road, roads are good like USA. Cost for the car for the week was around $300 USD.
Avis has a rental office in Kruger, main camp Skukuza.
regards - tom

ShaSha32,

Driving yourself would be more economical I am sure. But it is an option I will not use since I am not accustomed to driving on the left side of the road and don’t want to endanger myself or others by trying out this skill in unfamiliar territory. So I understand why you want a driver.

I don’t know if these guys can help you, but they may at least be able to direct you to help.

Selwyn is well known on this forum as a helpful guy and reliable provider of tourism services through his I love Cape Town agency.

www.ilovecapetown.com

I have been working with Wayne of Take 2 Tours who was recommended by the people I will be using to view great white sharks. Take 2 provides transport and tours and they have been very helpful.

http://www.take2tours.co.za/

Good luck!

Self-drive is the way to go if you are a confident driver. Roads are good, your itinerary includes fairly short segments and since JNB is east of the city you won't have to deal with driving in/around the city. Rentals are relative inexpensive. We rented from Europcar and for a manual Chico paid less than $100/week.

I can't imagine paying more that a few hundred dollars for a car and driver for your needs. Labor costs are very low in SA. You just need to connect with the right person. I would check the thread about Wilro Tours. While the poster advised against using them, when I read the whole post and the referenced post by Wilro, I would use them as I don't find the poster's complains reasonable.