Car hire in Plettenberg Bay without a credit card

Why hire a car in Plettenberg Bay?

Plettenberg Bay lies on the Garden Route, with Robberg to the south, the Keurbooms River to the east and the Tsitsikamma forests beyond. The sights are spread along the N2 and its side roads, and a car gets you to each of them on your own schedule. Your car is collected at the branch in town; the nearest larger airport is George, about 100 kilometres to the west. For more destinations, see car hire in South Africa.

Exploring Plettenberg Bay by car

Robberg and the Keurbooms River

Robberg Nature Reserve, about nine kilometres south of town, is a World Heritage Site. The Witsand walk passes above a colony of thousands of Cape fur seals, the Nelson Bay Cave interpretive centre tells the story of the people who lived here in the Stone Age, and the Cape Seal Lighthouse, 146 metres above the sea, is the highest navigational light on the South African coast. You can buy a permit at the gate or book it in advance; the reserve takes no cash.

East of town, the Keurbooms River Nature Reserve hires out canoes and kayaks at the entrance gate. They cannot be booked: first come, first served.

The Crags, Nature's Valley and Tsitsikamma

At The Crags, about 20 kilometres east, Monkeyland is a sanctuary where primates of nine species roam free, and Birds of Eden is a two-hectare dome over a gorge of indigenous forest. Further on, the R102 drops down the Grootrivier Pass to Nature's Valley, about 35 kilometres from town. The Bloukrans Bridge on the N2, 216 metres above the river and on the border with the Eastern Cape, is home to a bungy jump of the same height. Storms River Mouth, in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park, is about 65 kilometres away; three suspension bridges cross the river mouth. Heading west, Knysna is about 30 kilometres away.

Driving around Plettenberg Bay

South Africa drives on the left. Your own licence is valid if it is in English and has your photo and signature. On the N2 east of Plettenberg Bay you pass the Tsitsikamma toll plaza. At Storms River Mouth a daily conservation fee per person applies.

Best time to hire a car in Plettenberg Bay

From Robberg you can watch southern right whales from June to November, and boat trips go out to see southern right and humpback whales from July to November. Bryde's whales can be seen for most of the year, and boat trips also look out for the rare Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin.

The longest South African school holiday runs from mid-December to mid-January, with shorter breaks around Easter, from late June to mid-July and in late September. SANRAL describes the N2 here as a particularly busy route for holiday travellers, so book your car early for those weeks.