Do you need a car in Cape Town? Rental car, Uber or a private driver

By Andre & Dominique, Private Driver Service Cape Town · 17 October 2026

Short answer: no, not for the city itself. If you stay in the City Bowl, Sea Point, Camps Bay or at the V&A Waterfront, Uber or Bolt will get you around town. You do need wheels for the big days out, like Cape Point, the Winelands and Hermanus. That is where you choose between a rental car and a private driver, and the honest answer is often a mix of both.

We are a family-owned private driver service with a team of driver-guides, so we know we are not neutral here. But we also tell guests every week when they don’t need us. This is the advice we give them.

01 · Without a carCan you visit Cape Town without a car?

Yes. The parts of Cape Town most visitors stay in are compact. Between the V&A Waterfront, Green Point, Sea Point, the City Bowl and Camps Bay, a ride with Uber or Bolt is quick, and the Sea Point promenade is lovely on foot. The MyCiTi bus also runs in the city, along the Atlantic coast and to the airport.

Where it gets harder is everything beyond the city: the Cape Peninsula, the wine valleys, the whale coast at Hermanus. Public transport doesn’t really serve these as a day out, and stringing several ride-hailing trips together on a long day gets complicated fast.

02 · Rental carIs it worth renting a car in Cape Town?

A rental car is a good choice when:

• you are comfortable driving on the left (South Africa drives on the left, with manual gearboxes common unless you book an automatic);
• you have several days of self-drive exploring planned, for example a Garden Route road trip;
• you like stopping on a whim and don’t need anyone to explain what you’re looking at.

Things visitors don’t always expect: if your driving licence is not in English or has no photo, check whether you need an International Driving Permit. Parking in town often comes with informal car guards. Fuel stations are attended, so someone fills the tank for you. And never leave bags visible in a parked car, anywhere.

03 · Uber and BoltIs Uber enough?

For short trips in the city, usually yes. Uber and Bolt both work in Cape Town and are what most locals use for a night out. They are less suited to a full day with many stops, to remote viewpoints where getting a ride back can take a while, or to a large group with luggage.

04 · A private driverWhen is a private driver worth it?

These are the days guests tell us a driver made the difference:

• Winelands days. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are about tasting. With a driver, nobody in your group has to stay sober or work out the drive back. See our private Winelands tour.
• Cape Point and the Peninsula. Chapman’s Peak, the Boulders penguins and Cape Point in one day is a long loop. A local times it around the crowds and the weather, and tells you the stories along the way. See our private Cape Point tour.
• Arriving after a long flight. Being met in arrivals and driven to your door is the gentlest start to a trip. See airport transfers or our guide on getting from the airport to the city.
• Families and groups. One vehicle for everyone, door to door, with the day built around naps, lunch and energy levels. Our own vehicle is an 8-seat Hyundai H1, and for groups of up to 20 we add a licensed partner vehicle and driver, with Andre on board as your guide.

05 · At a glanceWhich option for which day?

• Evenings and short city trips: Uber or Bolt.
• Airport arrival: a pre-booked private transfer, or an official taxi or ride from the airport’s marked pickup areas.
• Cape Point and the Peninsula: a private driver-guide, or a rental car if you are confident on mountain roads.
• Winelands tastings: a private driver.
• Garden Route road trip: a rental car, or a multi-day private driver trip if you would rather not drive.

Wondering what a driver for the day involves? Read what sets the price of a private driver in Cape Town, or simply send us your dates.

Andre & Dominique, Private Driver Service Cape Town · Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2025, 5.0 from 51 reviews.