City guides
Car hire in Upington
By CarRentalZA editorial team · 6 min read · Updated 29 September 2026
- Main pickup point
- Upington Airport (UTN)
- Augrabies Falls
- About 120 km, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes
- Kgalagadi, Twee Rivieren gate
- About 260 km, roughly 3 hours 30 minutes
- Small car, from
- About R202 a day nationally (Discover Cars, 29 September 2026)
- Important
- Kgalagadi needs a suitable vehicle and written permission for gravel
Car hire in Upington is the starting point for the Kalahari, and it is the one place on this site where the vehicle and the rental terms matter more than the price, because the roads towards Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park turn to gravel long before the gate and standard rental agreements usually exclude exactly that ground.
Upington itself is easy, with the airport close to town and quiet local roads.
Below: who operates here, national rate benchmarks, frank advice about the desert roads, and drive times across a very large province.
Where to collect a car in Upington
Upington Airport is the collection point, with counters in the terminal and quick pickup, and the town is only a few minutes away.
The fleet here is small, so booking ahead is not optional if your dates are fixed. Demand rises around school holidays when Kgalagadi and Augrabies fill up.
Some visitors collect in Cape Town, Johannesburg or Kimberley for a wider choice and drive in, but these are long legs, roughly ten hours from Cape Town and eight from Johannesburg, so it only makes sense as part of a longer road trip.
Which rental brands have a presence in Upington
What you can expect to pay
Upington is one of the thinnest rental markets in the country, so treat the national averages as a rough orientation rather than a guide to what you will be quoted.
| What price comparison sites showed on 29 September 2026 | Per day |
|---|---|
| Discover Cars, small car, from | R202 |
| Discover Cars, average rental in South Africa | R271 |
| Discover Cars, premium car, from | R837 |
| Cheapflights, average paid over the last 12 months | R556 |
These figures come from Discover Cars and Cheapflights. Most are national, not Upington quotes. A "from" price is the cheapest car found on the day; an average includes bigger cars and longer rentals, which is why the two sites differ so much. Discover Cars puts December at about R474 a day against about R387 in September, so holiday dates cost more.
The bigger cost question here is the vehicle and the cover rather than the daily rate. A vehicle that is not permitted on gravel is no cheaper if it leaves you unable to reach where you are going.
Honest advice about Kalahari driving
This region punishes casual planning.
- The final approach to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is gravel for a long stretch, and it corrugates badly. Standard rental agreements usually exclude damage on unsurfaced roads, so a normal hire car is often not permitted there at all.
- Inside Kgalagadi, the roads are sand and gravel and a high clearance vehicle is strongly recommended. Several camps and the wilderness routes require a proper 4x4.
- If Kgalagadi is your destination, speak to a specialist operator who hires suitable vehicles for it, and get the permitted use in writing.
- Distances between fuel stations are long. Fill up whenever you can rather than when you need to.
- Summer heat is extreme. Carry more water than you think you need, check tyre pressures and keep the spare in usable condition.
- Livestock and game on unfenced roads are common at dawn and dusk. Do not drive these roads at night.
Augrabies Falls, by contrast, is reached on tar and is comfortable in an ordinary car.
Drive times from Upington
Approximate one way driving times:
| Destination | Distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Augrabies Falls | About 120 km | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Kgalagadi, Twee Rivieren gate | About 260 km | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Kakamas | About 85 km | 1 hour |
| Kimberley | About 410 km | 4 hours 15 minutes |
| Springbok | About 400 km | 4 hours |
| Johannesburg | About 800 km | 8 hours |
| Cape Town | About 800 km | 8 hours 30 minutes |
These are long legs on quiet roads. Plan them as full driving days rather than fitting them around other plans.
Frequently asked questions
Which car hire companies are in Upington?
Avis (which also runs Budget), Bidvest (now Bluu), Hertz, Europcar, SANI SIXT and First Car Rental are all listed at Upington airport by ACSA. Confirm your dates, because fleets are small. Coverage for the other brands varies in the Northern Cape and fleets throughout the province are small, so book earlier than you would elsewhere in the country.
Can I drive a normal hire car to Kgalagadi?
Usually not, at least not under standard terms. The final approach is a long gravel stretch and most rental agreements exclude unsurfaced road damage. Speak to a specialist operator that hires suitable vehicles and get the permitted use in writing.
How far is Upington from Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?
About 260 km to the Twee Rivieren gate and roughly three and a half hours, with a long gravel section at the end. Treat it as a full driving day, start early, fill up in Upington and carry plenty of water.
How much is car hire in Upington?
On 29 September 2026 Discover Cars showed small cars across South Africa from about R202 a day and an average rental of R271 a day, and Cheapflights' average over the previous 12 months was R556 a day. Prices move with the season, how early you book, how long you keep the car and the excess cover you choose, so get a quote for your dates.
Do I need a 4x4 for Augrabies Falls?
No. Augrabies is reached on tarred roads and is comfortable in an ordinary car, about an hour and fifteen minutes from Upington. It is the easy Northern Cape park to visit in a standard hire vehicle.
What should I check before driving in the Kalahari?
Fuel level, the spare wheel and jack, tyre pressures, and water. Fill up whenever you pass a station rather than when you need to, avoid driving at night because of livestock and game, and tell someone your route and expected arrival time.
