Self Drive Holidays

If you want to explore new destinations but don’t want to be with a group of people or tied to a timetable, self drive is a great option. I can arrange all sizes of vehicles for you wherever in the world you want to go.  Motorhomes and campervans are a great option for places like Australia and New Zealand and in America you might even prefer two wheels – motorbike hire is another great way to get the wind in your face!

Close to home you can take your car by ferry or Eurostar to Europe and onwards as far round the world as you want – I can book hotels, ferries, trains as well as the vehicle itself if you want to fly-drive.  Flying to your holiday destination and hiring a car gives you flexibility to explore, rather than be stuck ‘in resort’ for the duration of your holiday. If you want to take your motorbike to Europe there are some great touring roads such as the wine clad valleys of the Mosel and Rhine in Germany or the classic racing trails through Italy, ask me about booking a touring route with accommodation for specialist motorbike clubs.

Even if you are just going to a Greek island for a week, many hotels or apartments can be rural or quite a walk from the nearest bars and shops, so for a little extra expense, why not book a hire car and explore more of the country you are visiting and get off the beaten track. If you want to rent a self catering cottage somewhere in the pretty hills of Europe, make sure you have a car – personally, I’ve hired cars in most places in Europe and it’s a great way to explore getting you to hiking trails, markets, out of the way bistros and get to remote landmarks and amazing view points.

Fly-drive holidays are rightly popular in North America, in fact I’ve done it myself!  There is nothing more liberating that ‘hitting the highway’ with the freedom to go where you want, when you want. Two of the most popular self drive tours in the USA include Route 66 (Chicago to Los Angeles) and the Pacific Coast Highway (Los Angeles to Seattle). Other good options that can be done in circular routes if you want a two week varied itinerary would be New England – New York – Niagara Falls or a journey round The Great Lakes, or heading south to ‘Lone Star’ lands, start and end in Dallas.  If the music and culture of the deep south is more your thing, take a drive around Atlanta through Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans. The options are endless!  Canada has dramatic, wonderful landscapes to drive through – motorhomes are popular here if you want to explore some of the stunning national parks and wilderness areas.

In the southern hemisphere, South Africa is a wonderful self drive option.  Main road networks are good and the infrastructure great.  Drive along the Garden Route, stopping in lovely little boutique guest houses or farmstays or leave the car at your hotel in the winelands and take a tasting tour, you’ll go a long way to beat the wines and food of the Western Cape!  Self drives in the Eastern Cape can include safaris in the game reserves there. If self drive safari is your thing and you are an experienced African traveller, take a car into the Kruger and stay at the restcamps or drive yourself through the reserves of Kwa Zulu Natal then spend some time on the stunning Indian Ocean coastline. If you want to adventure further into the interior of Africa, it is possible to hire ‘camper’ 4×4 vehicles with pop up roof tents, travel into Botswana or Namibia (but don’t get lost!).

Over in Australasia the huge open spaces of outback Australia are just crying out for long distance adventure driving!  Ask me about campervans or self drives, you can stay on farms and ranches if you want to get a taste of bush life or if you prefer easier driving, hire a car and drive up the Gold Coast or around New South Wales, enjoying stunning mountains, incredible beaches, wildlife and fabulous restaurants and vinyards.  New Zealand is an amazingly beautiful land of mountains, fjords and forests.  You could easily spend a couple of months touring around here.  In Australia and New Zealand it is possible to pre-book ‘touring passes’ for accommodation which gives you flexibility to set your itinerary as you go.  For example, I can book you a hire car with pre-paid accommodation and you’ll get a list of all the hotels that are covered in that package to choose from (different star ratings are available).

So, wherever you want to go on your next holiday, if you prefer your own set of wheels, get in touch and I’ll create the perfect tailor made self drive holiday for you!