4×4 Car Hire For Safaris
Group Safaris
Group safaris are beneficial in terms of economy and companionship. The advantages end there. Shared facilities, and fixed schedules means you are mercy of your companions. Thrown out of window are privacy, convenience and freedom. Speed is a major killer of tourism experience. Fixed schedules ensure that you have limited time at any particular destination and speed is of essence. Hiring a 4×4 car on self drive allows you to explore the countryside in total privacy at your own pace. However if you desire to sit down, relax and enjoy the scenery, tow along a driver. With or without a driver having your own 4×4 a major plus. You are free to go wherever at you own convenience and pace.
4×4 Car Ideal For Rutundu Visits
4×4 Categories
4×4 cars come in different sizes and shapes. Some are huge juggernauts-lorries which you have to climb up stairs to access. Others are small sedans with full time 4×4. In between these two are what I can call standard 4x4s as you know. These fall into two categories- the Off-Roads or Standard 4x4s like land Rover Defenders and Toyota land cruiser 90; and the SUVs like the 4×4 land Toyota Land cruiser Prados. The Suvs though called off-roads do not have all that ground clearance necessary to handle deep ruts found on some of the African roads. They are better referred to as crossovers. An in between Sedan and 4×4. The original 4x4s are all whether. They are constructed with the word rough in mind. A Toyota land cruiser 70 is able to make inroads through the bushes of Africa. Likewise the Land rover defender is equally tough. Both cars will climb up mountains or cross deserts without a sweet. They are ideal for tackling Ngorongoro and Northern Kenya.
The Suv and the Off Roads
The best car or the safari is either an off road like a defended or an suv like the prado or a safari mini van. Anything higher than that and you will be taking your photographs downwards. Anything lower and you will be taking your photos from a low level. The best photographic experience is when you are in an average car like defender or an SUV like a Prado. An Economy 4×4 Rav4 is also good for this.
4×4 suvs are categorized into luxury and economy. Modern suvs come with all the trappings of luxury. Talk of climate controls, ABS and cruise control. If you want to tackle the bush, then try a Toyota prado or defenders. The economy 4x4s like the Rav4, the Pajero i,o, Honda CRV will take you to the parks with minimal corrugation.
Mean/ Ugly Or Beautiful?
Some cars look ugly. Others are mean. Yet others are ugly. In Kenya especially, sometimes ugly and mean is ideal. Take a case of Nairobi Mombas highway. Take Caution on that road!! It is owned by the trailers and you have no business having a small car along that stretch. In other words always give way to anybody who looks bigger than you even if they come to your lane.
Having A Guide/ Driver Guide
Having your 4×4 does not mean you doing away with a guide. A qualified guide is a major plus in all situations. In some situations having a guide is a matter of life and death irrespective of your expertise. Can you imagine deep sea fishing, mountain climbing, rock climbing without a guide? Likewise in the wild national parks of Africa a qualified driver guide is a major plus. Unlike in the zoos where animals are habituated, in the wilds of Africa, it is survival of the fittest. Animals are wild and enjoy freedom of way. If you obstruct an elephant’s path, it will either toss away your 4×4 or crush it with you inside. Might is not the only hazard you have to look out for. Harmless looking animals like insects can inflict lethal stings or bite not to mention the snake. Beware of cute looking things like wild cats. They are extremely dangerous especially when lactating. That is to say life is too short.
Safari land cruiser with a driver. In some situations having a life makes the difference between life and death.
In other words survival in the national park depends on your ability to predict animal behavior. You must know when to keep off. If you are not conversant with animal behavior hire a driver guide. He knows when to approach animals. The only inconvenience you have to put up with is that some are not well conversant with positioning for photography.
Car Handling Expertise
Car handling expertise is equally important. When do you apply 4×4? 4×4 is applied sparingly. I mean 4×4 is not to applied all the times or you will end up messing the car and paying for it. For example when do you press cruise control button? When do you press manual or power buttons in Rav4s? If you do not know when, and you value your money, leave them alone. Imagine telling the car to drive at 120kph uphill. Is that logical? You will mess up the car engine and end up paying for it.
Routine Daily Checks
To make sure that your car is in tiptop conditions carry out routine daily checks. Routine daily checks involves morning checks and while on the way monitoring. Every morning make sure you check all the fluid levels of your car. Check the level of oil, transmission fluid and coolant levels. Many are days we have gone for rescue only to find that the culprit was a lose battery cable or worse still burnt out cylinder head gaskets. While on the way monitor the behaviour of the car. Frequently check the coolant gauge. The coolant gauge is normally at mid level. Any deviation above this means your car is getting hot and you should check the culprit. A small lekage of coolant will usually cause the gauge to go up.
When you hire a safari car, make sure you choose a car for your ideal situation. Do not go for the smallest, biggest, the most ugly or mean. Just weight out the available options and choose the best.
Important Car Hire Links
Car Hire Nairobi || Car Rental Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Coded NBO or JKIA) || Car Hire Mombasa ||Car Rental Mombasa Airport || Malindi Airport MYD Car Hire || Kisumu Car Hire, || Car Hire Nakuru || Malindi Rent a Car. Kigali Airport Car Hire (Rwanda), Car Hire Kampala || Car Hire Entebbe Airport (Uganda), Bujumbura Car Rental (Burundi) || 4×4 Car Hire Dares salaam, 4×4 Car Hire Dar es Salaam Airport (DAR), 4×4 Car Hire Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO), Car Renta Arusha
Laikipia Kenya Attractions Accommodation 