Car Hire in Mombasa - Rental Cars in Mombasa

Car hire in Mombasa is certainly cheaper and more convenient than taxi-hopping. It is also a must if you plan to extensively explore the world outside your hotel particularly the Mombasa tourist destinations and Mombasa restaurants...

How else will you get to and from Fort Jesus Mombasa, Bamburi Nature Trail and Mamba Village, eat out at the Tamarind, Tamarind Dhow or Yul's (which are the favorite Mombasa restaurants) or have nights on the town without worrying how to get back to your Mombasa hotel?

Which Car?

The considerations below should help you make an informed decision on which car to settle for.

• Destination. If you will mostly be driving around Mombasa, a small saloon car will do.

  If, however, you will be doing a lot of off-road driving or exploring the Kenya national parks in the vicinity, such as Shimba Hills National Park and even the vast Tsavo National Park, then a 4WD is a must.

• Cost. Daily charges for rental cars in Mombasa range from Ksh. 3,500 for a small saloon car to Ksh. 7,000 for a 4WD but if you are an astute bargainer, you could bring the fee down a little bit. These charges typically include insurance and waivers but double-check that the contract specifies these.

• Duration. Although you could occasionally happen on a good 3-day deal, cars are cheapest when rented by the week. The longer you have the car, the cheaper the rate although of course the absolute figure may be quite high. So, plan for this well ahead of your travel to Kenya.

Conditions

The following conditions typically apply for car hire in Mombasa and indeed the whole of Kenya.

• Passport. Before hiring a car in Mombasa, one must furnish the car rental company with a valid identification document, preferably a passport.

• Valid driver's license. An international driver's license or a driving license from the country of residence.

• Age. Anyone proposing to take out a car hire in Mombasa must have attained the age of 25 and held a valid driving license for at least 24 months.

• Credit or Debit card. You will be required to show and possibly deposit your credit card before taking possession of any of the rental cars in Mombasa. Visa, MasterCard and American Express cards are widely accepted in the Kenya.

• Insurance. All vehicles are comprehensively insured except in instances of deliberate or negligent damage. However, the hirer is liable for the first Ksh. 2,000 of any damage. Note though that loss or damage to tires, windscreens and tools is not covered by insurance.

• Fuel. While the self-drive rates exclude fuel, cars are handed over with a full tank and the rental companies expect a full tank when the car is returned.

Mombasa Car Hire Providers

There are a range of Mombasa car hire providers. The multinational Avis, Budget and Hertz all have a presence in the coastal city. There are also a number of homegrown companies that offer some excellent car rental in Mombasa.

Which one you settle for will depend on their package; price, whether or not they offer unlimited mileage and other extras such as free breakdown assistance.

You can arrange to take possession of your rented car upon arrival at the airport although you may still be required to go to the car hire firm's town office to pay the deposit and sign the contract.

Driving Code

Once you get behind the steering wheel, remember to follow these simple rules.

• Keep left. Stick to the left side of the road. This is a bit of a challenge if you drive on the right in your country, such as the US.

• Do not to talk on the mobile phone - you will be booked and fined on the spot by the police.

• As an anti-theft measure, the vehicle must be locked when unattended.

• And as with everywhere else in the world, never be tempted to leave any valuables in the car - not even for a few minutes!

Driver-driven Car Hire in Mombasa

If you don't feel like driving or don't meet some of the laid down conditions but still need to rent a car, consider hiring a car along with a driver. You would, of course, have to sacrifice some of your privacy.

A definite advantage is that a local driver knows the Mombasa road conditions and the city's geography better than you. In addition, because the risk for damage to the car does not lie with you, you don't have to pay the requisite insurance charges.

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