Travel the Northern Cape With a Self Drive Tour

Because it is such a vast area, the best way to explore it is by hiring a vehicle and traveling from one point to another. Remember that the distances between towns are very far apart in the Northern Cape. It is best to plan your route with your hire car well in advance as you pay for the amount of kilometers driven.

A vast amount of the Northern Cape consists out of semi desert. The south of the province consists of mainly mountains and in the west you will find the Namaqualand area. Minerals that the province is rich in is diamonds. For years diamonds have been mined in Kimberley and Alexander Bay. The main towns are Kimberley, Colesberg, Upington and Springbok. As Kimberley is the capital of the province, it will be best to start off your tour from there.

Kimberley is on the N12 route that runs through the middle of S.A. Take the Johannesburg road and then turn off onto the N8 from the east or the west towards Kimberley.

The history of Kimberley is a vast one, known for its natural resourses such as diamonds. The first diamonds were found on a farm owned by the De Beers brothers. There was much excitement because of the find and the diggings went on, resulting in Kimberley's Big Hole, the largest man made hole in the world! The town was developed during that time and grew into the beautiful, quaint town that it is today. Other attractions in this area include the Kimberley Mine Museum and Bulfontein Mine.

About 39km past Kimberley you will find Modder River which is joined by the Riet River. There you will find war memorials for the battle of Modder River which took place during the Boer War.

You could also travel to Barkly West which has a few museums about the history of diamonds. In that area is Barkly bridge and Barkly West Museum.

You could include sights along your route like the Battlefield Route, Hopetown, Springbok, Goegap nature Reserve, Colesberg and the Augrabies Falls National Park.

The battlefield route was opened in 1998, stretching from Kimberley to Hopetown.

Springbok is 550km north of Cape Town on the N7. This town also started during the diamond era.

Goegap nature Reserve is 15km from Springbok in the Namaqualand area and is definitely worth the visit. This reserve is full of riches, including 45 mammal species, 94 bird species and 600 types of flowers and provides accommodation so you might want to spend the evening there before you travel further.

Colesberg is the largest town in the area. It is a popular stop off point for people traveling to the Cape from Johannesburg and there are many things to do and see there. There are museums, beautiful architecture and the Gariep Dam Nature Reserve is not far from there either.

The Augrabies Falls National Park is really a must see. Beautiful river gorges and waterfalls adorn the area. If you travel further you will find the town called Upinton. It is the commercial center of the Kahlahari Desert.

You could just as well visit the Kgalagadi Transfrontier park while you are in this area. There are many animal species in the park. Accommodation and guided tours are also available.

As you can see the Northern Cape Province has much to do and see. You can see it all if you plan your trip with Empire Fleet Solutions.

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For Car Rental Malaga Airport Improves Your Holiday Experience

When you need car rental Malaga airport can likely offer you as a good a deal as you will get anywhere due to the competition available at this airport. When on holiday in Malaga on the Costa del Sol you will need a car because of the number of tourist destinations and places of interest both along the coast and inland. Without a car your holiday will not be as good as it could have been because the public transport here is no way to travel on vacation.

Most people visiting Malaga use it as a base to visit other parts of this sunny part of south-east Spain, and a car is absolutely essential. Sure, you can use other means of transport, but buses can take an age and trains can be expensive, and you can't beat the freedom of a car, and when you are considering car rental Malaga Airport is likely the best place to start.

However, one piece of advice: don't wait until you get to the airport to book your car. This is a very popular tourist destination, and you are liable to find all the best cars gone - and possibly all the cheap car hires gone as well. Make sure you book your car in advance, and preferably once you have had your hotel booking confirmed.

Malaga car hire is not always easy to arrange at the destination, and it is better to arrange the type of advanced car rental Malaga Airport hire firms can offer you, where the car is waiting for you when you arrive, either at a prearranged pick-up point that you will be informed of when you book, or it may be ready for you at Arrivals.

Why is a car recommended at Malaga? Mainly because Malaga and the surrounding district has so much to offer. Torremolinos is 9 miles down the coast and Marbella 21 miles further on. Most people would like to visit these resorts while based in Malaga, and then there is the beautiful unspoiled Nerja 33 miles up the coast that most tourists try to visit. The Nerja caves are famous the world over, and these are a must if you are visiting the Costa del Sol.

However, Malaga itself has a great deal more to offer you, and this is where Pablo Picasso was born. The city contains one of the three most famous Picasso Museums in the world, and no visit to Malaga would be complete without including a visit to the Picasso Museum on your itinerary. You should also visit the 1st century Roman amphitheater that has been carefully preserved below La Alcazaba, an 11th century Moorish fortress build on the foundations of a Roman garrison. As would be expected, the garrison is of the same period as the amphitheater.

Another Moorish influence is the ancient Moorish mosque, on top of which the Malaga cathedral was built. The cathedral is must for any visitor to Malaga, and the city has a lot more for the tourist to this part of Spain. However, another major reason why you should arrange car rental at Malaga Airport is the beautiful Guadalhorce valley, and also the various traditional villages in the Axarquia province that are completely unspoiled.

You will find some magnificent scenery along the Guadalhorce river, such as the gorge of Los Gaitanes and the mountains of Malaga. You definitely need a car to appreciate this wonderful scenery, and also the lovely villages that have retained all of their old world rural charm. You can enjoy a wide variety of sports here such as paragliding, trekking and climbing, or just enjoy the wonders that nature offers. I think it one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

The road network around Malaga is very well set out, and most of these places cannot be visited any other way. However, since it is necessary that you have a car to fully enjoy your holiday around this region, it is important that you understand the traffic and driving laws in Spain. Just as in your own country, ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it, so read up about what is expected of Spanish drivers apart from driving on the right.

Also make sure your driver's license is current, and hire a car that is suitable for all of you. If you need a people carrier get that booked in advance, and don't try to pack everybody into a small family saloon.

A car is specifically recommended in order that you enjoy your vacation in Malaga to the full and is the reason that for your car rental Malaga Airport is by far the best place to arrange to collect your car. You can drive straight to your hotel without any problems about trying to arrange a vehicle when you get here, because one thing is sure: if you don't have a car to travel around in, public transport is not satisfactory for touring and your vacation in Malaga will suffer because of it.

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Great Car Rental Experience

Renting a car can be a great experience. It provides convenience and can even add luxury of a trip or vacation. Of course, it behooves the renter to do a little research beforehand as it's not quite as simple as handing over your credit card getting the keys and going. Here are a few things to think about before renting a car, especially if you've never rented one before.
Be sure to check on-line and don't assume that the pricing will make sense. You might think if you rent a smaller compact car that you'll save money, but many car rental agencies are discounting the costs of renting SUVs and larger vehicles because of the sometimes exorbitant and unexpected costs of filling up the tank. Of course, if you're looking for great gas mileage, don't think that renting a hybrid is necessarily your best bet financially. Some agencies charge a small fortune for the novelty of driving a hybrid car.
Check out Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and other online travel sites for the best deals. This could take some of the time out of searching for the best possible deals. If you're not experienced at renting cars, there can be a lot of pitfalls for which you didn't plan and you don't want to be stuck paying more than you budgeted.
Ask ahead of time about any added fees. You could discover that you'll be paying a lot more than just the rental fee. Added costs can add 40% or more to your bill if you're not careful. Be sure to ask about state and local taxes as well as any other silly additional fees, especially if you're renting from an agency in an airport. Also, you'll need to pay for refueling, so figure that cost in and don't assume you'll have a full tank, though usually this is provided.
If you're planning on renting a car for a one-way trip, plan on paying a pretty penny for the return charge. The price might surprise you and you might need to consider foregoing the rental altogether or think about whether it will cost you less money to pay for extra time and return the car to its original destination.
Most agencies require that the renter is 25 or older. Some companies allow you to pay an additional surcharge ranging from $10 to $80 extra. Be sure to ask and don't assume that if you are 21 that you can rent a car. Chances are that if you can, you might need to pay more than you anticipated.
Be sure to ask about charges for insurance. If the rental car or another car with whom you're involved in an accident sustains some form of damage, or if you, your passenger or another driver is injured and you don't have insurance on the rental, the consequences could be negatively life altering. If you have collision and comprehensive on your own car, then it should carry over to the rental car as well, but if you don't have that coverage on your personal car, then plan on paying a surprisingly costly daily insurance charge.
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Renting a car can be a simple and positive experience, but you'll need to be aware of all the costs and of course don't assume that that quoted charge is all you'll be paying. You may just find that you'll be going way over your budget. A little planning can prepare you for most everything, which will ultimately make your experience as positive as possible. As with everything, don't assume anything and remember, renter be wary.

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