A half day chauffeur hire in Cape Town covers 5 hours and 100 km inside the metro, which suits a Constantia tasting, a city half day, an evening out or a run of meetings. A full day covers 10 hours and 250 km and reaches the Winelands, Cape Point and the Whale Route to Hermanus. If the plan leaves the metro or needs more than five hours, it is a full day. If it stays close and has a clear finish, a half day is enough and costs less.
What a half day and a full day include
| Half day | Full day | |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | 5 | 10 |
| Distance | 100 km | 250 km |
| Area | Inside the Cape Town metro | The metro, the Winelands, Cape Point and the Whale Route to Hermanus |
| Driver, fuel, tolls, Wi-Fi, chilled water | Included | Included |
| Overtime | Per hour at the quoted rate | Per hour at the quoted rate |
| Extra distance | Per km at the quoted rate | Per km at the quoted rate |
Rates are per vehicle, never per person. The Garden Route, overnight itineraries and anything more than about 200 km from Cape Town are quoted individually. For several days in a row, a multi-day booking runs at a discounted daily rate, and the guide to a private driver for several days explains it.
Plans that fit a half day chauffeur booking
Five hours covers more than people expect when the driving is short. These plans usually fit inside 5 hours and 100 km from the City Bowl or the Atlantic Seaboard:
- The Constantia wine route. Constantia is about 15 minutes from the city centre according to Wesgro, which leaves time for two or three tastings and lunch. The guide to the Constantia wine route on a half day has the detail.
- Kalk Bay and Simon's Town. The harbour at Kalk Bay, then Simon's Town and the penguins at Boulders. From the Atlantic Seaboard the distance comes close to the 100 km, so the concierge confirms the fit on the quote.
- The city and the Bo-Kaap. A walk in the Bo-Kaap, the Company's Garden area, Signal Hill for the view.
- Kirstenbosch. A morning in the garden and lunch nearby.
- An evening out. Dinner and a show, a Kirstenbosch concert, or New Year's Eve.
- Business meetings. A run of appointments in the city, Century City and the Southern Suburbs, with the driver waiting between them.
- The Durbanville wine route. About 30 minutes from the city centre, a short tasting morning.
A half day is the sensible booking when the plan has a natural end. If you find yourself adding "and then, if there is time", it is probably a full day.
Plans that need a full day chauffeur booking
These plans need the full 10 hours and 250 km:
- Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Stellenbosch is about 55 km and 45 minutes from the CBD, and Franschhoek about 75 km and an hour, outside peak traffic. With tastings and lunch, it fills the day.
- Cape Point. About 65 km and 1 hour 10 minutes from the CBD, before any stops. The peninsula loop out along the Atlantic side and back along False Bay takes the whole day. The guide to a Cape Point private tour shows how the day runs.
- Hermanus. About 120 km and 1 hour 35 minutes from the CBD, so about 240 km for the return before any driving in town. It fits a full day, but detours such as the Hemel-en-Aarde valley can take it past 250 km, with the extra billed per km.
- Paarl and Wellington. About 45 to 55 minutes from the airport, a full day with tastings.
- A long business day. Early meetings, a site visit in the Winelands, dinner in the evening.
A full day also earns its place inside the metro when the hours are long. A wedding guest shuttle that starts at 14:00 and ends after midnight is a full day even if it never leaves the suburbs.
How overtime and extra kilometres work
Plans change. A long lunch runs on, a last tasting is added, the guests are not ready to leave. Time beyond the booked hours is billed per hour at the rate on the quote, and distance beyond the included kilometres is billed per km at the rate on the quote. Both rates are on the quote before you confirm.
The driver does not let it run without the concierge knowing. If you think the day will run long, say so when you book, since it may be better value to book a full day than a half day plus several hours of overtime.
Which to choose when you are not sure
A short test helps:
- Does the plan leave the metro? Winelands, Cape Point, Hermanus: full day.
- Will it take more than five hours, door to door? Count the driving, the stops and a margin. If it is close, take the full day.
- Is there a fixed end? A dinner reservation, a show, a flight. If the end is fixed and early, a half day.
- Is wine involved? Tasting days tend to run long. Plan for it.
If you only need to get from A to B, neither is the right booking. A point-to-point transfer is simpler, and the guide on point-to-point or hourly bookings explains the difference.
Common questions
When does the half day start counting?
From the agreed pickup time, as set out on the quote. Time the driver spends waiting while you are at a venue is part of the booking, which is the point of an hourly hire.
Can I change a half day to a full day on the day?
Tell the driver as early as possible, and the concierge confirms what is possible. Usually the booking simply continues, with the extra time billed per hour and extra distance per km at the rates on the quote.
Is the full day 250 km enough for Cape Point?
Usually, yes. A Cape Point day from the city is well within 250 km, even with stops at Boulders and Kalk Bay. The full day covers the metro, the Winelands, Cape Point and the Whale Route to Hermanus.
Do you offer hourly hire shorter than five hours?
The half day is the shortest day booking. For a single trip, such as dinner and back, a return transfer can be the better choice. The Winelands tours page shows how full days are put together for the estates.
To get a quote, send the date, the number of people, the pickup address and the plan for the day, even a rough one. The concierge replies with a written quote that names the booking type and a booking reference.