Kenya Archives - Car or no Car .com

Africa > Kenya > Mombasa

See: Why hire a car in Mombasa ? | Why not? | Ratings | Summary | Comments

Please note that Carornocar.com is currently being revised and updated in preparation for the Summer 2021 (northern hemisphere) tourist season. It is expected that some social distancing rules will still apply. For additional Mombasa car hire advice, please use the comments form below.

Quick Ratings

Price band:

Mombasa is in car rental price band: 9/10 (1 = cheapest car rental location)

General comment - based on price alone, is it worth renting a car in Mombasa?

Absolutely not. Car rental is extremely expensive and best avoided.

Volatility:

Can you expect big swings in car rental prices in Mombasa between the peak and the off peak season?

5/10 (0 = stable prices)

Driving score: 6/10

Non car score:2/10

Balance: 1

(0 = car hire not advised / 10 = rental car essential)

General comment -

The Kenyan coastal resort of Mombasa is a popular coastal holiday destination. All of the major resorts are sufficiently close enough to make it be possible to get around using local taxis and bus shuttles. However, to come to Mombasa and only stay around these resorts would be to completely miss many of the other amazing places to visit which are within a day’s drive from here.

Why? Visiting Mombasa using a hire car

Why do you need a car in Mombasa ?

You might not necessarily want to get your own hire car. However, you might prefer to look for a car with driver or to arrange an organised tour, but however you do it, it’s well worth taking a road trip out of Mombasa one way or another.

Why not? Visiting Mombasa without a car

Why don't you need a car in Mombasa ?

Plenty of buses and taxis within the city of Mombasa.
Beach resort facilities are usually close by.
Go on safari by organised tour.
Take the train to Nairobi – one of the most impressive rail journeys in Africa!

Ratings: How does Mombasa compare?

Is it worth hiring a car in Mombasa? TBC

This is based on a rough consideration of the costs of renting a car in Mombasa, and how this compares with the costs of using public transport. The answer to this varies hugely from one destination to the next, based on a wide range of factors. It's based on renting a car at the airport (TBC), and driving for an average of 2-3 hours on open roads on most days.

How does this compare if:

You are travelling:

Solo / As couple / small family / larger family / senior couple etc

Does car rental make sense on different budgets?

Do you need to hire a car in Mombasa? TBC

This is based strictly on whether or no we think it's possible to visit Mombasa (and the surrounding area) without using a car. Of the three key questions, this one is the most likely to be a "no".

Should you rent a car in Mombasa? TBC

This is a balance of all factors. Remember this is an answer to the question for people who are already asking it. That's why the answer might still be a "yes", even when public transport is good.

See global comparisons

Hiring | Driving | Parking

Trains | Buses | Local travel

Car hire basics:

Public transportation basics:

Regular bus services: YES

Coach (inter-city): YES

Tram: NO

Metro: NO

Commuter Rail:

High Speed Rail:

Rail type (end stub / through / junction / hub):

As you start ....

Does Mombasa airport have a direct rail link?

(Yes - within terminal / adjacent / short walk) (Yes - bus transfer / other) No

Changelog

Has our advice for Mombasa car rental changed over time, or has it been pretty constant?

2017 - 2

2019 - 2

2021 - 1

Average score - 2

Notes:

Do you need a car in Mombasa? Yes, it can be useful, but maybe if you hire a car with driver.

Summary

Do you or don't you need a car in Mombasa ?

Africa > Kenya > Nairobi

See: Why hire a car in Nairobi ? | Why not? | Ratings | Summary | Comments

We have to start any advice about using the roads in Kenya with the caveat that of all the major global tourist destinations which publish such figures, Kenya has the worst safety record. Statistically, you’ll always be safer in a larger bus. If you are going to hire a car in Kenya, it’s generally more common to hire a car with a driver.

Please note that Carornocar.com is currently being revised and updated in preparation for the Summer 2021 (northern hemisphere) tourist season. It is expected that some social distancing rules will still apply. For additional Nairobi car hire advice, please use the comments form below.

Quick Ratings

Price band:

Nairobi is in car rental price band: 9/10 (1 = cheapest car rental location)

General comment - based on price alone, is it worth renting a car in Nairobi?

Absolutely not. Car rental is extremely expensive and best avoided.

Volatility:

Can you expect big swings in car rental prices in Nairobi between the peak and the off peak season?

5/10 (0 = stable prices)

Driving score: 6/10

Non car score:4/10

Balance: 1

(0 = car hire not advised / 10 = rental car essential)

General comment -

Nairobi might not have any sort of government managed public service bus system, but the city is sufficiently switched on to have apps available which combine all the routes together, and for the independently minded traveller, Nairobi is very navigable by bus, although most visitors will probably still stick to taxis.

Railways in Kenya are few and far between, but again, a few options are available for the rail buff. These include taking the train all the way to Mombasa, a journey which has been rated by many commentators as one of the best in Africa.

One of the most iconic images of Nairobi is that of wildlife, including giraffes wandering around freely with the concrete towers of the city behind. This is in the Nairobi National Park, which is naturally an easy enough excursion from anywhere in the city.

See also our car hire advice for Kilimanjaro, which includes some overlap into southern Kenya.

Yet no visit to Kenya is really complete without heading deep into one or more of the country’s other national parks. This is where you are certainly going to need a vehicle of some kind. Whether you take an organised tour, or whether you charter a driver to take you around, this is still going to work out as the equivalent of hiring a car in any other city. So with all the caveats above, our recommendation becomes a yes.

Why? Visiting Nairobi using a hire car

Why do you need a car in Nairobi ?

For anything safari related, you will need a set of wheels of some kind.
Public transport is not reliable outside Nairobi.
Limited rail services – although the train to Mombasa is very highly rated.

Why not? Visiting Nairobi without a car

Why don't you need a car in Nairobi ?

Excellent bus network within Nairobi.
Nairobi National Park is very accessible – within view of the city.
Train journey to Mombasa is an unforgettable experience – rated as amongst the best in Africa.
Safari trips can generally be done using an organised tour – no hire car needed.

So, should I hire a car in Nairobi? You may not wish to go for a self-drive option, but getting out of the city in some kind of rental car is still going to be the best way to see the country.

Ratings: How does Nairobi compare?

Is it worth hiring a car in Nairobi? TBC

This is based on a rough consideration of the costs of renting a car in Nairobi, and how this compares with the costs of using public transport. The answer to this varies hugely from one destination to the next, based on a wide range of factors. It's based on renting a car at the airport (TBC), and driving for an average of 2-3 hours on open roads on most days.