Car hire or purchase in east Africa?

Question

Me and my fiance are going travelling in Africa for our honeymoon next year. We want to self drive through a number of countries including kenya, tanzania, uganda, rwanda, zambia and possibly others like mozambique, burundi, malawi botswana and namibia. We want to visit as many as possible, but the route doesn't matter too much, ideally we would want to drive one way so as not to go back on ourselves. Now I know that this sounds optimistic, which is why i'm asking for advice!
Does anyone know of any car hire companies that allow a vehicle to be taken into multiple countries? And if not is it easier to buy a car and then re-sell it at the end of our trip? Where would you recommend to buy from?
A friend mentioned that it may be easier to buy a car in the UK and ship it to Kenya, however someone told me that you can't import a car older than 7 years if you want to sell it.
All advice is welcome!!
Cheers!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

DON'T ship your own car. You'll spend your honeymoon in the port, in customs and port offices and being hassled for money. Don't think the car can roll of the ship and you can drive it away! It stays in the port, you hardly can touch it, until a lot of paperwork is done. Possibly you'll fly back home with your car still in the port and you'll not have driven it. African bureaucracy is very slow and complicated and corrupt. If they realize you know nothing and nobody there, and you're in a hurry, they'll start collecting bribes. Not a fine way to spend your honeymoon. You have to pay a lot of duties as well.
Re-selling is another problem. As your time to return will come they will offer ridiculously low prices, which you will accept, if not you'll fly home and abandon the car.
Car importing and selling in Africa is a good business, but a full time job.
Best is to hire a car with a driver, make a price (write things down), pay the fuel yourselves. Most good hotels can recommend you someone serious. Don't try someone with no references who is a little cheaper.
Possibly you will have to change cars a few times if you go to another country.
Hiring without driver is difficult.
Best is to contact a tour guide.

Source(s):

I live in Togo and have a tour operating business
http://www.captain-africa.com

Answer 2

they aint got money you sucka

Source(s):

former not sucker

Answer 3

In East Africa especially Tanzania is easier to hire a car.

Tanzania car hire and vehicle rental services in Moshi, Arusha, Dar es salaam cities and for tours to National parks and game reserves. Car Hire, Safaris to Tanzania National Parks, vehicles with pop-up game-viewing and photographic safaris.

Source(s):

http://www.kili-tanzanitesafaris.com/carhiretanzania.htm