96/100
Castelnuovo del Garda
Gardaland Lake Garda: Tickets, Opening Times and How to Get There
Gardaland tickets, opening calendar, parking, the free Peschiera shuttle, height limits and hotels, checked against the park in October 2026.
Activity · Lonato del Garda
South Garda Karting, Lake Garda: Rental Prices, Rules and Opening
Rental karting at the South Garda Karting circuit in Lonato: session prices, age and height limits, opening pattern and race events.
South Garda Karting is a racing circuit at Lonato del Garda, just inland from Desenzano at the southern end of the lake. It is best known for international kart races, but on ordinary days it rents karts to anyone who turns up. It closes our list of the best Lake Garda attractions as the pick for teenagers and anyone who has had enough of sightseeing.
This page covers the rental side: what a session costs, who is allowed to drive what, and how to avoid arriving when the track is closed. Prices and rules come from the circuit’s rental website, checked on 7 October 2026.
Our verdict
South Garda Karting is a 1,200-metre CIK-FIA circuit where you can rent a kart without booking. A ten-minute timed session costs €15 in a mini kart or 200cc go-kart and €25 in a 400cc sport kart or a two-seater, helmet included. Minimum height is 130 cm for the mini kart and 150 cm for the go-kart. The catch is opening: rental hours are limited and the track shuts for race events, so check the online calendar first.
83/100
Via Corte Ferrarini, 25017 Lonato del Garda (BS)
The good and the not-so-good
What we love
- A CIK-FIA homologated circuit used for international races
- No booking needed for rental sessions
- Helmet included in the price
- Two-seater karts let an adult take a child from one metre tall
- Bar and restaurant at the track
What to know before you book
- Rental hours are limited and change from day to day
- Closed to rental during race events, sometimes for most of a week
- All kart types share the track in the same session
- You need a car or taxi to get there
Is it right for you?
Who it suits
- Teenagers tall enough to drive
- Groups, stag parties and company events
- A late-afternoon activity after a beach day
- Motorsport fans
Who should skip it
- Children under one metre
- Nervous first-timers who want a separate beginners session
- Visitors relying on public transport
Prices
| Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Mini kart, 10 minutes | €15 | Minimum height 130 cm; some experience required |
| Go-kart 200cc, 10 minutes | €15 | About 60 km/h; minimum height 150 cm |
| Sport kart 400cc, 10 minutes | €25 | About 80 km/h; experienced drivers only, minimum age 15 and height 160 cm |
| Two-seater kart 270cc, 10 minutes | €25 | About 60 km/h; driver 18 or over, passenger at least 1 m tall |
| Optional annual membership card | €5 | One free session for every ten, lap times by email; valid to the end of the year |
Checked October 2026. Prices move with the season — the booking link shows today's rates.
What the circuit is like
The track is 1,200 metres long and 9 to 10 metres wide on average, with grandstand seating for 2,000 people and CIK-FIA homologation, the international standard for kart racing. This is a competition circuit first and a rental track second.
Rental drivers use the same track. The circuit says all kart types run together in the same session, so a first-timer in a 200cc kart may share the track with faster sport karts. The management reserves the right to judge whether someone is fit to drive and to stop anyone who causes damage. There is a bar and restaurant on site and a kart shop.
Rental prices and sessions
Rental is sold in sessions of ten timed minutes. You do not book: you arrive during rental hours and pay at the rental ticket office. The price includes the kart and a helmet.
The mini kart and the 200cc go-kart cost €15 a session. The 400cc sport kart, which the circuit lists at about 80 km/h, and the two-seater cost €25. Regulars can buy an optional €5 annual card that gives one free session for every ten and sends lap times by email. Company races, birthdays and stag events are quoted separately by the circuit.
Age and height limits
The limits are by height first. The mini kart needs a minimum of 130 cm and, the circuit says, a little experience. The 200cc go-kart needs 150 cm. The 400cc sport kart is for experienced drivers only, aged at least 15 and at least 160 cm tall.
For younger children the two-seater is the answer: the driver must be an adult and the passenger at least one metre tall. For gentler days out with small children see our best Lake Garda parks, or the Gardaland guide.
Opening pattern and race events
This is the part to get right. The circuit states that rental is open on reduced days and hours, and publishes them day by day in an online calendar. On the open days we checked in October 2026 the rental window started between 17:00 and 17:30 and ended at 19:00. Hours can also change if it rains.
Rental closes completely for race events. In October 2026 it was shut from 1 to 4 October, when the Easykart International Grand Finals were held, and from 12 to 17 October around the ROK Cup Superfinal. The racing calendar then listed the IAME Final Games on 7 and 8 November, the 54th Trofeo delle Industrie from 12 to 15 November and a WSK Final Cup round from 19 to 22 November 2026. Expect no rental on those days. We could not find spectator ticket details on the circuit’s site, so ask the circuit or the event organiser.
Getting there
The circuit is at Via Corte Ferrarini, Lonato del Garda, and realistically you need a car or a taxi. Lonato is the next town inland from Desenzano del Garda, a mainline railway stop and one of the larger places to stay at this end of the lake. The circuit’s website lists a private transfer driver for those without a car.
If you are hiring a car for the trip anyway, our guide to Lake Garda car hire compares the options.
Where it is
Good to know
How much does karting cost at South Garda Karting?
A ten-minute timed session costs €15 in a mini kart or a 200cc go-kart, and €25 in a 400cc sport kart or a two-seater. The price includes the kart and a helmet. An optional €5 annual card gives one free session for every ten.
Do you need to book rental karting at South Garda?
No. The circuit says no booking is needed for ten-minute rental sessions during rental opening hours: you just turn up. Group races and private events are different and are arranged with the circuit in advance.
What is the minimum age or height for karting?
Limits are set by height: 130 cm for the mini kart and 150 cm for the 200cc go-kart. The 400cc sport kart needs a driver aged at least 15, at least 160 cm tall and with experience. A child from one metre tall can ride as a passenger in a two-seater driven by an adult.
When is South Garda Karting open for rental?
On selected days and limited hours that the circuit publishes in its online calendar. On the open days we checked in October 2026 the window ran from 17:00 or shortly after until 19:00. Rental is closed during race events and hours can change in rain, so check on the day.
Where is South Garda Karting?
At Via Corte Ferrarini in Lonato del Garda, in the province of Brescia, just inland from Desenzano at the south-west corner of the lake. Our guide to things to do in Lonato del Garda covers the town.
Can you watch races at South Garda Karting?
The circuit hosts national and international kart races and has grandstand seating for 2,000. The autumn 2026 calendar included the ROK Cup Superfinal, the Trofeo delle Industrie and a WSK Final Cup round. We could not confirm spectator arrangements, so check with the circuit or the event organiser.
What else is there to do near the circuit?
Desenzano del Garda is the nearest lake town; see things to do in Desenzano del Garda. Sirmione and its castle are further along the southern shore, and the rest of our best Lake Garda attractions list has ideas for other days.