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Is South Africa safe? Especially for women traveling alone?
That was a question that I had often wondered, that I continued to ponder while traveling, and that I mused long after returning home.
South Africa does not have a good reputation when it comes to safety. Much of this is overblown, or based on false pretenses. Then again, its reputation didn’t come entirely out of nowhere. South Africa still has problems with crime, including violent crime.
The truth? South Africa can absolutely be safe. But you need to take precautions that you wouldn’t take elsewhere.
Know the Context
When many people think of South Africa, they think of the final years of apartheid — riots in the streets, violence on every corner, white flight, and how South Africa was on the news every night.
But you have to remember that this was 20 years ago. Quite a lot has happened in the past 20 years, and the country has made incredible strides since then.
In fact, I don’t think that any country has improved so much in such a short time as South Africa has. South Africa is now one of the emerging economic powers of the world, and race relations, though far from perfect, have improved significantly. Same-sex marriage is legal. Before apartheid ended, South Africa guidebooks were blacklisted in the United States — whereas in 2011, 300,000 Americans visited South Africa.
Still, turmoil casts a long shadow. Some of my friends and family were worried about me traveling to the Balkans and Cambodia, associating them with their conflicts during the 90s. In reality, these have been very safe destinations for quite some time.
While that may be, South Africa isn’t as safe as the Balkans or Cambodia. Traveling in South Africa requires you to take some steps you wouldn’t take elsewhere.
Traveling Solo in South Africa
As much as I enjoyed every minute of the first part of my trip, I know that we were in a bit of a bubble, staying at luxury properties and having escorts every step of the way. For that reason, I decided to extend my time in South Africa and get an idea of how it was to travel there alone.
Soon after touching down in Johannesburg, I was delighted to learn that a friend of mine from college, Mark, recently moved to Cape Town to be with his South African fiancée, Charmain. We made plans to grab dinner the first night I had free.
It was a wonderful night on the waterfront — warm breezes carried over the notes from a live band performing Toto’s “Africa,” and we gabbed about our post-college twenty-something lives. Then I asked Charmain about safety for women in South Africa. Was it as bad as people said?
Charmain grew up in Johannesburg and had quite a few stories to tell. Carjacking, she informed me, is still a serious problem in Johannesburg. It’s mostly confined to certain neighborhoods, and carjacking hotspots have signs alerting drivers.
That said, Charmain never stops at red lights when driving at night in Johannesburg. She’s not alone — many South Africans do this in Cape Town and Durban as well.
That night, I was a guest of the excellent Lawhill Luxury Apartments, about an eight-minute well-traversed walk from the waterfront. If I were in Vienna or New York, I’d happily walk a distance like that on my own at night. But this was Cape Town, and Mark and Charmain said it would be a good idea for them to walk me back.
I was glad they did. On the walk back, we passed a few panhandlers asking for change. Nothing unusual there. But then they started following us, getting up in our faces and yelling, asking us why we didn’t give them money. This happened multiple times and I’m so glad I didn’t have to face that on my own.
A few days later, I spent a few hours chatting with my South African seatmate on a long bus ride. He was a teacher in a colored township outside Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route. (FYI — “colored” means mixed race in South Africa, and it’s not a derogatory term.)
Traveling the length of South Africa on your own can be very safe, he told me. It’s not like there are people with knives around every corner. The buses are safe. (We were on the very comfortable InterCape bus line, which was interesting in that it was a Christian bus line with onboard prayer.) Day driving is very safe, he added.
Above all, he told me, don’t put yourself in isolating situations. If you’re traveling solo, stick to places where there are lots of people. He knew a girl who went to a beach alone and was raped.
From that point on, I made an effort to stick to crowded places when I was traveling solo in South Africa.
Don’t Visit South Africa Unless You Have Travel Insurance
A lot of people think travel insurance is an unnecessary expense — I couldn’t disagree more.
If you get pickpocketed in Cape Town, travel insurance will refund you what you lost.
If you slip on a dock in Knysna and break your ankle, travel insurance will refund your medical costs and will get you home for free.
If you get appendicitis while in Johannesburg, travel insurance will cover your medical costs.
If an immediate family member dies while you’re on safari, travel insurance will help you get home immediately.
These are unpleasant things to think about, but it’s so important to be prepared for the worst.
I use and recommend World Nomads Travel Insurance. They’re a great fit for almost every traveler.
Safety Tips for Travel in South Africa
1) Stay at places with security. This could mean doormen, keycard entry, and walls, gates, and/or fences.
2) Learn about the local dangers in every destination you visit. Take the time to talk to your hotel or guesthouse staff when you arrive and find out about what actions and places to avoid.
3) Pack a portable safe and use it to store your valuables while you’re out. I use the Pacsafe Travelsafe 12L. Put your valuables inside (think passport, jewelry, and electronics), close the top, and lock it to something sturdy like a pipe or immobile furniture. Here’s a step-by-step guide.
4) Don’t put yourself in isolating situations. In Croatia or Vietnam, I wouldn’t hesitate to hang out on a mostly deserted beach where there were three or four other people around, some distance away. But I wouldn’t do that in South Africa.
5) Don’t drive in cities at night. Take taxis. Taxi drivers know how to avoid carjacking hotspots and are rarely carjacked.
6) If you visit a township (and you should), go with a guide. Some townships can be dangerous, but your guide will know which parts are safe. You’ll get much more out of the visit, too.
7) If you go on safari, listen to your guide. Don’t ever get out of your vehicle unless you have explicit permission to do so. Don’t stand up, either. (“Kate, sit down,” was something I heard again and again on our game drives.)
8) If you’re connecting flights in Johannesburg, wrap your bag. I’ve never used the airport bag wrapping machine, but I did for the first time in South Africa upon recommendation from friends who visit often. And as always, you shouldn’t put anything valuable in your checked bags.
Most importantly: don’t let safety concerns keep you away from South Africa.
South Africa is an absolutely wonderful, stunningly beautiful, incredibly fascinating country. If I had let fear get the best of me, I would have missed out on such a wonderful destination. I had a great time because I did research and made myself aware of the dangers in advance, and did my best to avoid them.
I felt perfectly safe watching a cheetah feast on an impala in Kruger National Park. I felt safe hanging out in Johannesburg’s roughest township. I felt safe on top of Table Mountain, crossing the country on the Blue Train, hanging out with penguins at Boulders Beach.
When traveling solo, I felt safe on the buses, safe in the taxis, and safe in all the places I stayed on my own.
Safe Accommodation in South Africa
I have stayed in every place on this list and can personally vouch for their excellent security:
- Johannesburg: 54 on Bath (one of my all-time favorite hotels)
- Cape Town: Grand Daddy Hotel (my top pick for Cape Town), Queen Victoria Hotel, Protea Hotel Fire & Ice, Lawhill Luxury Apartments, Atlantic Point Backpackers
- Kruger National Park: &Beyond Ngala Lodge &Â Tented Camp
- Swellendam: Swellendam Backpackers Adventure Lodge
- Sedgefield: Afrovibe Adventure Lodge
- Knysna: Phantom Forest Eco Reserve
- Plettenberg Bay: Nothando Backpackers Lodge
- Jeffreys Bay: Island Vibe Backpackers
- Cintsa: Buccaneers Lodge & Backpackers
- Durban: Southern Sun Elageni & Maharani
So is South Africa safe? If you take precautions, it’s unlikely that you’ll have any safety issues. Take time to research your destinations in South Africa, get some travel insurance before you depart, and you’ll have an amazing time.
My husband and I are planning a 10 day trip to SA in mid-September of this year. We are thinking of flying into Durban (via Johannesburg) and spending 4 nights, then flying to Cape Town for 5 nights.
Looking to do a safari at one of the smaller parks closer to Durban (Tala Game Reserve or Hluhluwe-Umfolozi… don’t think we can take the time to do Kruger this trip).
I am wondering if anyone has suggestions as to the best area to stay that would be safe/close to things to do in Durban. We were looking at the Hilton (near the convention center), The Oyster Box, St. James on Venice, or African Pride. Or would you recommend going to someplace other than Durban?
In Cape Town, we are looking at staying at the Waterfront/Camps Bay area.
Thanks so much for any suggestions or recommendations, we have been trying to plan a trip to SA for a number of years now and are excited to finally get to visit!
Amanda, your choices are all good. We have a beautiful country. Yes, there are problems, but, are other countries perfect? As stated by so many, be vigilant at all times. Don’t act like a tourist, keep all valuables out of sight. Enjoy you trip. It will be worth it, I promise.
Denise
Everywhere is definitely not perfect, I definitely agree. SA, from what I have read at least, seems to be the most dangerous area we have traveled thus far, so just trying to do my due diligence with staying in a safe area and ensuring I know what we are getting into. We try to be smart travelers, but obviously things happen. We opted to stay in the Umhlanga area outside of Durban… I don’t think we are renting a car here; is hiring a driver the best way to get around if we want to explore the city of Durban?
We have been trying to get to SA for the past 3 years…. Every time I look at things to do I get so happy, I can’t wait to explore!
Hi Erin,
Yes, thank you, this was very helpful. I am always vigilant when I travel alone, however my boyfriend worries so I like to do my research so he feels more comfortable. There are many areas where this could happen. I was attacked while in iquitos,Peru. A teenager boy attacked me from behind trying to steal my camera which was strapped on me really good. With my theft proof backpack. It scared me of course, he got ran off by a security guard, which were placed around the city where tourists are. I learned from it and moved on. 3 weeks later I found myself backpacking alone through Thailand, which was a beautiful experience. But I definently take traveling alone seriously.
Anyways, got off topic a little lol I will look onto this gaming lodge place, Zula Natal Game Lodge. Are the safari tours and organized activites sfe to do alone? I know that a lot of travel agencies can be bogus. When I make plans I use lonelyplanet and trip advisor a lot, any other suggestions of travel sites, ones that would be good to use to plan a SA trip??
Hi Amanda, your choices are all good. As so many have stated, just be vigilant at all times. Yes, we do have problems, but what country is perfect? Just do not act like a tourist,keep all valuables out of sight. We have a beautiful country, so, enjoy!
As always, everywhere is safe if you use your common sense. Walking around day time in central Jo-Burg.. I’m pretty sure no one’s gonna shoot you in the head. Go out at night to less active or a low income area by yourself.. what do you think could happen. I wouldn’t do that in many places in Canada, let alone South Africa.
Baz,
I am very sorry to hear about all the horrible things that have happened to you. However, these things happen to people everywhere. It’s good to focus on the positive for travelers, keeping vigilant and appreciating where you are, being smart, staying with others. Dangerous and sad things happen everywhere, I have been attacked while in South America. You put it behind you, learn from it, take what you can from your trip and share with others your experiences.
You cannot learn from it, when somebody kills you (what happened to some people, as also commented here).
You wrote:
“Don’t wait till tank is almost empty – when on the road, fill up when you get to less than half tank. Do not allow yourself to run out of petrol.”
In other countries such behavior would be called paranoid…
It is terrible how some of these South African’s are so paranoid and negative about SA, most of them don’t live here anymore and do not have a clue of the reality of SA as it is today.
It is a fantastic country and it is as safe as you make it, just take precautions as you would in any foreign country you do not know.
Johannesburg
South Africa
Do you read the newspaper? I dont think so, you live in a bubble!
I agree with Inge, happy you’ve had nothing bad happen to you. But myself and most of the people I know do not share that sentiment. It is notoriously crime-ridden.
Thanks so much for that post, Kate! – I will spend 2 months in South Africa starting in Dec and can’t wait to get there. It will be the beginning of my nomadic journey around the world for the next few years. Your post answered a lot of questions – and confirmed what I had heard from locals and other travellers, so thanks again!
Hi All!
South Africa is one of the most beautiful places on the earth. I am a South African and I love my country, but in all honesty, you are gambling with your life if you come here. Just this morning I read in the news paper how two couples were attacked by 12 men. Two of the victims (men) were bound with their own clothes. The ladies were also bound and one of them was raped while the men had to watch. Afterwards the two men were thrown into the dam and they drowned! Now tell me, do you still want to come to South Africa for an “African Adventure”? Go see a psychiatrist! Or better yet, come talk to the two little boys that had to watch their mother stabbed in the chest this weekend at their school! We live in constant fear, I fear for my childrens lives. Oops, dit I say lives, sorry, we are not living! We are trapped in our houses and we arent even safe there. Our kids can’t go out and ride their bicycles on the street infront of their house because they get stabbed and their property gets stollen. What about going out for a Sunday drive? Forget about it, you get hi-jacked, pulled out of the car, while your baby is still strapped in the car seat, to find out they have thrown him out of a moving car and he is dead. Dont come to South Africa, you are crazy if you do! The world out there knows nothing about what is going on in South Africa. Soon enough we wont have food, because the farmers are being wiped out. It’s white genocide.
Hi Kate,
As a physical security professional I have to say I have some concerns regarding your advice. While I don’t disagree with your entire assessment, it should be noted that you are taking a huge risk travelling SA solo.
You rebutted one reviewer regarding their rape concerns in SA with US college rape statistics. This is apples to oranges. Most women who experience sexual assaults during college are not tackled while walking on the street and assaulted in an alley which is exactly the type of thing that happens in SA all the time. I would never advise a woman to travel SA alone; it is reckless.
As I said, I am a trained, experienced professional not a blogger so take from that what you will. If you do decide to travel SA alone as a woman you should understand it is not safe and you are taking a huge risk. I would advise any traveller to speak with a local security/law enforcement professional before travelling and not to base your risk assessment on the advice of friends or “a couple locals”. If you value your life, take the time to speak with someone who knows what they are talking about. Aside from that I like your blog.
My wife and l were thinking of holidaying in SA but after reading these articles there is no way we will go. Life is too short to have to expend so much emotional energy making sure you are safe. The world has many other places worth visiting.
The truth is this you just need to uber everywhere and take taxis to and from your destinations – just don’t leave anything to chance when you are there it seems fine but as someone said when it goes wrong there it goes really wrong.
So taxi and go only to touristy spots – the people are lovely though – I was truly shocked at how beautiful and how warm the people were – don’t let it stop you
some of you said safe and the other said not safe, so is it safe or not ?
If you think S/A is improved, you don’t know what you talk about
In the time of Apartheid S/A is safer than any country in the World excluded Israel
I live in SA as a woman and I don’t feel safe. I have become paranoid about locking doors and having guy friends walk me to my car as a result of several incidents. It’s not on. I have had my youngest cousin come running to tell me there was someone ‘looking in the window’ of her house. I have walked from a bar to my vehicle and heard bullets fly in the air from the buildings behind me, while my friends yelled for me to hurry up and open the car doors. I’ve had to take the long way to get to my house because one of residences on my block had been invaded by armed assailants involved in a high speed chase with police. My sister was locked down in her safe little private school for a couple of hours while police tried to apprehend more armed assailants in the vicinity. My friend’s sister watched a bouncer get stabbed outside a club…she witnessed him die. And yes — all of these in what I used to consider safe areas. Let’s not even discuss townships, where our domestic worker carries in stories I can’t even repeat…twice now including rape and children (you won’t encounter these incidents as tourists, but just so you know, it happens). And I’m in Cape Town…further up it gets worse according to relatives who’ve faced house break ins and hold-ups at gunpoint.
Is CT beautiful? Of course! You could fall in love with the place, especially as you come to know all its nooks and crannies. Majority of the people are fantastic, and its environmental charms are endless. Is it safe as a solo female? Well, no. I hear of friends getting asked for their cell phones at knife point when they travel in groups all the time – most recently a group headed off to college. I get by because I know the areas well enough to take precautions. But is it normal to ‘not stop at red lights’ and ‘not drive at night?’ As a young female, I’ve watched my homeland decline into crime, and I’ve started to feel less and less certain about my safety.
If you do visit, get a guide. Know the area. Be safe. And if possible…don’t travel alone. You’ll probably be fine, but it will be incredibly uncomfortable and stressful as a newcomer, trying to navigate unknown territory. I hope I haven’t put anyone off…but I wanted to share an inside perspective. I’m frustrated by my own limitations as a lifelong female resident in this place. Have you seen our houses? With all those spikes and electrical fencing? They look like prisons.
Hello,
I’m a tiny Asian girl who wants to do volunteer work in South Africa at lion research project. I’m planning to travel alone. However, my coworker( who’s a South African grew up in Cape Town) told me it is very dangerous for me go there.
I will be arriving at the JNB airport and meet up with the organization’s pick up guy to pick me up to their site.
My coworker then told me that there’s chances that people pretending to be those pick up guy and kidnapped you.. Or your car might get high-jacked once you get on..
So please please please..can anyone tell me if I should go? Or if there’s anyway to provide this happen?
Bessie, is someone really going to go through the trouble of faking a sign, pretending to be someone else, picking you up at the airport, and then kidnapping you? I don’t think that’s something you need to worry about.
If you want to be extra cautious, ask the organization for the name of the person picking you up.
I think you should go.
Why oh why, do people always judge a country on towns and cities alone. These places are never a true reflection on the ‘whole picture’!.
Cities and towns are a magnet for trouble these days……..period!.
Hire a vehicle and go see the Real South Africa. It is beautiful and the country folk are great.Sorry Kate, visiting all the places you mention, although they are are ok, is not the real thing.
Same with any country!.
Try being really adventurous next visit and go off the beaten track. Enjoy.
Robert, the cities are, in fact, real. They’re just as much a part of South Africa as the country is.
Loved this post! I am from South Africa (Cape Town) and it’s the most beautiful place on earth imo.
Hi Frankie,
I got back from 2 months backpacking in South Africa yesterday! What an amazing country!
I think the best thing to do would be to take a taxi from the airport and pick up a hire car from CT the next day. That’s what we did. For ease, we took an airport taxi (just make sure it’s an official one), but if you know Uber, this is very reliable here and half the price! We hired a car but used Uber for nights out etc.
I don’t know what your plans are, but feel free to contact me for any advice…
In S.A. we spent time in CT in the day and at night (table mountain, boulder’s bay penguins, zip lining, First Thursdays, drinks on Long Street), drove the garden route (did camping, sky diving, horse riding) went to Coffe Bay and did a Xhosa homestay (one of the largest African groups here), Durban, Drakensberg Mountains (hiking – amazing!!) drove back through the Free State, went to The Cederberg (80kms of dirt road to arrive but boy were the stars worth it!!!), back to CT (wine tasting in Franschhoek). Then we got The Shosholoza train (because seriously, who can afford the Blue Train?!?!) to Jo’berg and stayed in Midrand with family. That was “fun” as the train was 9 hours late and we arrived in Jo’berg in the dark!!! That was the only time I felt extremely vulnerable, but I’ll write a blog about that one! As everybody has said, extra precautions are very wise here. Generally CT was safer than Jo’berg, but as another person said, some people are extremely poor and desperate, so just don’t tempt them. Try not to have valuables visible in the car, lock your doors once in the car (many do this automatically), keep windows up. In Joberg I also always stayed in gear at traffic lights and left a gap between me and the car in front in case a quick escape was necessary. Go through a red light if you need to. We went through a couple of hijacking hotspots there, but had no issues. You just have to be alert to it. Let me know if I can help with any specifics, and HAVE FUN!! I’m sure you will. 🙂
Dear Kate,
I’m moving to South Africa TODAY for 3 or 4 years. I’ve never set a foot there so it will be quite an adventure. I’m still a little apprehensive being used to travel all alone (and envoying being alone) but your post reassured me. Thanks 🙂
Thanks Kate. Very useful post. I have been thinking of visiting SA for at least 4 years and fear always stopped me. I have a couple of SA friends I met back in Europe who proposed to host me, but since they will be working around the time of my visit, I always feared of being alone in such a country known for being unsage. I need just to be careful. The story of the lady who was raped is one of my fear though. I hear so many bad things about this country. But yet, some other people live there so it cannot be that bad.
Hi,
I am arriving into Nelspruit and was thinking of renting a car for 4 days because the taxis are so expensive. I have tours arranged for the first day and then was wondering if it is okay to do a self drive through kruger on my own as well? I’m a single female driving on my own and do you think it will be safe?
Hi kate would i be able yo email you with my questions re travel to sa. From australia and looking at going to kevin richardson sanctuary. Thanks in advance jen
Hi Kate, could you recommend any tour groups for women travelling alone? I’m into culture, the arts, food and nature. I will be travelling to cape town in July and stopping over to do a half marathon in Knysna.
G Adventures and Intrepid Travel are two companies that do small group trips. Not specifically female but good for female travelers.
Hi Kate, i just came across your article now. I really like it and love how you see South Africa. I am a permanent visitor of SA since 2007. Of course things shouldnt be flushed down and its correct that the crime rate is far higher than in most countries in this world but most of it is like everywhere related and like in the united states most of it takes place in the ghettos, there called the townships. so with a bit of common sense you should be fine in SA,
I m happy that you see South Africa from the same perspective as me and many other fellower south africa lover. Its time to get rid of just negativity. Mentionation here is just. of course the negative side are here, but there are also a lot of positive sides. I totally fell in love with this country since i visited the first time. Have done volunteer work in the great and beautiful game reserves, have been to Durban and Cape Town and never felt unsafe. I had encounters with beggar but that happens everywhere. Same as robberies, car thefts, rape, burglaries etc. I really “love ” the comment in which one user states that the worst thing which can happen to you in barcelona is pocket theft or something like that. gives me a laugh. yes the crime statistics especial violent crime is much lower than in cape town. but again most of it concentrates at cape flates, so not moving in there the risk of being vicitim of crime becomes very unprobably as well. and as pocket theft being the “worst” thing which can happen to you in barcelona, so the chance is absolutely 0 that you can become victim of robbery or murder??? there are no murder and robberies at all??? sorry there are. yes again far less than in cape town or joburg but still there are like eveywhere in the world. its a big difference between a low number of serious crime and none at all(last one no place in the world can say they have).
add to that in the mean time i met many people who dont want to go to barcelona anymore, saying quite the opposite that they had problems with serious crimes like robbery, people who left there and guess what telling the same stories as in south africa that they have been and know many other people around in there areas where they lived who became victims of crimes. and i would never say now that barcelona is a crime ridden place, actually i think its a safe place. but like we said thatso often, it proves having bad luck bad things can happen to you anywhere. such comments worse than this or this CANT happen there and there are absolutely unobjective.
also regarding the comment in which one person mentions the crimes which happened to hear and her husband in short times in south africa, there are citiziens and visitors of The USA included New York City who tell same stories, not a few but many actual, who tell you that they have been robbed twice during their holidays and during a while living in NY etc they have been often victims of serious crimes, know relatives who have been murdered and many other good friends who became victims of crime as well……. there was also one place in Los Angeles where i stood at a hostel, people started to get robbed permanently when they went out.
I m really thankful to you about your view of SA and to see that you could change the thinking of many people who just knew the bad sides of SA. I cant await my next return, though i have been there often now, i always feel like the first time when i arrive. Kind Regards Thomas
Thomas, thank you so much for sharing. I’m glad to hear that we’re in agreement about many things.
“isnt it dangerous?” the first question I get when I tell other travellers im from south Africa. Sad really but this post shines alot of light on how it really is.
Hello everyone. I have a trip planned for Cape Town, franschhoek and mossel planned for July and am super excited, here is the think I’m thinking of taking my 2year old with me, yes il be alone. Am I crazy? Am I setting my self up for getting robbed or worse? I would obviouy take the safest route possible but is that even unsafe. Thanks for your help and advice
Hi me and my 2 best friends (girls) are going to South Africa for 4 weeks. I am so so scared about going after reading this & all the horror story’s I hear from people when I say I’m going. They look at me as if I crazy! Any tips we are going for new year?
If reading this post is making you more afraid rather than less afraid, I don’t know what else I can do for you, to be honest.