ARTICLE
Is South Africa safe to visit? Our expert's honest advice for travellers
It's one of the first questions many of our clients ask us, and we completely understand why.South Africa is one of the most exciting countries on the planet, but it also has a habit of making the news for all the wrong reasons. If you've never been before, it can be hard to know whether what you're reading reflects what it's actually like to travel there. In our experience, it usually doesn't.South Africa was the very first destination we started designing holidays to back in 2010, and we've been sending clients there ever since. Between our team, we've spent months exploring the country over many years – from Cape Town and the Winelands to the Garden Route, the Eastern Cape and safari reserves across the country.
Our South Africa expert, Kirsty, with her young family on one of their many adventures in South Africa
We're certainly not the only ones. International tourism to South Africa has bounced back strongly in recent years. In 2025, the country welcomed 10.5 million international visitors – more than 17% higher than the previous year and almost 3% above pre-pandemic levels in 2019. It’s a popular place!Thousands of our clients have travelled there too. They come home talking about incredible wildlife, brilliant food, huge landscapes and some of the warmest people they've met anywhere.That's not to say you shouldn't travel sensibly. You absolutely should. But we'd hate to see alarming headlines put you off visiting one of our favourite countries… because it might just become one of yours!
Because the challenges are real. South Africa does have higher crime levels than many countries, and it would be irresponsible for us to pretend otherwise.Saying that though, it’s also worth remembering that we consume news very differently now to how we used to.Our expert, Kirsty, says: "If you search online for "Is South Africa safe?", it's surprisingly easy to find yourself down a rabbit hole of negative headlines. Search engines and social media are designed to show us more of the stories we've already clicked on, which can make the risks feel much bigger than they are in the context of a normal holiday. That doesn't mean the safety concerns aren't real – but it also doesn't mean those headlines reflect what most visitors experience on the ground."What often gets lost in translation, though, is where that crime usually happens (away from tourist areas), who it usually affects, and what everyday travel actually looks like as a result.Most of our clients aren't wandering around unfamiliar neighbourhoods after dark. They're watching elephants from a safari vehicle, enjoying a lazy lunch in the sunshine in Franschhoek, driving one of the world's great coastal roads or staying in small guesthouses where the owners know them by name after the first evening.That's a very different experience from the picture many people build up after reading a few headlines. Sticking to tourist areas, travelling with a little awareness and listening to local advice goes a long way.
For most people, surprisingly normal. You lock your car, you don't leave valuables on display, and you ask your guide or our team if you're unsure about something.And in between all that, you'll be watching elephants drinking from a waterhole while sipping your morning coffee; you'll be pulling over to admire the view along Chapman's Peak Drive; you'll be enjoying long sunny lunches in the Winelands and spotting whales from the cliffs around Hermanus. In short, we’re confident you’ll be falling a little more in love with South Africa as every day passes.
We'd actually go a step further and say South Africa is one of our favourite family destinations anywhere.One of the biggest reasons is the number of excellent malaria-free safari reserves. For younger children especially, that removes one of the biggest worries many parents have about safari.But there's also so much variety. One holiday can include wildlife, beaches, penguins, whale watching, kayaking, gentle walks, mountain scenery and brilliant food. It's the sort of trip where grandparents, parents, teenagers and younger children can all find something they love.
Kirsty and her family in South Africa
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => I travel to South Africa almost every year with my family – in fact my daughter was only 10 months old on our first visit. We have driven all over the country including the Cape, the Kruger and the Drakensberg Mountains. To me this is the acid test of “is it safe”. I would never dream of recommending somewhere for a family holiday if I wasn’t completely happy to do it with my own family.
[name] => Kirsty
[location] => HA South Africa expert
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 1
)
)
“
I travel to South Africa almost every year with my family – in fact my daughter was only 10 months old on our first visit. We have driven all over the country including the Cape, the Kruger and the Drakensberg Mountains. To me this is the acid test of “is it safe”. I would never dream of recommending somewhere for a family holiday if I wasn’t completely happy to do it with my own family.
Kirsty HA South Africa expert
”
South Africa is one of the most progressive countries in Africa when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, and Cape Town in particular has a long-established LGBTQ+ scene.As with anywhere, experiences can vary depending on where you are, but many LGBTQ+ travellers visit South Africa comfortably and confidently each year. If you have any specific concerns, we can always talk through the best places to stay and the most suitable route for your trip.
Most of these are things you'd probably do anywhere. But, it doesn’t hurt to keep them top of mind:
✓ Don't leave your valuables visible in the car.✓ Listen to local advice. If a local person advises you to stay away from an area, take their word for it.✓ Stay in high-quality accommodation in the right locations (of course, with our help this one’s already ticked off the list).✓ Avoid wandering unfamiliar areas after dark.✓ Listen to your instincts. If something feels off or not quite right, trust your gut.✓ Ask questions – we're always happy to help.
Our team and local partners know the country incredibly well, and we're only ever a phone call away.
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => I absolutely love to self-drive through South Africa. Not only because many of the roads are more comfortable to drive along than some roads in the UK, but the scenery you pass as you make your way from hotel to hotel is simply breathtaking as you are more often than not surrounded by gorgeous nature, rolling hills and towering mountains. Your journey can sometimes take a little longer as there are so many places to stop and capture a view you just won’t get anywhere else. You also have the freedom to explore which is what South Africa is all about and visit places off the main route that a transfer or group tour wouldn’t do. I’ve driven through my fair share of small towns and had to stop for a stretch, to use the loo or to re-fuel, and I have always felt safe and even, on one occasion, had someone help me when I turned up to a fuel station that wasn’t in use.
[name] => Catherine
[location] => HA South Africa expert
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 1
)
)
“
I absolutely love to self-drive through South Africa. Not only because many of the roads are more comfortable to drive along than some roads in the UK, but the scenery you pass as you make your way from hotel to hotel is simply breathtaking as you are more often than not surrounded by gorgeous nature, rolling hills and towering mountains. Your journey can sometimes take a little longer as there are so many places to stop and capture a view you just won’t get anywhere else. You also have the freedom to explore which is what South Africa is all about and visit places off the main route that a transfer or group tour wouldn’t do. I’ve driven through my fair share of small towns and had to stop for a stretch, to use the loo or to re-fuel, and I have always felt safe and even, on one occasion, had someone help me when I turned up to a fuel station that wasn’t in use.
CatherineHA South Africa expert
”
Cat (and HA's finance guru, Radders) self-driving, Cape Town
Cape Town
We never quite know how to describe Cape Town to first-time visitors, because it somehow manages to be both a vibrant city and somewhere that constantly pulls you outdoors.One day you might be climbing Table Mountain. The next you're wandering through Kirstenbosch, watching penguins at Boulders Beach or driving Chapman's Peak with the windows down.Like any major city, there are places we'd avoid and places we'd happily recommend. That's exactly the sort of local advice we'll always give before you travel.
The Winelands
Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and the surrounding valleys are wonderfully relaxed. Long lunches, mountain views and excellent wine are all part of the experience. These towns feel lovely and sleepy; you’ll feel really comfortable and safe here. (Whether you indulge in a wine or not!)
The Garden Route
This is one of our favourite self-drive holidays anywhere in the world. And the Garden Route is a real highlight. The roads are excellent and the scenery changes constantly – from wide open beaches and forests to lagoons and some of the best whale-watching spots on earth if you visit at the right time!Of course, it’s advisable to keep your car locked and your valuables out of sight, but we’d be giving you that advice wherever you were visiting!
Safari Reserves
This is where any worries about safety tend to disappear altogether. Life on safari is wonderfully simple. Early mornings, coffee around the campfire, long game drives and sundowners as the sun sinks below the horizon.It's hard to spend too much time worrying about anything else when you're watching a leopard disappear into the bush or listening to lions calling somewhere in the distance. Many of our lovely returning clients tell us it's the most relaxed they've felt in years.
.We can share all the advice in the world, but sometimes the most reassuring perspective comes from the people who have recently been there themselves. Every year, so many of our brilliant clients travel across South Africa without issue – exploring its cities, driving its scenic routes and heading out on safari. Here’s what a few of them had to say about how they felt while they were there.
The Howell Family
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => We can't recommend Holiday Architects highly enough and would use HA again without the slightest hesitation (already trying to find a reason to plan another adventure with them....!). Lisa arranged a simply outstanding holiday to South Africa for us - we are so grateful to her for all her insights and suggestions and hard work behind the scenes. All the arrangements were a perfect fit for our family and everything ran so smoothly. We have some amazing memories that we will cherish forever of Cape Town, the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape. It's hard to pick a highlight (there were so many....), but our excursion with Uthando - recommended by HA - was truly inspirational, thank you. With Holiday Architects, you don't just get a bespoke, tailored holiday; you also get extensive insider knowledge regarding the best activities, trips, restaurants - as well as travel experts who have 'got your back' if you need them (in our case, rearranging flights to avoid Dubai - all done swiftly and efficiently.) Thank you so much, Lisa and all the HA team - and here's to our next trip!!
[name] => Caroline Howell
[location] => Trustpilot, April 2026
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 1
)
)
“
We can't recommend Holiday Architects highly enough and would use HA again without the slightest hesitation (already trying to find a reason to plan another adventure with them....!). Lisa arranged a simply outstanding holiday to South Africa for us - we are so grateful to her for all her insights and suggestions and hard work behind the scenes. All the arrangements were a perfect fit for our family and everything ran so smoothly. We have some amazing memories that we will cherish forever of Cape Town, the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape. It's hard to pick a highlight (there were so many....), but our excursion with Uthando - recommended by HA - was truly inspirational, thank you. With Holiday Architects, you don't just get a bespoke, tailored holiday; you also get extensive insider knowledge regarding the best activities, trips, restaurants - as well as travel experts who have 'got your back' if you need them (in our case, rearranging flights to avoid Dubai - all done swiftly and efficiently.) Thank you so much, Lisa and all the HA team - and here's to our next trip!!
Caroline HowellTrustpilot, April 2026
”
The Howell family on their adventures in South Africa, 2026
The Perrys
The Perrys enjoying quite the birthday celebration in South Africa
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => Sitting here at Joburg airport waiting for our flight home and thinking back over the past two weeks that you arranged for us. This trip has been beyond our wildest expectations; each of the lodges you chose for us had a real charm of their own with fabulous service and excellent Safari guides who were both knowledgeable and personable. We saw so much, learned so much, laughed so much and met so many lovely people that these memories will never fade. And then there’s the Victoria Falls part of the trip, the piece de resistance, so stunning it took our breath away, we also did the evening dinner cruise which included hippos and swimming elephants. The hotel was outstanding too, fabulous food, great service, great facilities and Wart hogs and antelope in the gardens to entertain us whilst having an early evening drink. Thank you so much for such a well structured trip, and to use a phrase from one of our guides “we are indeed very happy campers”!!
[name] => Ruth & Duncan Perry
[location] => SA clients, October 2025
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 1
)
)
“
Sitting here at Joburg airport waiting for our flight home and thinking back over the past two weeks that you arranged for us. This trip has been beyond our wildest expectations; each of the lodges you chose for us had a real charm of their own with fabulous service and excellent Safari guides who were both knowledgeable and personable. We saw so much, learned so much, laughed so much and met so many lovely people that these memories will never fade. And then there’s the Victoria Falls part of the trip, the piece de resistance, so stunning it took our breath away, we also did the evening dinner cruise which included hippos and swimming elephants. The hotel was outstanding too, fabulous food, great service, great facilities and Wart hogs and antelope in the gardens to entertain us whilst having an early evening drink. Thank you so much for such a well structured trip, and to use a phrase from one of our guides “we are indeed very happy campers”!!
Ruth & Duncan PerrySA clients, October 2025
”
A lovely client memory from Kirsty
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => My favourite client memory is two slightly older ladies who wanted to visit South Africa but were adamant that they only wanted a trip to Cape Town and the Winelands and Hermanus but absolutely no self-driving and no further afield as that would be far too much of a risk. They phoned me the day after they got home saying they couldn’t believe how wonderful and easy South Africa was to visit and that they wanted to book a return visit self driving the Garden Route for later the same year as they wanted to explore properly this time!
[name] => Kirsty
[location] => HA South Africa expert
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 1
)
)
“
My favourite client memory is two slightly older ladies who wanted to visit South Africa but were adamant that they only wanted a trip to Cape Town and the Winelands and Hermanus but absolutely no self-driving and no further afield as that would be far too much of a risk. They phoned me the day after they got home saying they couldn’t believe how wonderful and easy South Africa was to visit and that they wanted to book a return visit self driving the Garden Route for later the same year as they wanted to explore properly this time!
KirstyHA South Africa expert
”
Is Cape Town safe?
Yes. Most visitors spend their time around the V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay, Constantia and the Peninsula. Like any city, it's worth being aware of your surroundings and following local advice, but Cape Town is one of the highlights of many people's South Africa holidays.
Is Johannesburg safe?
Johannesburg often gets unfairly overlooked. We usually recommend spending time with a guide if you're exploring the city, and many clients simply use it as a gateway to safari. There are also some fascinating experiences here that are well worth including - especially for the history buffs!
Is it safe to self-drive in South Africa?
Absolutely. In fact, we think it's one of the best ways to see the country.HA South Africa expert, Kirsty, says:
"The roads are well signposted and generally in good condition. On one trip to the Cape my daughter commented “there aren’t as many potholes here as there are at home”!"
Routes like the Garden Route are particularly spectacular… They’re world-famous for a reason!What’s more, South Africans drive on the left-hand side of the road, just like the UK, making it one of the easiest long-haul destinations for a self-drive holiday.And our expert, Lisa, adds:
"We'll always make sure you have really comprehensive written driving instructions, so you'll never need to worry about being led astray by questionable sat nav shortcuts!"
Lisa on one of her many self-drive adventures around SA
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => South Africa is made for epic road trips. With an excellent road network that is well maintained, clearly signposted and with numerous really good service stations along the way, it's equally easy to navigate through the cities or to wend your way to the more off-the-beaten-track places. I did a 3000km road trip for my honeymoon, exploring all the main destinations like Cape Town and the Garden Route, but we also decided to traverse all the mountain passes such as Franschhoek Pass in the Winelands and Long Tom Pass near Kruger to add in some breathtaking scenery. My favourite roads though are through the Karoo and Route 62 from Cape Town to Gqeberha is still an iconic and worthwhile drive.
[name] => Lisa D
[location] => HA South Africa expert
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 1
)
)
“
South Africa is made for epic road trips. With an excellent road network that is well maintained, clearly signposted and with numerous really good service stations along the way, it's equally easy to navigate through the cities or to wend your way to the more off-the-beaten-track places. I did a 3000km road trip for my honeymoon, exploring all the main destinations like Cape Town and the Garden Route, but we also decided to traverse all the mountain passes such as Franschhoek Pass in the Winelands and Long Tom Pass near Kruger to add in some breathtaking scenery. My favourite roads though are through the Karoo and Route 62 from Cape Town to Gqeberha is still an iconic and worthwhile drive.
Lisa DHA South Africa expert
”
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => We as destination experts have also done numerous self-drive trips through all parts of South Africa, often with just two women in the car, with no safety issues at all.
[name] => Lisa D
[location] => HA South Africa expert
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 1
)
)
“
We as destination experts have also done numerous self-drive trips through all parts of South Africa, often with just two women in the car, with no safety issues at all.
Lisa DHA South Africa expert
”
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[content] => We had a warning light on our hire car once saying there was an issue with a tyre – we drove into the nearest town to a garage where they put the car on the ramp, proceeded to check all our tyres, triple checked everything else couldn’t find an issue, worked out it was a faulty warning light – and sent us on the way without charging us.
[name] => Kirsty
[location] => HA South Africa expert
[text_color] =>
[quote_color] =>
[admin_label] => Item 2
)
)
“
We had a warning light on our hire car once saying there was an issue with a tyre – we drove into the nearest town to a garage where they put the car on the ramp, proceeded to check all our tyres, triple checked everything else couldn’t find an issue, worked out it was a faulty warning light – and sent us on the way without charging us.
KirstyHA South Africa expert
”
Suzy from our Concierge team, self-driving through SA
Yes – as long as you travel sensibly. So, really the answer is the same as it would be anywhere in the world. We’d never pretend there aren't precautions that are worth taking, but we'd hate to see you miss out on one of the world's most rewarding destinations because of headlines alone.We visit South Africa regularly, our local partners live there, and our clients return year after year. And one of the things we hear most often when people come home is: "I wish we'd done it sooner."
✓ We've been designing holidays to South Africa since 2010.
✓ Countless Holiday Architects clients have travelled to South Africa without issue
✓ Our experts visit regularly to check hotels and experiences
✓ We work with trusted local partners who live there year-round
Tempted by South Africa?
Get in touch with our experts to find out more today.
Get a Quote 01242 253 073Open Mon-Fri: 9am-5:30pm
We'd love to keep in touch.
Sign up to get our latest team news, travel tips and holiday inspiration straight to your inbox.