South Africa

[angstybaby]

My DH wants us (me and our 3 kids - 12, 10 and 8) to go to South Africa for a safari holiday. We'd fly to Port Elizabeth, visit national parks near there then, maybe, drive to Cape Town. We spend a few days in Cape Town then fly home. It wouldn't be an organised trip so we wouldn't be collected from the airport and we'd be getting hire car and driving ourselves around. We'd have guides in the parks. No camping, just hotels.

My worry is - and this may be irrational because all I know of South Africa is scary stuff I've seen in the UK media - that it's too dangerous. I'm worried about crime (and a bit about bite-y animals) and we're white British so we'd stick out like sore thumbs. We've been camping in bear territory before and it was not a relaxing holiday for me. I wouldn't do it again. Mind you, we also stayed in an apartment block in a Canadian town and I practically fell over a bear outside our apartment so there's no guarantees.

What do you think? Should we go? Has anyone done similar? Am I being irrational?!

Thanks

Don’t drive at night would be my top tip. But enjoy it, fabulous place to visit.

@BookShark Thank you! Thinking about what cash to take - how much do I tip the safari driver? And the hotel staff?

Ah op, you’ll love it! We did similar hols there in 2016 and 2020 - it’s my fav place!

Flew to PE and Stayed at Amakala (bush lodge) for our honeymoon for 3 nights, definitely one of the best experiences of my life! We then flew to Cape Town for 6 nights and then did Franshhoek / Stellenbosch after . Felt safe at all times, the only slightly dodgy time was when we got the train from Cape Town to Simon’s Town which was a bit iffy.

In 2020 we did Franshhoek for 3 nights, then Cape Town for 6 (we go for the cricket!) and then drove the garden route for 6 days with lots of stops along the way - just amazing! Ended in PE and did Addo which I didn’t enjoy as much as Amakala.

On both trips I did a lot of running alone and felt safe, also did nye on long street (where the locals party) which was amazing! It really is just the same as any capital city with respect to safety.

We went to Cape Town and stayed in a service apartment with our then 2yo, Cape Town is beautiful and I felt safe.

There are some areas to avoid, but we hired a car and headed out to franshouk, for winery, one even had a children's play area.

We did a couple of nights out on a range safari, but that was organised, stay at the lodge and they take you out twice a day, use the pool etc in between.

We went to SA about 15 years ago before kids. We had a lovely time driving the garden route but were told to never drive at night. All fine but then when we went to Kruger we were staying about 90 mins from the park (as it was full by the time we booked to stay there) and the best advice was to get to the park very early so you see the animals etc. Anyway we ended up driving in the dark at 4.30am in the morning - I was pretty worried tbh and we didn't stop at any red lights!

So my advice is just plan your trip carefully so you're not caught out like us and end up driving in the night!

South Africa is beautiful and you will love it. I have been twice, once with DH at turn of century pre kids and again with 2 DS aged 8 and 10. We did all the things you are looking at doing and never felt unsafe although we take all the advice to tourists to be careful.

Your DC are a perfect age to go and get a lot out of it.

We also went to Victoria falls which is not in SA but stunning.

DS1 (17) is there now on a school trip - going up table mountain today. I am jealous and missing him all at the same time so am loving reading about others experiences.