Question 1

Is going on safari safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when you are with a professional operation. Guides are trained and licensed, they read animal behaviour for a living, and the rules on a game drive exist for good reason. Serious incidents are rare and nearly always trace back to someone ignoring their guide. Stay in the vehicle when told, keep your voice down, and let the guide set the distance.

Question 2

How close do you get to the animals, and is that dangerous?

Accepted Answer

Closer than you might believe, and safely so, because the animals in a well-run reserve see the open vehicle as one harmless shape they have known their whole lives. The moment you stand up, reach out or step down, you break that shape and the rules change. Follow your guide, keep still and quiet at a sighting, and the big cats and elephants simply carry on with their day.

Question 3

Is Cape Town safe for tourists?

Accepted Answer

Cape Town is a normal big city: wonderful, and worth the usual city sense. Stick to the well-trodden areas, use a car or a trusted transfer at night rather than walking unfamiliar streets, do not flash phones and cameras, and you will have a brilliant time. We arrange private transfers and guides so you are never guessing, and we give you honest, current local advice rather than fear.

Question 4

Is it safe for solo travellers and women?

Accepted Answer

Very — a lodge is one of the easier places in the world to travel alone, because the days are structured, the staff look out for you and you are quickly part of a small group at the vehicle and the table. We match solo guests to warm, social camps, handle every transfer so there are no gaps, and can point you to lodges that waive the single supplement.

Safety on Safari

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