South Africa ?
Discussion
Hi Pat
The best time to see game would be in July and August during the winter. As most of the game areas have summer rain the bush has died back a lot by then giving a better line of sight throught the bush and the game need to drink at the major waterholes so are more concentrated around them.
As far as safety goes the standard rules apply. Try not to look like a tourist, do not travel alone in bad areas, be aware of your surroundings. Most game areas are very safe and have minimal crime.
Where are you planning to go for your game trip?
The best time to see game would be in July and August during the winter. As most of the game areas have summer rain the bush has died back a lot by then giving a better line of sight throught the bush and the game need to drink at the major waterholes so are more concentrated around them.
As far as safety goes the standard rules apply. Try not to look like a tourist, do not travel alone in bad areas, be aware of your surroundings. Most game areas are very safe and have minimal crime.
Where are you planning to go for your game trip?
As a frequent visitor, I can't really add much to what AndySA said - winter is the dry period in SA, so what Andy says is good advice. Also in winter, it's obviously cooler, meaning the animals are sheltering in the shade less.
Is it safe? Violence is random in SA - if it's your turn and can happen anywhere, don't fight, give them what they want and you may escape unharmed. As he says, don't draw attention to yourself, and that means the car, watch, phone, camera and wallet stay low key/hidden when out and about.
Is it safe? Violence is random in SA - if it's your turn and can happen anywhere, don't fight, give them what they want and you may escape unharmed. As he says, don't draw attention to yourself, and that means the car, watch, phone, camera and wallet stay low key/hidden when out and about.
Definitely go to KwaZulu Natal, I can recommend the Drakensberg mountains and Lake St Lucia as must sees in a lifetime, will be a unforgetable experience for you both.
Best time for Natal is probably March/April, it's cooled from the very hot February a little, but is still really hot and pefect beach weather (while at St Lucia, go to Cape Vidal, miles of sand beaches and virtually no other people).
Safety wise, you need to be more wary than you might normally be on holiday, but do the obvious like not leaving valubles in plain site and only carrying what you need to.
Take care at stop signs and traffic lights, leave a little room in front of you to be able to drive around the car in front if necessary, and always stay in first gear ready to move off if you have to.
Those are just precautions, dont let it put you off, generally the tourist spots are fine and no worse than places you wouldnt think twice about going on holiday to.
Ive been every year for the past 5 years and love it, lived there for a while many years ago back when it was in a very bad period and it was like the wild west!!
It's gotten a lot better.
Best time for Natal is probably March/April, it's cooled from the very hot February a little, but is still really hot and pefect beach weather (while at St Lucia, go to Cape Vidal, miles of sand beaches and virtually no other people).
Safety wise, you need to be more wary than you might normally be on holiday, but do the obvious like not leaving valubles in plain site and only carrying what you need to.
Take care at stop signs and traffic lights, leave a little room in front of you to be able to drive around the car in front if necessary, and always stay in first gear ready to move off if you have to.
Those are just precautions, dont let it put you off, generally the tourist spots are fine and no worse than places you wouldnt think twice about going on holiday to.
Ive been every year for the past 5 years and love it, lived there for a while many years ago back when it was in a very bad period and it was like the wild west!!
It's gotten a lot better.
Vagabond said:
Definitely go to KwaZulu Natal, I can recommend the Drakensberg mountains and Lake St Lucia as must sees in a lifetime, will be a unforgetable experience for you both.
Best time for Natal is probably March/April, it's cooled from the very hot February a little, but is still really hot and pefect beach weather (while at St Lucia, go to Cape Vidal, miles of sand beaches and virtually no other people).
Safety wise, you need to be more wary than you might normally be on holiday, but do the obvious like not leaving valubles in plain site and only carrying what you need to.
Take care at stop signs and traffic lights, leave a little room in front of you to be able to drive around the car in front if necessary, and always stay in first gear ready to move off if you have to.
Those are just precautions, dont let it put you off, generally the tourist spots are fine and no worse than places you wouldnt think twice about going on holiday to.
Ive been every year for the past 5 years and love it, lived there for a while many years ago back when it was in a very bad period and it was like the wild west!!
It's gotten a lot better.
You are joking right ? Safe it is not sorry but it must be one of the most violent crime countrys to go to i left there to escape the crime and corruption . But also is a beautiful country (weather and open spaces) Best time for Natal is probably March/April, it's cooled from the very hot February a little, but is still really hot and pefect beach weather (while at St Lucia, go to Cape Vidal, miles of sand beaches and virtually no other people).
Safety wise, you need to be more wary than you might normally be on holiday, but do the obvious like not leaving valubles in plain site and only carrying what you need to.
Take care at stop signs and traffic lights, leave a little room in front of you to be able to drive around the car in front if necessary, and always stay in first gear ready to move off if you have to.
Those are just precautions, dont let it put you off, generally the tourist spots are fine and no worse than places you wouldnt think twice about going on holiday to.
Ive been every year for the past 5 years and love it, lived there for a while many years ago back when it was in a very bad period and it was like the wild west!!
It's gotten a lot better.
Depends where you go, but you're right, it can be a dangerous place to go.
Saying that, so many tourist destinations have similar dangers, various parts of the USA are extremely dangerous, and people still holiday in Brazil despite the dangers there, yet most of the time it's fine as a tourist.
You take the precuations of not driving around unfamiliar areas at night, keeping valubles out of sight, driving sensibly and mindful that car jacking can happen over there, and you can have an amazing holiday.
Ive been probably 6 times over recent years, most recently this year, and absolutely loved it. The people ive met have been very friendly and most seem to want progress and peace, and so many are keen to work and get on in life, very uplifting.
Like any country with poverty there are those looking for the easy way to make money, and the violence is very real if you're unlucky enough, or in some cases careless enough, to be caught in a bad situation (one of my friends was shot and killed, another shot in the back but managed to get away, Ive had bullets go past my head so close I heard the whistle of them clearly, and have been held at gunpoint in a car for over two hours before being freed, so I know about the "other side").
Despite what ive seen/been through as a resident, I still maintain that it can be a brilliant holiday destination and is largely safe for a tourist.
Saying that, so many tourist destinations have similar dangers, various parts of the USA are extremely dangerous, and people still holiday in Brazil despite the dangers there, yet most of the time it's fine as a tourist.
You take the precuations of not driving around unfamiliar areas at night, keeping valubles out of sight, driving sensibly and mindful that car jacking can happen over there, and you can have an amazing holiday.
Ive been probably 6 times over recent years, most recently this year, and absolutely loved it. The people ive met have been very friendly and most seem to want progress and peace, and so many are keen to work and get on in life, very uplifting.
Like any country with poverty there are those looking for the easy way to make money, and the violence is very real if you're unlucky enough, or in some cases careless enough, to be caught in a bad situation (one of my friends was shot and killed, another shot in the back but managed to get away, Ive had bullets go past my head so close I heard the whistle of them clearly, and have been held at gunpoint in a car for over two hours before being freed, so I know about the "other side").
Despite what ive seen/been through as a resident, I still maintain that it can be a brilliant holiday destination and is largely safe for a tourist.
Vagabond said:
Depends where you go, but you're right, it can be a dangerous place to go.
Saying that, so many tourist destinations have similar dangers, various parts of the USA are extremely dangerous, and people still holiday in Brazil despite the dangers there, yet most of the time it's fine as a tourist.
You are out of your mind.Saying that, so many tourist destinations have similar dangers, various parts of the USA are extremely dangerous, and people still holiday in Brazil despite the dangers there, yet most of the time it's fine as a tourist.
The difference between high crime areas of America and South Africa is that the crime over here stays isolated to the s
tty parts of town. Orlando actually has a relatively high crime rate, but it is isolated to crappy parts of town where no tourist would be anywhere near, when I lived there for over 5 years you NEVER heard of violent crime outside places like Pine Hills, South Orange Blossom Trail, etc.In South Africa the crime is EVERYWHERE. Being in a "nice" area does not make you safe. It's a hell-hole, a beautiful hell-hole with some amazing sights and wonderful people, but it has become and absolute pit of misery in my experiences there.
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