Cape Town, Namibia and Victoria Falls

Hi guys

I'm going to South Africa in 10 days. This is my first time going to Africa and many people are saying South Africa is very dangerous so I'm kinda nervous.
Here is my rough plan so I will appreciate you guys give me some advice.

Cape Town for 7days and going to Windhoek by bus (Intercape)
Windhoek for 4 nights (including camping tour in Sossusvlei)
Windhoek to Livingstone by bus(Intercape)
Livingstone for 2 or 3 nights and fly to Johannesburg

Is Intercape bus safe?
and I need to get my visa at the border (Namibia and Zimbabwe) how long does it take?
I'm 20 years old girl traveling by myself (seeing my friend in Cape Town thou) so please give me some suggestions.

Thanks
Akiko

Don't worry too much - by using common sense and taking sensible precautions you will be safe and enjoy a wonderful holiday.

Don't walk about at night anywhere; don't wear any flashy jewellery/watch; in downtown Windhoek I would advise that you do not walk into the city alone even in the day as there are occasionally tourists robbed in daylight and a young woman with a bag or backpack on her own can be a target. Go out with another person or use taxis and only take minimal cash. Intercape will be fine. If you are eligible for a visa on arrival the process should be smooth and quick. Don't let street vendors, taxi drivers or touts intimidate you - they can be persistent - be calm and confident, polite but firm. Now, having said all that, please I would state again, don't worry. We have travelled independently all over the southern African region for 13 years and never had a problem just amazing journeys! :) Have fun.

It's fine to travel there, use common sense and avoid walking around at night. I found Windhoek ok; the city centre is lively with souvenir markets etc; no problems walking around, people were friendly. At night the place is deserted so there's no reason to walk around anyway.

Dear threedogs
I'm soooo glad to read your reply! I feel much better now. I won't go out at night time and hope to meet someone to go around with at the hostel. I took taxi in India and I have awful experience of that so I'm afraid of taking a taxi. Is taxi in South Africa safe?

Thank you so much
akiko

Dear Jeroen
Thank you for your reply. My Japanese guidebook doesn't have much information about Windhoek and that's one of my worriment. Is is safer than Cape Town?

Thaks a lot
Akiko

At many levels, you need to do more research before you go. On your current itinerary, you are not going to Zimbabwe so I don't know why you're asking for visa details about that country.

If you ask visa questions on this forum you must state the nationality of your passport. Rules differ. For example, Namibia does not require visas of many nationalities. The Intercape Bus will take you to Zambia where you can buy a visa at the border for 50USD. It takes no time at all. You just fill in a form and get a visa stamp, on payment.

Oooops I totally misunderstood...
Yes I def need much more research.
Thank you so much for your suggestion.

I'm not going to Livingstone but Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe side.
I totally misunderstood...:(

Edited by: akiko_2556

Just be sure to check carefully about the visa situation for your nationality for entry into Namibia. Several years ago I went there via Intercape and we spent several hours at the border due to someone from an Asian country (can't remember which) who had not first gotten a visa thinking he could get it at the border. Despite the bus driver's attempts to persuade immigration officials to let him into the country, they denied him entry and we left the poor guy at the border post at 11:30 at night all by himself. The border post is basically in the middle of nowhere, so I felt really sorry for him.

You can't really compare 'safety' between such wildly different cities such as Cape Town and Windhoek. Central Cape Town 'feels' like a European city centre, but statistically it is more "dangerous" than Johannesburg. Just realise that most crime that you have heard about actually takes place far away from tourists, in townships. I found Windhoek quite charming and friendly in the 2 nights we spent there.
Look at it this way: in 2010, half a million half-drunk football fans from across the world visited South Africa's major cities for several weeks. There was not one single serious incident. (In fact, I'm sure that many more cases of petty crime would have occurred if the event was held in a 'safe' country like Italy).

As #9 says....statistically CT is very dangreous.But you would never know it walking around the central area or the beach suburbs by day......the vast majority of crime takes place in places where a tourist would never go alone,or in the middle of the night (though i have walked around plenty of times in the evening in CT and never had a problem).

You need to take the usual precautions....like you would in a European or American city...don't wander around alone at night,don't flash jewellery or a big camera,try to look confident and that you know where you are going.

On the bus...Intercape is no problem at all,though you may find some strange people hanging around in the bus stations ;-)
As #1 suggests just ignore people who try and hassle you.....once you get on the bus it will be fine.

Dear lesotholiz
I just looked for the information about visa. And it seems to be easy to get it at the border.

Dear Jeroen
I see. I cant't be too careful to go around anyway.

Dear lucapal
I def won't go out by mysel especially at night. I heard tourists was easy to be targets so I was afraid, but it wont be so dangerous if you take precautions like you are saying. I bookes the hostel they have pick-up servise from the airport in CT, so i will looke for some hostel having pick-up servise from the bus stop(if they have).

Thank you all for the information and suggestions! you guys helped me a lot.
Thank you again:)
akiko

Edited by: akiko_2556

Edited by: akiko_2556

Well, if you are going to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe you will still need to get a Zambian visa as well because the bus passes through Zambia on its way to Zimbabwe.

Dear organist
I didnt know that. My guidebook says it is kinda hard for japanese to get the visa at the border so I will call to the embassy. Thank you for th enotification.

hey when are you going there?? i'm going there on the 28th, wanna tag along??

Does anyone know how to get to Victoria Falls from Windhoek without passing through Zambia overland? After Victoria Falls, I'm gonna go to Johannesburg. if I go to SA via Zambia, i need Yellow Card but I don't have it. i thought it is waste of money to get Yellow Card just for passing through Zambia even I'm not gonna stay there. Or should I just get a shot and the Yellow Card?

It is possible to avoid Zambia by getting off the Intercape bus when it is in Katima Mulilo and hitch-hiking through Chobe to Kasane/Kazangula, before crossing at the Zimbabwe border. To do this, you'll have to be confident in travelling alone and looking for all available transport, whatever it is. It's easy enough to do it if you know what you're doing.

It's not a bad idea to get a Yellow Fever injection and card before travelling in general. It's an easy process - it just costs a bit of money.

wow it sounds so high risk plan! i cant do it hahaha My first priority is safety so I will get yellow card even it costs a bit.
Thanks