Is it safe for a woman with 2 kids to drive the Garden Route?

Question

just wondering if it would be safe enough for a woman with two children to drive from Capetown to Port Elizabeth on their own? Anyone done it?

Answer 1

South Africa is as safe as any other tourist destination in the world, providing that visitors keep certain common-sense precautions in mind.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Yes i have done it , infact i drove from CT to DBN via the garden route and did not have any problems . I stopped in Port elizabeth for the night . I would recommend that you do it during the day though as the roads are terribly dark and there are only"cats eyes ' to guide you. Also be aware of "Minibus Taxis " that hurtle past you and unmentionable speeds. On the whole i really enjoyed the trip and i was travelling with my son(5) and my Grandmother(69) . Watch out for speed traps too.ENjoy your Journey. Just remember to keep your valuables out of sight and keep all your doors locked.

Answer 4

I have to say that I would feel a lot safer as a woman alone than with kids. I have driven up and down the KZN coast on my own, but as people have said here, the Garden Route (N2) is the most well-trodden of tourist routes, and there is a lot of empty road in between cities (whereas in KZN between Durban and Southbroom there are businesses, etc, all the way).

I would not say, "Don't do it"; I would say take sensible precautions. Firstly, make sure you rent a car that doesn't have "rental car" written all over it. Some companies actually give you brand new cars which don't even have proper number plates - that really screams "rental".

Stopping at service stations for gas and toilet breaks is fine. Stopping in the middle of nowhere because one of the little ones cannot wait is inadvisable, but how would you deal with that? Because of the seemingly constant need to pee, I would say make stops in resort towns with parking near to large crowds of people even when they don't need to go. Do not drive at night. I have done it on various motorways alone but would not with children in the car, because some of the driving manouevers I would use to get myself out of a bad situation could be considered hazardous at best. Carefully plan your stops along the way and make sure you arrive before dusk and set off again after daybreak. Rent yourself a South African mobile phone on arrival, make sure you have plenty of credits, and have a list of telephone numbers of places you are staying at. If staying at a B&B also have the mobile numbers of the owners. And if you run into problems on the road like breakdown or you get lost, call the car company but also the people you are staying with. The latter will probably be more useful to you than police. Make sure you take plenty of water and food on the trip.

On the subject of getting lost I would highly recommend picking up a GPS unit from Vodacom when you arrive. You are less likely to be targetted by bad people if you appear to know where you're going. Just remember to tuck the unit into your handbag when you leave the car. Not only is this more practical and safe than trying to read a map, you can also give whomever you need to call your exact coordinates if you do get lost or break down. The units cost 59 rand a day (about £5) well worth the money for the piece of mind.

If you are staying in B&Bs or self-catering private accommodation, don't be shy - tell the owners you are on your own with your kids, and if you want to go out I'm sure they'll make some arrangements for you to take cabs to a restaurant, and the restaurant will make arrangements to take you back to your accommodation. Most will also organize excursions for you with groups, or take you themselves. The people who own b&bs are all really wonderful and caring for their guests.

I do not think Western/Eastern Cape drivers are bad; quite the opposite! If you are from the UK it's just like home but no roundabouts. Needless to say, try to stay off minor roads. If you explore too much you might find yourself out of cellphone range and with no civilisation in sight it can be a little scary sometimes.

Answer 5

I'm sure that one or two people have done it but if asked you will probably find that it was on a day that they forgot to take their medication.
If any woman told me that they were intending to drive up there with two kids,I would say that she is insane.
The road is a very lonely one and 1) Children are raped as a cure for aids. 2) their body parts are used for muti (medicine).
If you are suicidal, do it. If you love your kids, don't.
But then, it may never happen.

Answer 6

There's really nothing to it. You just go there and have fun. Exercise the same caution you would in Morocco, Italy or New York. It is not a scary place at all. Don't listen to people trying to put you off, some of them have never even been there. And others, you must read their old answers and questions to see how negative they are about everything. Enjoy SA!!

Answer 7

Never mind the cattle and the drunks on the road, watch out for oncoming buses and trucks as the floppy might have fallen asleep behind the wheel. Road deaths in SA are staggering high,, its the 2nd highest death toll after murder. For the rest its a great place to go. Be aware and VERY awake!

Answer 8

You will be woman alone which will be like a big old red target for rapists and murderers out there!!!
I know a lot of people say it's fine, do it, but just to think there is a possibility of you and your children being murdered should put you off.
Please protect yourself and your children by NOT doing it. I know someone who was shot in the chest when he took his wife out for their anniversary and they were 2 grownups in the car. They are dreaming up more and more 'clever' schemes to get people to stop and then they attack them (ie the rock in the road thing, I'm sure you know about that?!)

Answer 9

Nope...definitely a BIG No No.....
As Alf readily said its not safe on any road...
And as the Garden Route is a tourist area...makes it
even worse as tourists are regarded as soft targets....
Why not approach a tour Comp.......and rather travel
in a group......
a woman with 2 kids ...they will spot you a mile away....
Think Safe...Stay Safe...

Answer 10

You MIGHT be OK during the day, but absolutely DO NOT go out after dark. Personally, I wouldn't do it at all. This was a recommendation by a South African friend, and also we heard the same from a family we had dinner with there.