Guide · Safety

How safe is Cape Town for tourists? What official advice says

How safe is Cape Town for tourists depends on where you go, when and how. This page sticks to official advice from governments and the city, without scare stories or guessed figures.

Check availabilityfrom $32 · cancel at no cost

Editorial team, capetownbustour.comUpdated October 26, 20266 minutes to read24 sources

The tour for this guide Hop-on hop-off bus ticket for Cape Town 4.8 (4,231 reviews) Audio commentary in 15 languagesFree walking tour in the city centre from$32per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

Quick answer

01The picture: Crime is high nationally; risk rises in isolated places and after dark.¹
02Tourist areas: Usually have security staff, but policing is limited.²
03Getting around: Use accredited transport, such as taxis, e-hailing or buses.³
04On the mountain: Hike busy trails in groups of 4 or more.⁴
05Emergencies: 112 from a mobile, 10111 for the police.⁵ ⁶

What official advice actually says

The honest answer starts with the UK government's travel advice. It describes a high crime rate in South Africa and says violent crime can take place anywhere, including tourist destinations and transport hubs; most violent crime occurs in townships, informal settlements and other high-density areas, some city centres and isolated areas, and the risk is higher after dark.¹ That is the national picture, not a description of every street in Cape Town.

The same advice adds context that matters to a visitor. There are usually security personnel in the main tourist areas who can help, but policing is limited, so caution is advised.² The habits the advice asks for are mostly the ones you would use in any big city, applied a little more strictly and a little more consistently.

The City of Cape Town gives its own tips for visitors, and they are practical rather than alarming: do not walk in deserted or dark areas, stay in a group on lit paths and roads, use a map, and let a friend or your hotel know where you are headed and when to expect you.⁷ Read together, the official sources say plan your movements, not stay away.

A safe bus day

Habits from morning to evening

Before you go

Plan the route

Let someone know your route and your return time.⁷
Morning

Cash and cards

Use a secure ATM in a public place such as a mall.⁸
On the bus

Track the next bus

Time your walk to the stop with the live tracker.⁹
Afternoon

Busy places only

Avoid isolated beaches and picnic spots.¹⁰
Evening

Ride, do not walk

Use accredited transport after dark.³ ¹¹

Is Cape Town dangerous for tourists on the move?

Most of the risk the advice describes is about how you travel. The City recommends accredited transport such as e-hailing services, taxis, cabs or buses.³ The UK advice says to take safe and reliable transport, not to walk around after dark, and to visit a township only with a responsible and reliable guide.¹¹ Ask whether Cape Town is dangerous for tourists and the official answer keeps coming back to the same point: plan how you get from one place to the next.

If you use a ride-hailing app, the advice is to book through the app, wait in a place of safety rather than on the street, and check the vehicle registration and the driver's ID before getting in.¹² For the drive from the airport it advises staying on the M3 and N2 rather than the R300, and keeping to the airport approach road, exit 16 on the N2.¹³

A sightseeing bus fits this advice neatly for daytime sightseeing: a fixed route between busy places, stops by the main attractions and staff on board. The ticket on this site lists onboard staff for assistance among its inclusions. Use the live bus tracker to time your walk to the stop instead of waiting for long at a quiet one.⁹

Save these

Numbers worth keeping in your phone

Who	Number	When
Any emergency, mobile	112	Fire, rescue, medical, police
Any emergency, landline	107	Fire, rescue, medical, police
Police (SAPS)	10111	Crime and theft
Band-Aid visitor support	021 487 6552	Around the clock

From the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town.⁶ ¹⁴

Three situations

Day on the bus, a hike, or a night out

Lower effort

Bus day

Fixed routes, busy stops

Best for: Sights by day
Watch: Phone on the deck
Tip: Note the last bus

See bus tickets

Plan more

Mountain hike

Table Mountain National Park

Best for: Fit walkers
Watch: Quiet trails
Tip: Groups of 4 or more

See bus tickets

Ride home

Evening out

Restaurants and sunsets

Best for: Waterfront dinners
Watch: Walking after dark
Tip: E-hailing to the door

See bus tickets

Decision helper

How to handle common situations

What the official advice says to do

Someone asks for a fee to walk here My ride-hailing car is coming I want to hike Lion's Head I need cash I lost my passport

Keep walking

No permit is needed to walk in any street.¹⁵

Wait inside

Wait in a place of safety and check the plate first.¹²

Go in a group

Groups of 4 or more, on busy marked trails.⁴

ATM in a mall

Use secure machines in public places.⁸

Call Band-Aid

The team helps replace lost documents.¹⁴

There are usually security personnel in the main tourist areas who can assist tourists. However, policing and security is limited, so always be cautious.

UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSource 2

Walking, beaches and the waterfront

Walking between stops in daylight in busy areas is part of any bus day. The UK advice asks visitors to avoid isolated beaches, picnic spots and local transport hubs, and not to walk alone in remote areas or on deserted beaches, especially after dark.¹⁰ Busy promenades and beaches in the daytime are a different matter from an empty cove at dusk. Walk with purpose, keep to the main paths between the stops, and ask the bus staff or a shop if you are unsure which way to go.

The City adds a tip that surprises some visitors: you do not need a permit to walk in any of its streets, and anyone asking for payment to enter a public area is a scammer.¹⁵ Keep walking, politely, if someone asks you for such a fee. Say no clearly, keep your wallet in your pocket and move on to the next stop.

On the bus routes, the stops sit at the main sights: the Waterfront, the cableway, Camps Bay, Sea Point, Kirstenbosch and Hout Bay among them.¹⁶ ¹⁷ Plan your last bus back before you set out, and if you miss it late in the day, call an e-hailing car to the stop rather than walking a long way along a quiet road.

Checklist

Safety habits for your trip

Before you go

A copy of your passport kept apart
Emergency numbers saved in your phone
Your route and last bus planned

On the day

Stay with others on quiet paths
Little cash, cards in a front pocket
Ride, do not walk, after dark

Cost calculator

Sightseeing by bus for your group

Enter your group size to price a day on the buses.

Bus ticketAll routesfrom $32 Bus and cable carMountain by carfrom $61 Sunset busSignal Hill with a groupfrom $17

People 2

Total from$64

each from $32

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Totals use each listing's starting price on GetYourGuide, converted at today's rate; the booking page shows what you pay.

Video

Safety tips and advice for visitors to Cape Town

Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play on this clip.

Money, phones and valuables

Theft of phones, bags and cash comes up again and again in the official advice, and it is the risk you can do most about yourself. The City advises keeping your possessions on you and in sight, not leaving valuables on restaurant tables, not carrying large sums of cash, and using secure ATMs in public places such as shopping centres.⁸ The UK advice adds: do not display valuables or leave them in a car.¹¹

Crime around ATMs is common, the UK advice says, and the remedy is simple: hide your PIN and be wary of strangers who offer help.¹⁸ Use a machine inside a mall or at the Waterfront, take only what you need for the day, and pay by card where you can.

On the open top deck your phone is in your hand for photos. Use a strap, keep the bag on your lap or between your feet, and put the phone away while you walk between stops. These are small habits, and they cost nothing.

Table Mountain, Lion's Head and Signal Hill

The mountain is where official advice is most specific. The UK government reports violent attacks and muggings against hikers and tourists in Table Mountain National Park, including on Lion's Head and Signal Hill.⁴ It advises avoiding quieter parts of the park, especially in the early morning and evening, staying on busy marked trails, going on popular days such as weekends, and hiking in groups of 4 or more.⁴

The cable car is the simple alternative for most visitors. The Red route stops at the lower cable station, and the Cableway runs its cars up and down from there.¹⁹ Our page on the bus and cable car combo explains the tickets and the weather window.

For Signal Hill at sunset, the sunset bus takes you up and back with a group and leaves just after the sun goes down.²⁰ ²¹ That covers the time of day the advice singles out without a walk down in the dark. If you would rather walk up Signal Hill or Lion's Head, follow the hiking advice above to the letter, and go with others on a busy day.

Protests, nights out and getting help

Protests in South Africa are regular and can turn violent at short notice; the UK advice is to avoid them and not to cross protester roadblocks.²² The bus operator reserves the right to change any departure or route for operational reasons.²³ If the route changes on the day, follow the staff's lead rather than getting off to look.

If something does go wrong, help is organised. Cape Town Tourism's Band-Aid team helps visitors in distress around the clock on 021 487 6552, with lost documents, victim support, emergency accommodation and reporting a crime to the police; City staff also help at the airport, Kirstenbosch and City Hall.¹⁴ The province's Tourism Safety and Support unit assists international tourists in distress as well.²⁴

Save the emergency numbers before you need them. The Western Cape Government lists 112 for any emergency from a mobile, 107 from a landline and 10111 for the South African Police Service.⁶ Keep a copy of your passport separate from the original, and tell someone at your hotel where you are heading for the day. A charged phone with mobile data is your best tool for all of this: maps, the bus tracker, a ride home and a call for help.

Your days in town

Let the red buses show you the city.

Three routes, commentary in 15 languages, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Check datesfrom $32 · cancel at no cost 4.8 · 4,231 confirmed reviews

You ask,we answer.

Is Cape Town safe for tourists?

It depends on where and when. Official advice points to isolated places and after dark as the higher-risk times and places.¹ ¹⁰

Is it safe to walk in Cape Town?

In busy areas by day. The City advises against deserted or dark areas and suggests lit paths and a group.⁷

Is the hop-on hop-off bus a safe way to sightsee?

It follows the advice well. The City recommends accredited transport, buses included.³

Is it safe to hike Table Mountain?

Only with precautions. Stay on busy marked trails and hike in groups of 4 or more, the UK advice says.⁴

What number do I call in an emergency?

112 from a mobile. Or 107 from a landline; the police are on 10111.⁶

Do I need a permit to walk in the streets?

No. The City says no permit is needed; people asking for one are scammers.¹⁵

Who helps tourists in trouble?

The Band-Aid team. Cape Town Tourism's team answers around the clock on 021 487 6552.¹⁴

Sources

Where the information comes from

1
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
2
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
3
City of Cape TownGeneral safety tips for visitors
↩
4
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
5
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
6
Western Cape Government, Department of Economic Development and TourismTourism safety tips
↩
7
City of Cape TownGeneral safety tips for visitors
↩
8
City of Cape TownGeneral safety tips for visitors
↩
9
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
↩
10
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
11
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
12
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
13
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
14
City of Cape TownGeneral safety tips for visitors
↩
15
City of Cape TownGeneral safety tips for visitors
↩
16
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town
↩
17
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour
↩
18
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
19
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain
↩
20
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Sunset Bus Experience
↩
21
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Sunset Bus Experience
↩
22
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeSouth Africa travel advice: safety and security
↩
23
City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)
↩
24
Western Cape Government, Department of Economic Development and TourismTourism safety tips
↩