Each day, the American State departmental travel advisory re-evaluates where it is and is not safe for its citizens to travel. The department has found that South Africa and its neighbours are all pretty safe to pitch your tent in.
To remind you of why you should visit these countries, we’ve included snaps of some of the most beautiful views.
South Africa
Our home country has not fared as well as most of its neighbours in the American State department’s books. It has been slapped with an ‘exercise increased caution’ status, meaning that visitors to it should be aware of increased risks to their safety and security. The US travel advisory says that violent crime is common and warns that protests in the country can escalate unexpectedly. The drought in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape is another cause for concern.
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Namibia
It has a level-one status, meaning that visitors should practice usual precautions. The advisory says unpaved roads and non-violent crime like theft and ATM card scamming are the biggest worries to look out for.
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Botswana
Botswana has the same precaution level as Namibia, and the advisory warns strongly that crime is prevalent. It also warns travellers of opportunistic crimes like muggings, break-ins and smash-and-grabs, as well as ‘follow-home’ robberies.
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Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has the same risk status as South Africa. The advisory cautions that areas where tourists usually visit, such as hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, are often sites of crimes like muggings and smash-and-grabs. Protests can also escalate without much warning.
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Mozambique
This neighbour to SA has the same status as Namibia and Botswana, but there are some areas where travellers need to be especially careful. The travel advisory warns that muggings at all times of day, even in busy places, are common. They advise that road travel at night outside the city is risky.
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eSwatini and Lesotho
Both of these neighbours are relatively safe and come with the same warnings as Mozambique, Namibia and Botswana. Muggings are common and may become violent in some cases according to the travel advisory. Tourists are advised to keep their valuables hidden and avoid busy urban areas at night.
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Image: Pixabay
