Cape Town Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (45/100)
Is Cape Town safe to visit?
Moderate risk. Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Cape Town — read the breakdown below.
Natural disasters (score 30)
Crime (score 62)
September 1, 2026
70%
Cape Town, South Africa has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 45 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is crime at 62/100; the lowest-rated category is natural disasters at 30/100; last updated September 1, 2026. This page is a baseline travel safety overview for Cape Town, South Africa, covering crime, health, government travel advisory, political stability, natural disasters, transport, environmental quality, digital security, and money safety. Real-time conditions — including today's weather, official US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines — are shown in the Live conditions section below and refreshed multiple times per day.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Cape Town to visit in 2026?
Cape Town currently sits at 45/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Cape Town is crime (62/100), and the lowest is natural disasters (30/100). This page was last updated on September 1, 2026; the baseline category scores are editorial estimates, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Aug 31, 2026
Cape Town currently sits at a moderate overall safety rating (45/100) with the U.S. State Department advising travelers to exercise increased caution (Level 2). The CDC lists only a low-level global dengue health notice (Level 1), and recent headlines focus on a safety debate over a low‑altitude flyover at Cape Town Stadium rather than any major incidents.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Sep 1, 2026 00:49 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Crime (score 62/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Transport safety (score 50/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Safety by traveler type in Cape Town
Computed from the category scores on this page plus general best practice — not personalized advice. For guidance tuned to your exact dates, transport, and profile, run a personalized assessment.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is elevated. Solo travelers should avoid quiet areas at night, keep a charged phone and offline map, and share a live location with someone.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is elevated. Plan arrivals in daylight, avoid isolated areas, and prefer accommodation with 24h reception. We don't hold gender-specific incident data for Cape Town, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is moderate. Check required vaccinations, note the nearest hospital on arrival, and review any seasonal hazard for your dates.
Senior travelers
Health/transport risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, plan rest between transfers, and locate English-capable medical care on arrival.
Business travelers
Digital/money risk is moderate. Use a VPN on public Wi-Fi, prefer contactless or one dedicated card, and keep a backup payment method separate.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are moderate. Review your government's LGBTQ+ travel guidance and the advisory shown above before booking.
Baseline scores
Source: Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) · Confidence: 70
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | high |
| Night safety | low |
| Last updated | September 1, 2026 |
Live conditions in Cape Town
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
South Africa - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
No active GDACS disaster alerts matched South Africa as of the last successful refresh.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-07-30
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Samoa, Vietnam, New Caledonia (France), Maldives, Bolivia, Tonga, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia,
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-03-09
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-08-31 15:03:16 UTC
Recent headlines
No recent news headlines were returned for Cape Town. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Cape Town
Cape Town has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 3 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Booth Memorial Hospital
- Hospital: Groote Schuur Hospital
- Hospital: Mediclinic Cape Town
- Hospital: Mowbray Maternity Hospital
- Hospital: Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital
- Hospital: New Somerset Hospital
- Hospital: PathCare MediClinic Cape Town
- Hospital: Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Hospital: UCT Private Academic Hospital
- Hospital: Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital
- Police: Camps Bay Police Station
- Police: Cape Town Central Police Station
- Police: Maitland Police Station
- Police: Maritime Port of Entry Control Centre (MPECC)
- Police: Mowbray Police Station
- Police: Rondebosch Police Station
- Police: SAPS Port of Entry
- Police: SAPS Woodstock Police Station
- Police: Sea Point Police Station
- Police: Table Bay Harbour Police Station
- Embassy: British Consulate
- Embassy: Consulado de Portugal
- Embassy: Consulate of Belgium
- Embassy: Consulate of the Republic of Namibia
- Embassy: Dutch Consulate General
- Pharmacy: A. White Chemist
- Pharmacy: Barr’s Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Blooms
- Pharmacy: Chinn's Corner Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Clicks
- Pharmacy: Clicks
- Pharmacy: Clicks
- Pharmacy: Clicks
- Pharmacy: Culemborg Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Litekem Pharmacy
- Fire station: Cape Town Central Fire Station
- Fire station: Salt River Fire Station
- Fire station: Volunteer Wildfire Services
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (South Africa)
| Police | 10111 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 10177 |
| Fire | 10177 |
| General | 112 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | high |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
Good private hospitals; public sector overstretched.
Common scam patterns
- Street mugging (phone/jewellery snatch). Muggers target visible phones and jewellery, especially after dark and on quiet streets between nightlife areas. Tip: Do not wear visible jewellery or display phones; do not walk between districts at night - use a taxi or e-hailing.
- ATM "help" / card swap. Strangers offer "help" at ATMs and swap or skim your card. Tip: Use ATMs inside malls or banks; never accept help; cover the keypad.
Major transport hubs
| Hub | Type | Risk | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | airport | 40/100 | Pre-book a hotel transfer or use a reputable e-hailing app; keep valuables out of sight. |
Area notes
- V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay, Clifton, Sea Point, Green Point, Bo-Kaap, Long St. The main tourist areas - well-secured with CCTV and safe in daylight; still take a taxi between nightlife spots after dark.
- Cape Flats & townships. High violent-crime areas - do not self-drive or wander in; only visit a township with a reputable guided tour.
- Overall. Cape Town is rewarding but has high crime outside the tourist zones. Stay in the safe areas, avoid walking at night, hide valuables, and do not hike alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cape Town safe to visit right now?
Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Cape Town — read the breakdown below. Composite score: 45/100 (Moderate risk). Crime category sits at 62/100; theft and pickpocketing in tourist areas are significant — keep documents and electronics secured. Last refreshed September 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for Cape Town, South Africa?
The current US State Department advisory level for South Africa is shown in the Live conditions section above. Always cross-check your home country's foreign-ministry advisory — for many countries the tier differs from the US assessment. Real-time advisory text is fetched every 6 hours from the US State Department RSS feed.
How safe is Cape Town for tourists?
Mostly safe. There are a few specific situations to watch for in Cape Town — read the breakdown below. The biggest risk factor right now is Crime (62/100). Travelers should specifically prepare for this area before arrival.
What is the biggest risk in Cape Town?
The highest-scoring risk category is Crime (score 62/100). Travelers should specifically prepare for this area before arrival. Full 9-category breakdown is in the Scores section of this page.
Is it safe to visit Cape Town in September 2026?
For September 2026, the composite risk for Cape Town is 45/100 (Moderate risk). Live weather, disaster alerts, and news shown in the Live conditions section above are refreshed every 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on the source. For an AI-synthesized briefing for your specific trip dates and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked at the top of this page.
How are these travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 based on government travel advisories (US State Dept), crime indices (Numbeo), Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (weather, advisories, news) is layered on top of every assessment.
How often is this page updated?
This page is updated daily: live weather, official advisories, disaster alerts, health notices and news refresh automatically multiple times per day, and an AI safety snapshot is regenerated on the first visit each day. The baseline category scores are editorial estimates reviewed periodically (see the Transparency & Sources section below).
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
Run a personalized assessment for Cape Town
Get a tailored briefing in ~15 seconds, with live weather, advisories, and recent news.
Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2026 | — → 44 | moderate | initial snapshot Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) |
70% |
Every editorial change to Cape Town's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
Transparency & Sources
We try to be honest about what we know, what we estimated, and what we don't have. Below is the audit trail for this page.
Review status
verified
Last reviewed
2026-05-15 06:27:52
Data confidence
70%
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Cape Town
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
What is estimated
- Composite tier and category scores are an editorial baseline estimate, not a real-time measurement.
What is unavailable
Coverage looks complete for this city. Live data is still only fetched on a real assessment.
Methodology · Data review process · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.