Is Cape Town Safe for Solo Female Travellers? My Honest Take After Living Here

Last Updated on April 17, 2026 by Hannah Stephenson

If you’re thinking about visiting Cape Town as a solo female traveller, the biggest question on your mind is probably “is it safe?”

I first travelled to Cape Town solo and I’ve been living here as a single woman for several years now. I do feel safe here but, as is the case in any big city, some caution and awareness is needed.

In this guide, I’m going to do a deep dive into what it’s actually like to visit as a solo female traveller, including where I feel safe, what to be aware of, and my top tips for getting around with confidence.

Is Cape Town Safe for Solo Female Travellers?

Yes, Cape Town is mostly safe for solo female travellers. However, you’ll need to take the same precautions you would in any major city. 

Sticking to safe areas and not walking alone at night are really the best things you can do to stay safe in Cape Town. 

To me, Cape Town doesn’t feel like a place where female travellers are specifically targeted more than their male counterparts for petty crime. With that said, women are still more likely to experience catcalling and unwanted attention.

My Experience as a Woman Living in Cape Town

As a solo female traveller, I have always felt comfortable in Cape Town. 

I’ve lived here since 2021, and safety concerns have never stopped me from living my life. 

I like to go out and enjoy the city’s amazing nightlife, and I often go running by myself. I use Uber late at night, and I walk around the city a lot during the day. 

I don’t walk alone at night, but this is super easy to avoid anyway as Ubers in Cape Town are cheap and reliable. If I’m bar hopping with friends on Kloof Street and Bree Street, we do tend to walk from one spot to another as a group, but it’s never more than a few hundred metres. 

At the risk of jinxing myself, I’ve never had my phone or wallet stolen, or felt seriously threatened while living in Cape Town. I actually felt a lot more unsafe when I lived in Bali! 

The main issue that I encounter as a woman in Cape Town is catcalling. This mostly happens in the CBD, which is a bit more rough around the edges in general. Normally, it’s gross but ignorable stuff like “hey baby, you look sexy” or something of that unsophisticated ilk. Once though, I did have a man follow me for several minutes insisting that we “become friends.” Ew.

Fortunately, I don’t actually need to walk around the CBD very often. My day-to-day experience of Cape Town is very positive. While I do keep my wits about me, safety is actually not something that I think about all the time.

Areas Where I Feel Safe

The best thing you can do to stay safe in Cape Town is to stick to safe areas! And fortunately, the safest areas of the city are where all of the fun stuff is anyway. 

The areas of Cape Town that I feel the safest in are:

Areas Where You Need to Be More Careful

The CBD

The CBD is not totally unsafe but I definitely feel less safe here than I do in other parts of the city. I have stayed here before, and while I didn’t have any major incidents, I didn’t enjoy getting catcalled and approached for money every time I popped down the street to get a Diet Coke.

If you’re a woman travelling alone, I don’t recommend staying in the CBD, but that’s not to say you shouldn’t go there at all, as there are some fun things to do. However, don’t walk with headphones in and try to avoid getting your phone out as much as you can. 

Woodstock and Observatory 

To be honest, you’re unlikely to spend much time in areas like Woodstock and Observatory as a visitor in Cape Town. Still, both have some cool spots, especially for food and nightlife, but they’re a bit more rough around the edges and not places I’d feel comfortable wandering around alone, especially at night.

If you do want to visit, I’d recommend going with friends or using Uber to get directly to wherever you’re going, rather than exploring on foot.

Safety Tips for Solo Female Travellers in Cape Town

To be honest, most of these tips apply to most big cities! A little common sense goes a long way in Cape Town, so if you stay sensible, you shouldn’t encounter any major problems.

You don’t need to be constantly on edge here, just mindful. The following tips have kept me safe for the past five years:

And for more safety advice, check out this article! 

Is It Safe to Drive in Cape Town?

Yes, it’s safe to drive as a solo female traveller in Cape Town. I always use Discover Cars to find rentals from reputable companies and compare prices. Then, when I’m driving, I make sure to lock the doors and not to leave any valuables in the car. 

If you don’t want to hire a car, be sure to check out my guide to getting around Cape Town without a car. 

Is Uber Safe in Cape Town?

Yes, Uber is safe to use in Cape Town. I use it regularly, often by myself, and I have never had any problems.

Just be sure to double check the number plate matches the one listed in the app before you get in. If it doesn’t, cancel the ride. 

And if you want to use your phone during the ride, make sure the windows are rolled all the way up. Otherwise, opportunistic thieves might attempt a smash and grab. 

Never trust anyone who claims to be an “offline Uber” either – this is a common scam at Cape Town Airport. For more on getting from the airport to the city, check out this guide. 

Bolt is also available but it doesn’t vet its drivers as well. I occasionally use it for short trips around the city during the day, but at night I only ever use Uber.

What About Harassment?

UGH. 

Harassment is probably the worst thing about being a solo female traveller in Cape Town. It’s not constant but it definitely happens. 

In my experience, catcalling is the worst in the CBD. When I stayed there, it happened to me most days and it really put me off walking around the area. 

However, I have also experienced it in Sea Point and Camps Bay but to a far lesser extent. It occurs every so often, but I don’t walk out of the door expecting it. 

I really hate having to say that harassment in Cape Town is “manageable”, but sadly, it’s something that women all over the world have to deal with. In the Cape Town CBD, it’s pretty bad but elsewhere in the city it’s not much worse than what I’ve experienced in other places I’ve lived in or traveled to. 

Visiting the Beach By Yourself

It’s definitely safe to visit the beach by yourself as a solo female traveller in Cape Town! I sometimes hit the beach by myself with a book for a few hours, and it’s fine. The Clifton Beaches are a great spot to visit alone.

The only thing is that you’ll need to ask someone to watch your belongings while you swim, but the water here is super cold so if you’re brave enough to get in, you probably won’t be in for long!

Running Alone in Cape Town

I’m an avid runner, so being able to safely go running by myself is really important to me. 

One of the reasons I left Bali was actually because I got harassed while running there! 

I probably wouldn’t live in Cape Town if I couldn’t enjoy running here, but thankfully that’s not the case at all. I usually run on the Sea Point promenade and along Victoria Road, and not only is it a beautiful route, it’s very safe. There are always other runners around and I have never been catcalled or harassed on this route.

Cape Town is also an awesome destination for trail runners, what with all of the mountains around. There are also plenty of run clubs if you don’t feel like running alone, and Green Point parkrun takes place most Saturday mornings at 8 am – maybe I’ll even see you there!

Best Things to Do in Cape Town as a Solo Female Traveller

Cape Town is both fun and easy to explore by yourself. 

If you’re looking to meet people, there are tons of fantastic group tours that you can join! I met lots of great people on this Cape Winelands tour, and Reverie Social Table is also an amazing way to make friends over good food.

But if you’re a more solitary person, you really don’t need to be in a group to enjoy the best of Cape Town. If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve put together detailed guides on all of these!

👉 Ultimate Guide to Visiting Table Mountain – You can ride the cable car or hike up alone!
👉The Best Way to Explore Bo Kaap – It’s safest for solo female travellers to go with a guide, and it’s a deeper experience!
👉How to Hike Kloof Corner at Sunset – A quick, safe, and STUNNING hike to do by yourself
👉 Guide to Visiting the Penguins at Boulders Beach – Cape Town’s most adorable wildlife experience
👉 The Most Amazing Things I’ve Ever Done in Cape Town! – A full list of the best things to do!

My Final Verdict: Is Cape Town Safe for Solo Female Travellers?

Yes, I believe that Cape Town is safe for solo female travellers. 

I have always felt safe in this city. While I take precautions in the CBD and don’t walk alone at night, safety concerns don’t have a big impact on my life here.

I definitely recommend Cape Town for solo female travellers. In fact, I think it’s an amazing place to travel alone because people here are so friendly and welcoming! 

Thanks so much for reading this article! Cape Town is a fantastic destination for solo female travellers and I really hope that this article has inspired you to take the plunge, while offering some practical safety advice. I’ve got tons more information about visiting Cape Town, so be sure to check out the following: 

• Tipping Culture in Cape Town – What You Need to Know
• The PERFECT 3-Day Cape Town Itinerary
• Guide to Visiting Stellenbosch, South Africa’s Wine Capital 
• Is Cape Town Worth Visiting? An Honest Guide
• The Ultimate 1-Day Cape Peninsula Road Trip