Safety for women in East Africa

[jamesfrome]

Hi there,

My girlfriend is seriously concerned with her safety in East Africa as we are travelling as a two from Cairo to Cape Town (thats the plan anyway). We have had a few talks with people who have worked and lived in Africa and they have said that the risk of her being raped is high?

Thoughts on this?

Any insight would be hugely appreciated.

Btw. we are cycling through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania down to South Africa. Any hotspots or major areas of concern?

I thought adventurers on here (especially women) would have a valuable insight into this. Didn't really know where else to go with it as not to many women cycle through Africa and not recently as far as we can find online.

Thanks for anything. James.

[wynne]

Women always have a better 'creep' factor than men. She should follow her intuition even if means sending you packing on your own if you're determined to go, speaking as a female and riding a lot by myself. I lived in Kenya and can only speak for my experience. Would I go there now on a bike? Yes, but with 2-4 other bikes and a personal satellite tracker, at the minimum, a SPOT or DeLorme Explorer. Much of the economy there is tourist-based, and murders etc., are bad for business.

The only folks I know who have been to South Africa and the other places, traveled on paid tours, except for Dave Barr, but he is tough guy. Personally, I would not travel to those other African nations for various reasons.

Assess the risk. Being murdered is a risk anywhere, as is being hit by a drunk driver, forgetting which side of the road you should be driving on, hitting a deer. Whoever thought Ned Gillette would get shotgunned in Kashmir and his wife left to die? She survived. He did not. Robbery was the motive.

Group tour travel is always safer, especially when operated by people who know the area and know where and what to avoid and what to say and how to say it. I suppose that's why tour guides get paid the big bucks.

On the other hand, people dream and follow their dreams, and that's how we accomplish the things that seems impossible, like traveling two up through Africa.

I'd still be more worried about forgetting which side of the road I was driving on, and staying on my bike on some of the dirt roads. In Kenya: snorkeling at Watamu Cove on the Indian Ocean. I'd check on riding through the Maasai-Mara Game Reserve, Tsavo & Amboseli National Parks (road conditions, wildlife, poachers). If it rains, dirt becomes mud. BTW That would be an awesome ride through the parks, from Nairobi > Mombasa > Malindi, if they let you do it on a bike and my guess would be no. The bugs are super huge. There are lions and elephants. When dung beetles take to flying, they don't see very well and they are like rocks. Mosquito netting is on every bed in the lodges. It's not California. There is also a paved road that goes directly from Nairobi to the coast.

East Africa is beautiful and unpredictable and its wildlife still pillaged without mercy. Armed poachers in the Kenyan backcountry were always an issue. They would kill you if you said the wrong thing. Maybe that has changed.

I didn't check to see where you guys were from. There are plenty of challenging rides that you both can do on the North American continent with less worry. If it makes her nervous, respect that. Let her 'ride her own ride' even it means manning the home base, and keeping tabs on your travels.

[jamesfrome]

What an informative and helpful response. Thank you so much.

She has made the decision after a month of mental turmoil to pull the plug (although one day ago she said she would like to do it). She has weighed up everything holistically and the negative pressure coming off her friends and family consistently has been too much for her to bear. Unfortunately they all project their worst fears onto Africa and this has broken through into her and she has thoughtfully valued their opinions in her decision. A waste of flights but better to change course now than later on in the journey.

[jordan325ic]

This thread feels like some sort of alternate universe...

In my opinion (travelling solo 14 months in Africa)

1. Africa is an amazing place to travel, and a bicycle is probably the best way to know the 'real' Africa.

2. Many, many people travel Africa solo or in pairs, it's not a big deal. Many bicyclists have done it as well. Just last month I met a woman who hitchhiked solo around Southern Africa and loved it. You absolutely do not need to be part of a "tour group" to see Africa (in fact, it would pretty much guarantee that you won't see anything).

3. Travelling SOLO as a women is a lot different than travelling as a couple. African culture respects marriage, just say you are married and that's the end of the story.

4. Big cities in Africa (where most white foreigners work) are much, much different places than the countryside (where a bicyclist would be travelling). In villages all over Africa I will leave my motorcycle, luggage unlocked, unattended for hours at a time without concern.

5. Aside from a general paranoia about all things African, do any of your friends have any evidence that foreigners are targeted for rape in Africa?? That's just ridiculous.

[reggie3cl]

She has made the decision after a month of mental turmoil to pull the plug (although one day ago she said she would like to do it). She has weighed up everything holistically and the negative pressure coming off her friends and family consistently has been too much for her to bear. Unfortunately they all project their worst fears onto Africa and this has broken through into her and she has thoughtfully valued their opinions in her decision. A waste of flights but better to change course now than later on in the journey.

And exactly how many of your G/Fs friends and family have done such a trip?

I've only done 5 trips to Africa with my wife (2 up on a motorcycle) all planned and organised by us. On each trip pretty much the only thing I worry about is having a serious accident in the middle of nowhere. The people are friendly and courteous (and that includes the officials I have encountered), and unlike at least one well known country I could name don't often have a gun in their glove box or handbag. At no time has my wife been made to feel uncomfortable or been subject to harassment or threats. Use common sense, especially in urban areas, and beware drunken-ness after dark and you'll be fine. I'm sure the same rules apply in most places.

On our last trip we met several people cycling London Capetown and they were all having a ball!

Africa- full of scary people...

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by jordan325ic

African culture respects marriage, just say you are married and that's the end of the story.

Which applies for most of the world; it is the majority of western nations that have thrashed the concept and meaning of marriage to the point that the rest of the world just stares and wonders.

[ta-rider]

Africa is a great place and true if you say your married people will not bother her. In some islamic countrys they might still offer you a few camels for here specially if shes blond. You can still think a few years about this and then return with here 30 years later to get the camels who dont shout at you
http://afrikamotorrad.de

[ccaa]

Being under stress is not what I will consider as enjoyable trip.

[ta-rider]

Originally Posted by ccaa

Being under stress is not what I will consider as enjoyable trip.

True: Thats what you call an adventure ;-)

[lorraine]

ARGH! Like the rest of you found the response from Wynn totally depressing and... ignorant! Sad, sad, sad!!!!! I lived in Kenya. Was there earlier this year. Am returning to East Africa the end of this year to work on a film about just this subject. We need to be going to Africa, not scaring people away! www.LorraineChittock.com/kickstarter.php

I travel solo. I am female. I lived in Egypt for 7 years too. I live in Chile. My heart is in Africa.

I'm not sure about bicycles, but for riding motos, UGANDA is the place to ride! You're welcome in ALL the National Parks, wowza!

James, please get your gf to friend me on fb and send me a message.

[lorraine]

James, do you guys know there's a HU meet in South Africa on November 12-15???? What a great jumping off point that would be. It's in an INCREDIBLE location.

[takeonafrica]

I hope your girlfriend reconsiders... Africa is an amazing place to cycle through - I spent 18 months cycling on the continent on my way to Cape Town from home. Please let your girfriend know that she is more than welcome to ask me any questions.

I could give you an email address book full of people - including women, travelling alone or with their other half - who have cycled or are cycling through Africa. They've all lived to tell the tale, weren't raped and had an amazing time!

Of course there are some risks... you each need to weigh them up - but the risks are not greater because of gender, and being a woman is absolutely NOT a reason to not go. Actually, I am convinced that you are safer as a woman travelling in Africa...

Heading back to Africa in December on a motorbike this time...

[Tiffany]

Get her to reconsider!
That is crazy to be put off by people who have never been there.
We were two women on one motorbike, Cape Town to Cairo, camping wild quite a lot of the time and never had any problems - in fact Ethiopia and Sudan were our favourite part of Africa.
Just get on the road and give it a try.
Maybe consider riding from South to North as that will be less of a culture shock in some ways and more English spoken initially. And don't forget if there are any parts where you do feel unsafe you can hop onto a bus or train.
It sounds like you've done a lot of planning and dreaming already - don't throw away those dreams
Put her in touch with me for a chat - are you UK based? There really are a lot of people who have done it safely - you rarely get to hear the good news stories.

Good luck

[lorraine]

Back in Africa! Safely. :-)

[TheMoose]

Jealous!!!