Africans on the whole are very friendly out in the bush but the cities are another matter,where high poverty creates high crime.The country folk though are completely different so as long as you avoid the cities you should have a great time (and avoid the wildlife that bite
).
If you go do not go on your own and it might be a good idea to hire the services of a local guide/ranger who will be licenced to carry a firearm if there are lions in your area but generally lions arn't that aggressive towards humans as long as you show them the respect that they have earnt,hyenas and black mambas are a bigger threat.
D
As RM advised in the first episode of the Long Way Down series, the human factor is probably the most important in African travel. And, depending where you go, you can encounter some real hassle in the country areas. Tempting as it might be to suggest that the most dangerous animal in Africa is a drunk/drugged up fourteen year old with an AK47, it is not true. The most dangerous animal in Africa is almost anyone behind the steering wheel of a motor vehicle: from Cape Town to Cairo, they are
seriously crap drivers!
Disease would worry me far more than 'wild animals'. Malaria is endemic through much of the continent and even modern prophylaxis is not 100% certain. Bilharzia is worth a mention: you can't go jumping into any old river or lake. And HIV/AIDS, of course. I'm sure you have no intention of sampling the local delights, but that might not be the problem. I really wouldn't care to be raped anywhere in the world, but in Africa it could be a death sentence. And it
could happen if -for example- you got into trouble with the authorities somewhere and were chucked in some hell-hole of a multiple-occupancy prison cell overnight. Common or garden dysentry is practically unavoidable if you spend any time in Africa. It might not kill you on its own, but it's debilitating and disorienting and could leave you very vulnerable.
In the years I lived in Africa, I saw only one black mamba in the wild. I was always much more concerned about stepping on a puff adder when walking about at night. On one trip to Botswana we had a little local difficulty with baboons trying to raid our food store. On the same trip, we once (in ignorance) pitched our tent on a hippo trail and, on another occasion, my wife and I had to scramble pretty quickly when an old bull elephant trod on our tent in the middle of the night (I have witnesses and photos {somewhere}). I never had any problem with hyenas.
Burnt Ash
