Best Time to Visit South Africa

Cape Town enjoys a winter rainfall and a hot and dry summer. Wind is a big factor in Cape Town and this can typically blow strong from the south east, but mainly in the summer months, particularly Nov - Dec - Jan. The wet winters take the form of intermittant cold fronts that roll in from the ocean to south west and bring with it rainy and cold weather. However between these fronts we can experience days of absolute clear and beautiful days.

Season

C° (Highs)

Rainy Days

Jan

Summer

29°

3

Feb

29°

2

Mar

27°

2

Apr

Autumn

25°

6

May

Winter

22°

9

Jun

20°

10

Jul

20°

10

Aug

20°

10

Sep

Spring

21°

8

Oct

Summer

24°

5

Nov

25°

4

Dec

27°

4

Winelands

Best time to explore the winelands is summer (Sep - Apr), as many vintages of wines are released. The winter months (May - Aug) are still a good time from a scenery point of view as it is the green season due to the winter rains, which arrive in 2 - 3 day cold fronts and in the days between fronts we experience perfectly clear days

Table Mountain

Mar - Apr are the best months as it’s the driest time of year with least chance of wind. The winter months can be a good time,  as with the winelands produce some champagne days in between the cold fronts.

Whale Watching

Rated by the WWF as one of the world's best whale watching spots, Hermanus (near Cape Town) is host to many annual southern right whales that draw near to land to calf and mate. This takes place Jul - Oct.

Flowers

Best Time - The last two weeks of August to mid-September are typically best times to catch the wild flowers, but early rains can see flowers blooming as early as July.

The northern and eastern regions of South Africa, (including places like the Kruger National Park, Johannesburg, the Drakensburg Mountains and Kwa-Zulu Natal), all have hot, wet summers and cool, dry winters. From a safari point of view the best months are the dry winter months, but there are other aspects you maybe interested in when visiting this part of South Africa.

Season

C° (Highs)

Rainy Days

Jan

Summer

33°

7

Feb

33°

6

Mar

32°

6

Apr

Autumn

30°

3

May

Winter

29°

1

Jun

27°

0

Jul

26°

0

Aug

28°

1

Sep

Spring

30°

1

Oct

Summer

31°

4

Nov

32°

6

Dec

33°

7

Predators

The best time to see predators is Jul - Oct. These are the dry months and this makes surface water limited and as a result predator-prey interaction all the more likely. The dry winter months are also when most trees and bushes have lost their leaves to visibility is so much better.

Calving / Lambing

Nov - Feb are the best months to see the young of many antelope species. The onset of the summer months and rain promise better foraging and better cover, so a number of species drop their young during this time

Birding

The best time are  the summer months of Nov - Feb as the migrant  species will be present, and the is a flurry of breeding going on.  The winter months can also be fairly good. Although the summer migrants have left, there is good activity around nest sites of raptors and vultures that breed over the dry season.

Sunsets

The summer skies Nov - Mar are often patterned with different cloud types, and this with moisture in the air come together for some spectacular sunsets. During the winter months, the air can be hazy with dust and possible smoke from fires. Hoever a 2 - 3 day cold front can clear things up for a spell.

The Garden Route, is essentially the southern coast of South Africa. It doesn’t have a specific rainy or dry season, and has a fairly consistent weather pattern with warm summers and mild winters. Its a stretch of coast with a string of mountains that run parallel to it.

Season

C° (Highs)

Rainy Days

Jan

Summer

28°

5

Feb

29°

5

Mar

28°

5

Apr

Autumn

26°

5

May

Winter

25°

5

Jun

23°

5

Jul

22°

5

Aug

22°

6

Sep

Spring

21°

5

Oct

Summer

24°

6

Nov

25°

6

Dec

27°

6

Festivals

The Dias Festival is a family friendly annual festival in Mossel Bay, which celebrates its rich Maritime history normally Jan - Feb. During Mar - Apr the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees - Also known as KKNK takes place in Oudtshoorn. It is an Afrikaans Language Arts Festival. The annual Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival, a celebration of the LGBTIQ+ culture and identity and takes place in Knysna during May. Also in Knynsa, the Oyster Festival is a 10 day festival that celebrates food, wine, cycling, music, sailing, arts ad more during Jun - Jul

Surfing

The winter months of Apr - Aug are the best time for avid surfers. The winter storms out in the ocean roll in the big winter swells.

Whale Watching

As with Cape Town, the best time is Jul - Oct when southern right whales draw near to land to calf and mate.