Best Time to Visit South Africa

South Africa has the climatic and topographical diversity of a continent rolled into one country, so when you should go depends on what you plan as your major holiday activity. In southernmost tip of the Western Cape Cape Town, temperate Mediterranean climate ensures that one can even visit in the summer, between October and April.

June and July, when the humidity is low, are ideal months to visit Durban and the coast. The best time for game viewing is during the drier period from June to September, when the vegetation is sparse and big game frequents waterholes.

If its the flowers on the Garden Route you would like to see, then Spring time in August-September is when they burst into bloom - the flowers are a riot of colour and a very pretty sight indeed!

Climate

South Africa is in the bottom half of the world, which means that one shivers in June and sizzles in December! It is generally dry and sunny but due to the size and topography of the country, there is a huge variation in climate in different parts of the country.

Cape Town and the southernmost part of Western Cape enjoy Mediterranean-type climate – temperate but unpredictable winters with the bulk of the rainfall, and a warm to hot summer. In the interior known as the highveld, the sun shines throughout the year and winters are bright and dry, with some chill during the night.

Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal coast have typical sub-tropical climate, again with plenty of sunshine. Summers are hot and humid at sea level, and prone to dramatic thundershowers.