Weather and when to go

South Africa is a large country - five times the size of the United Kingdom, for example. It also has a range of terrains ranging from hot desert through to mountains, and a long coastline that faces both the colder Atlantic Ocean and the warmer Indian Ocean.

As a result the weather can vary through the year and from area to area. In very general terms the climate is temperate for various reasons - the oceans on three sides of the country, its specific location in the Southern Hemisphere, and because it becomes increasingly elevated as you head north towards the equator.

The best time to go can depend on what you are wanting to do and where. Our personal favourite is February and March (generally sunny in Cape Town and the Garden Route and little rain).

Cape Town is hotter from November to March, cooler from June to August. The cooler months tend to be wetter. Johannesburg has a similar temperature trend but is wetter in the hotter months. The Garden Route tends to follow the same temperature trend but the rainfall is similar each month.

Reading average numbers for temperature and rainfall can vary in how helpful they are - all the month's rain might fall in one or two days, or else be a little every day, for example. In most records Cape Town is normally listed as averaging something around 25° - we've certainly experienced temperatures well in excess of that, as another example. At the end of this page there are tables giving a snapshot of the three places we have mentioned.

In addition, certain activities might dictate the best time to travel.

January - this is a popular time for visiting the battlefields of Kwazulu-Natal as it is the anniversary of the battles of Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana.

May to October - as it is the drier period this can offer the best game viewing at Kruger. It's a good general rule for game viewing in very wild settings as in drier months game will congregate near the waterholes, but it's not as much of a factor at the most private reserves and many national parks. We've certainly spotted plenty of game at Addo in every season!

July to November - Whale watching season (especially at Hermanus and Plettenberg Bay)

August to October - West Coast wild flowers. These can be a bit tricky to get the perfect timing for but it's a great time to visit the expansive botanical gardens at Kirstenbosch.

And here are sun and rainfall averages for three places. Do remember that the maximums will be in the shade. You will find the out and about temperatures are higher. (You will need to slide to the left if using a mobile.)

Cape Town

Month	Min Temp	Max Temp	Avg Temp	Rain mm	Rain Days
Jan	16	28	22	12	2
Feb	16	28	22	8	2
Mar	14	27	21	17	3
Apr	12	24	18	45	6
May	10	21	15	85	9
Jun	7	19	13	80	9
Jul	7	18	13	85	10
Aug	7	19	13	70	10
Sep	9	20	14	45	7
Oct	11	23	17	30	5
Nov	13	24	19	17	3
Dec	15	26	21	11	2

Johannesburg

Month	Min Temp	Max Temp	Avg Temp	Rain mm	Rain Days
Jan	14	26	20	125	14
Feb	14	26	20	90	10
Mar	13	25	19	90	11
Apr	10	22	16	50	8
May	7	20	13	15	3
Jun	4	17	11	10	2
Jul	3	17	10	5	1
Aug	6	20	13	5	2
Sep	9	24	17	25	4
Oct	11	26	18	75	9
Nov	12	25	19	110	13
Dec	14	26	20	105	14

Knysna

Month	Min Temp	Max Temp	Avg Temp	Rain mm	Rain Days
Jan	17	25	21	43	6
Feb	17	25	21	35	5
Mar	16	24	20	48	6
Apr	14	22	18	42	7
May	13	22	17	34	7
Jun	11	21	16	48	8
Jul	11	20	15	66	10
Aug	11	19	15	92	10
Sep	12	20	16	89	10
Oct	13	21	17	49	7
Nov	14	21	18	57	8
Dec	16	23	20	48	7