When to Visit South Africa: A Month by Month Guide
May to September is the best time for safari, when the bush thins out and the animals gather at water. November to March is the best time for Cape Town and the coast, when the evenings run long and the sea is swimmable.
The two do not overlap. Everything below is the detail behind that.
The Two Seasons That Do Not Overlap
South Africa is not one climate. It is at least three.
The lowveld, where Kruger and the private reserves sit, has hot wet summers from November to March and dry mild winters from May to September. The Cape, at the other end of the country, behaves like the Mediterranean: warm dry summers, cool wet winters. The Kalahari and the Karoo are dry almost all year, with dramatic swings between day and night.
This is why there is no single perfect month, and why anyone who tells you otherwise is selling rather than advising.
Safari Season: May to September
The dry winter is when wildlife viewing is at its most reliable.
- Vegetation thins, so animals are visible at distance
- Water sources shrink, so game concentrates predictably
- Fewer mosquitoes, and lower malaria risk in the lowveld
- Cool mornings, warm afternoons, very little rain
The trade-off is temperature. Pre-dawn game drives in June and July are cold, and you will want a coat. The Cape at this time is wet and dark by half past five.
Cape Season: November to March
The southern summer is when the coast is at its finest.
- Long evenings, with light until roughly half past eight in midsummer
- Swimmable sea, particularly on the False Bay side
- Wine harvest in the Cape winelands from around February to April
- Everything open, every table busy
The trade-off is the southeaster, and the fact that December and January are peak domestic holiday season. Anything booked late in that window will be second choice.
The Shoulder Months, and Green Season
If you want both halves of the country in one trip, travel in April, May, September or October.
April is the most underrated month in the country. Warm, settled, low wind, harvest finishing in the winelands. May is the first proper safari month and still pleasant in the Cape. September brings the whales, the wildflowers and the beginning of the Cape spring.
And do not write off the bush in summer. Green season means newborn impala, the predator activity that follows them, exceptional birding, storm light photographers would pay for, and noticeably better rates.
Month by Month
| Month | Bush | Cape |
|---|---|---|
| January | Green, lush, hot | Peak summer, busiest |
| February | Green, hot | Best month for the winelands |
| March | Rain easing | Warm, wind dropping |
| April | Thinning, mild | Settled and warm |
| May | Dry season begins | Cooling, first rain |
| June | Superb game | Wet, whales arrive |
| July | Peak game viewing | Wet, short days |
| August | Peak game viewing | Cold, wildflowers begin |
| September | Excellent, warming | Spring, whales at peak |
| October | Very good, hot | Warm, fills up early |
| November | First rains, newborns | Summer begins |
| December | Green, dramatic | Peak season, book ahead |
Seasonal patterns vary year to year. Confirm with us before you commit to dates.
Timing What You Came For
Whales. Southern right whales calve in Walker Bay from roughly June to November, with September and October the most reliable. Hermanus is the only place in the world where you can watch them from a cliff path rather than a boat.
Wildflowers. Namaqualand and the West Coast bloom from around August into September, depending entirely on winter rainfall.
Wine harvest. February to April. Cellars are working, which makes the visits far more interesting.
Big Five without malaria. Available all year in the Kalahari, Madikwe and the Eastern Cape, which is the answer for families with young children whatever the month.
A Few Questions We Are Asked
What is the best month to visit South Africa?
May and September. Both give good game viewing and a pleasant Cape, which no other months manage at the same time.
How long do I need?
Ten to fourteen days for a proper bush and coast trip. Three nights minimum on safari, four is better, and at least five in Cape Town.
Is malaria a concern?
Only in the lowveld and the far north east, and seasonally. Take advice specific to you and your reserve.
Plan It With People Who Live Here
We are based in Cape Town, which means the advice above comes from being here in August when the southeaster stops, and in February when it does not.
Tell us roughly when you can travel, who is coming and what you have in mind. We will tell you honestly whether your dates suit what you want to see, and if they do not, we will tell you that too.
