South Africa holidays

The most popular months to visit South Africa are from December to February. Or you can experience summer there in the southern hemisphere from November to March, where you can expect average highs of 28°C.

You’ll discover that summer is popular, but there are no bad times to visit the country, as the weather in South Africa is great all year round. It does have four distinct seasons, but they don’t vary too much. The winter is the low season and is a perfect time for watching wildlife. You will see the mercury fall, but you’ll also experience lower prices. Whale watching is best in the spring, while September is also a great month for the blossoming of beautiful wild flowers.

Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate of mild winters and pleasant summers. The highest temperatures of around 26°C are reached in January and February when you also get up to 11 hours of sunshine and balmy sea temperatures of 19°C, perfect for exploring, taking a dip in the sea or just lying on the beach.
The area around Johannesburg in the north has hot humid summers with the occasional thunderstorm and dry, sunny winters. If you’re visiting the nearby Kruger National Park, expect temperatures of 26°C in December and January and an average of around 10°C in June and July, though it can get as warm as 17°C.

On the eastern coast, Durban’s tropical temperatures can reach 32°C in summer and average around 16°C between June and August. Light rain is likely throughout the year but is heaviest in the summer, though it comes in short, sharp thunderstorms in the late afternoon and is unlikely to disrupt your holiday too much. The sea temperature rarely falls below 19°C so you can go swimming in the Indian Ocean in the middle of winter.

You can’t go wrong with Port Elizabeth on the southeast coast, which boasts one of the best climates in the world with dry and warm summers and mild winters. Average midday temperatures don’t vary much but range from 19°C in July to 25°C in February.