Our verdict
The best time to visit South Africa is June-September
In summer, temperatures can reach as high 32℃ (90℉) in the middle of the day in Pretoria. In the winter, temperatures can get down to 5℃ (40℉) around June-time. In other areas of South Africa, temperatures might differ so be sure to compare other destinations below.
If you’re keen to see the sights of South Africa during the day, the sun stays up the longest around October. January sees the most amount of rain in a month if you’re ok with chancing getting drenched, so if you’re looking to stay dry, visit in July instead.
Keep reading to learn more about the best times to go to South Africa, including the most popular destinations, detailed weather information, and tools to help you find and book great deals on your travel.Quick links: Fast facts / Seasons / Average temperatures / FAQs / Map
*Support us by clicking the links above and making a booking with our partners. It's completely free for you, and it helps us make this site even more awesome! We'll <3 you for it.
South Africa seasons
Before you plan your trip, it’s important to know when the seasons are as they may be different to yours depending on where you’re travelling from. South Africa is in the Southern hemisphere, so the seasons fall on:
Season | Months |
---|---|
Summer | December to February |
Autumn/fall | March to May |
Winter | June to August |
Spring | September to November |
Best time to visit the top destinations in South Africa
We’ve put together a breakdown of the average minimum and maximum temperatures by month, as well as the best times to visit for each. To learn more about these destinations including detailed climate breakdowns and much more, click or tap the city/destination name below.
City | Best time to visit | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlantis | June-September | ↑↓ | 26℃18℃ | 26℃18℃ | 25℃17℃ | 23℃15℃ | 20℃13℃ | 17℃11℃ | 17℃10℃ | 17℃10℃ | 18℃11℃ | 21℃13℃ | 22℃14℃ | 24℃16℃ |
Boulders Beach | November-August | ↑↓ | 26℃18℃ | 26℃18℃ | 25℃17℃ | 23℃15℃ | 20℃13℃ | 17℃11℃ | 17℃10℃ | 17℃10℃ | 18℃11℃ | 21℃13℃ | 22℃14℃ | 24℃16℃ |
Cape Town | June-September | ↑↓ | 26℃18℃ | 26℃18℃ | 25℃17℃ | 23℃15℃ | 20℃13℃ | 17℃11℃ | 17℃10℃ | 17℃10℃ | 18℃11℃ | 21℃13℃ | 22℃14℃ | 24℃16℃ |
Coffee Bay | August | ↑↓ | 26℃15℃ | 26℃15℃ | 25℃14℃ | 22℃11℃ | 22℃10℃ | 19℃7℃ | 19℃7℃ | 21℃8℃ | 23℃10℃ | 23℃12℃ | 23℃12℃ | 25℃14℃ |
Durban | August-September | ↑↓ | 26℃20℃ | 27℃20℃ | 26℃19℃ | 24℃17℃ | 24℃16℃ | 22℃14℃ | 21℃14℃ | 22℃15℃ | 23℃16℃ | 23℃17℃ | 24℃17℃ | 25℃19℃ |
East London | June-July | ↑↓ | 25℃20℃ | 26℃20℃ | 25℃20℃ | 24℃18℃ | 23℃17℃ | 21℃15℃ | 21℃14℃ | 21℃15℃ | 21℃15℃ | 22℃16℃ | 22℃17℃ | 24℃19℃ |
Franschhoek | June-October | ↑↓ | 27℃16℃ | 27℃16℃ | 26℃15℃ | 23℃13℃ | 20℃11℃ | 16℃9℃ | 16℃8℃ | 16℃8℃ | 18℃9℃ | 21℃11℃ | 23℃13℃ | 25℃15℃ |
Hermanus | July | ↑↓ | 23℃18℃ | 23℃18℃ | 22℃18℃ | 21℃16℃ | 19℃14℃ | 17℃12℃ | 16℃12℃ | 16℃12℃ | 17℃12℃ | 19℃14℃ | 20℃15℃ | 22℃17℃ |
Hogsback | August | ↑↓ | 25℃15℃ | 25℃15℃ | 24℃13℃ | 22℃11℃ | 21℃9℃ | 18℃7℃ | 18℃7℃ | 20℃8℃ | 22℃9℃ | 22℃11℃ | 22℃11℃ | 24℃13℃ |
Johannesburg | June-October | ↑↓ | 27℃16℃ | 27℃16℃ | 26℃15℃ | 23℃12℃ | 21℃10℃ | 18℃6℃ | 18℃6℃ | 21℃8℃ | 25℃12℃ | 27℃15℃ | 27℃15℃ | 27℃16℃ |
Kimberley | August | ↑↓ | 32℃22℃ | 31℃21℃ | 30℃19℃ | 25℃15℃ | 22℃12℃ | 18℃8℃ | 18℃7℃ | 22℃9℃ | 26℃12℃ | 29℃16℃ | 31℃18℃ | 32℃20℃ |
Knysna | August | ↑↓ | 24℃19℃ | 24℃18℃ | 23℃18℃ | 22℃16℃ | 20℃15℃ | 18℃13℃ | 18℃13℃ | 18℃13℃ | 18℃13℃ | 20℃15℃ | 21℃15℃ | 22℃17℃ |
Plettenberg Bay | June-September | ↑↓ | 24℃19℃ | 24℃18℃ | 23℃18℃ | 22℃16℃ | 20℃15℃ | 18℃13℃ | 18℃13℃ | 18℃13℃ | 18℃13℃ | 20℃15℃ | 21℃15℃ | 22℃17℃ |
Port Elizabeth | June-September | ↑↓ | 25℃19℃ | 25℃19℃ | 25℃19℃ | 23℃17℃ | 22℃15℃ | 20℃14℃ | 20℃13℃ | 20℃14℃ | 20℃14℃ | 21℃16℃ | 22℃16℃ | 24℃18℃ |
Pretoria | June-September | ↑↓ | 29℃18℃ | 28℃17℃ | 27℃16℃ | 24℃13℃ | 22℃11℃ | 19℃7℃ | 19℃7℃ | 22℃9℃ | 27℃13℃ | 28℃16℃ | 28℃17℃ | 28℃18℃ |
Saint Lucia | June-September | ↑↓ | 27℃24℃ | 27℃24℃ | 27℃23℃ | 25℃21℃ | 24℃20℃ | 23℃19℃ | 22℃18℃ | 23℃19℃ | 23℃19℃ | 23℃20℃ | 24℃21℃ | 26℃22℃ |
Sutherland | June-September | ↑↓ | 23℃14℃ | 23℃13℃ | 22℃12℃ | 20℃9℃ | 19℃7℃ | 16℃4℃ | 16℃4℃ | 19℃6℃ | 21℃9℃ | 21℃10℃ | 22℃11℃ | 23℃13℃ |
Explore South Africa
Top FAQs
Check out these guides for the top must-see destinations in South Africa:
- Best time to visit Atlantis
- Best time to visit Boulders Beach
- Best time to visit Cape Town
- Best time to visit Coffee Bay
- Best time to visit Durban
- Best time to visit East London
- Best time to visit Franschhoek
- Best time to visit Hermanus
- Best time to visit Hogsback
- Best time to visit Johannesburg
- Best time to visit Kimberley
- Best time to visit Knysna
- Best time to visit Plettenberg Bay
- Best time to visit Port Elizabeth
- Best time to visit Pretoria
- Best time to visit Saint Lucia
- Best time to visit Sutherland