South Africa was the last country on our 9-month African adventure.
Boasting some of the world’s most breath-taking landscapes South Africa ranked no.1 for “Best Hikes” on our Cairo to Cape Town journey.
We drove over 3000km through South Africa and we can honestly say from it’s unique landscapes, wildlife safaris, vibrant cities, beautiful beaches, and adventurous activities, South Africa definitely has something to offer no matter what kind of holiday you are planning.
Now that we have persuaded you to visit this fascinating country, let’s see when is the best time to go.
Seasons in South Africa
South Africa’s weather allows for year-round travel with a generally temperate climate, but the best time to visit often depends on the region and activities you plan to do.
Cape Town and the Western Cape (Garden Route, Winelands):
- The best time is during the dry season from late October to March.
- This period offers warm temperatures, ideal for exploring Cape Town, enjoying outdoor activities, and touring the Winelands.
- However, this is also the busiest tourist season.
We visited Cape Town towards the end of October and the hikes were starting to get quite busy.
*An important tip that we wish we were told is that it can get very windy and cloudy in Cape Town, with the weather changing rapidly from one day to the next. With the cloud cover, lots of days Cable Mountain was barely visible.
This limits your hiking opportunities drastically and most definitely limits the stunning views.
We would highly recommend you to be somewhat flexible and if you get a calm, clear day in Cape Town to go on your planned hikes immediately!
Check out the video below when we decided to attempt a hike on a not-so-calm day!
Safari Destinations (Kruger National Park, Eastern Cape Game Reserves):
- The dry winter months from May to October are excellent for game viewing. Animals gather around water sources, making it easier to spot wildlife.
- September and October are particularly good months as it’s the end of the dry season, and wildlife gathers around waterholes.
Garden Route and Eastern Cape Coastline:
- The Garden Route and coastal areas are enjoyable throughout the year due to their moderate climate.
- November to March offers warmer temperatures for beach activities, while the cooler and less crowded months are from May to September.
Now that you have decided when to go check out the post below for everything else you need to know for your South Africa trip.
What Packing Essentials do I Need for South Africa?
One thing we haven’t mentioned yet is Load Shedding. This is a term we had never come across prior to our South African trip and now one we will never forget!
Load shedding in South Africa refers to scheduled power cuts, conducted by South Africa’s electricity provider to manage demand and prevent grid failure.
What this means is that a certain times of the day/night there will be a planned power outage for 2 hours at a time and this can occur multiple times during the day.
Most accommodations are prepared for this and have back up generators but do not always rely on this.
This is the same list we recommend for the majority of African travels (and travel in general).
- Warm gear – it can get cold at night in South Africa.
- Head torch – For the load shedding!
- Multi Travel Adapter – so you are prepared for any plug type!
- Dry bag – For the protection of everyday items from sand, rain, everything!
- Battery pack – For any long road trip as well as electricity outages.
- Download apps such a Google Translate, Google Maps and Booking.com.
- Utilize budget apps such as TravelSpend to keep track of your spending.
- A sense of adventure and a big smile!
You can find the full list of our travel tips below.
Enjoy!
Ultimately, the “best” time to visit South Africa depends on your priorities.
- Skyscanner – Start planning your trip by finding the best flight deals.
- Discovercars – Discovercars is the best website to compare all car rental companies and score the best deal for you. There are all sorts of vehicles available, from small-budget cars to large family saloons.
- Bookallsafaris – Compare the best deals for all safari budgets.
- Booking.com – Find the best prices on hotels with booking.com and don’t forget to book through TopCashback.
- TopCashBack Use this app to get an additional % off the above websites.
- WorldNomads – Travel insurance is our go-to insurance company. They have the best fine print of all travel insurance companies and are number one for a reason.
If you’re interested in wildlife safaris, the dry winter months are recommended.
For coastal and outdoor activities, the warmer months from late October to March are preferable.
However, South Africa is a year-round destination, offering something unique and enjoyable in every season so really you can’t go wrong!
We are confident that, like us, you will have the most unforgettable trip in South Africa whenever you choose to visit. What a country for our last stop in Africa. Did we save the best for last?!
We would absolutely LOVE to hear what you think so make sure to leave a comment below.
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