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License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources'")
Furthermore, we analyzed all climate data and provide a recommendation about which months are best to visit South Africa for your holiday.
Climate Overview
4 °C to 34 °C
14 °C to 24 °C
0.12 – 5.31 in (1 – 12 Days of Rain)Average Annual Temperature is between 16 °C (Johannesburg) and 23 °C (Skukuza)
Show temperatures in degree
Geographical location
Table of Contents
At the southern tip of the African continent lies the Republic of South Africa. The country between the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Indian Ocean on the south and southeast coast is home to around 55 million inhabitants.
South Africa’s immediate neighbours are Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. The independent kingdom of Lesotho is an enclave completely surrounded by South African territory.
The Republic of South Africa is about three and a half times the size of the Federal Republic of Germany and almost 30 times larger than Switzerland. As large inland areas are sparsely populated, the population density is only about 42 inhabitants per square kilometer (Germany: 228 inhabitants/km²).
Three cities share the status of”capital” of South Africa: the seat of government is in Pretoria (executive), the parliament in Cape Town (legislative) and the Supreme Court (judiciary) in Bloemfontein.
The largest city in the rainbow nation is Johannesburg, in whose metropolitan area around 4.45 million people live.
Climate in South Africa
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South Africa is often given a catchy slogan by the tourism industry: “The world united in one country”. And indeed, the cultural, ethnic and scenic diversity is sheer immeasurable. No wonder then that there are also climatic differences between deserts, high mountains, coastal towns, savannahs and rainforests.
The South African winter is from June to August and can offer night frost and snowfall in the mountains.
Most coastal regions and also the larger cities such as Johannesburg and Pretoria in the interior register around 20 °C during the day and around 10 °C at night in winter. In the Cape region and the Boland around Cape Town lies the rainy season in winter, with quite cool climate and regular drizzle.
In general, the west coast is cooler and rather humid in winter due to the cooler Benguela current, while the summer months around Cape Town are dry and very warm. The east coast (e.g. Durban, Port Elizabeth) is slightly wetter all year round than the higher inland in the west.
Best Time to Visit South Africa: Overview
JanuaryJan Good time to traveltime Limitations for SafariLimitations for Safari | FebruaryFeb Good time to traveltime Limitations for SafariLimitations for Safari | MarchMar Best time to traveltime perfect on Cape,good in Krugerperfect on Cape, good in Kruger | AprilApr Best time to traveltime Ideal for round tripsPerf. for Safari | MayMay Good time to traveltime Ideal for round tripsPerf. for Safari | JuneJun perfect for Safari but Winterrain on Cape |
JulyJul perfect for Safari but Winterrain on Cape | AugustAug perfect for Safari but Winterrain on Cape | SeptemberSep Best time to traveltime Ideal for round tripsPerf. for Safari | OctoberOct Best time to traveltime Ideal for round tripsPerf. for Safari | NovemberNov Very good time to traveltime perfect on Cape,good in Krugerperfect on Cape, good in Kruger | DecemberDec Main SeasonMain Season but very hot,rain on Cape |
When to go to South Africa?
In principle, South Africa is not a holiday destination for classic seaside holidays, it is rather a real destination where the word “journey” should be emphasized. The variety of landscapes is so inspiring that it would be a pity to experience the South African magic in just one place.
It is correspondingly difficult to answer all-inclusive questions about the best travel time in South Africa. Thanks to the rather mild temperatures, South Africa can be visited all year round anyway, but the tourist high season is between November and mid-April (in the South African summer).
The months of October and November as well as April and May are particularly pleasant. The region around Cape Town is also the most beautiful in summer. Safaris in the national parks are excellent all year round, but this is the best time to travel (see Kruger National Park) in the dry season between May and October.
Best Time to Visit the Regions
Find the best time to visit the regions (South Africa) in the following overview.| Location | Best Time to Travel |
|---|---|
| Cape Town | January, February, March, November, and December |
| Pretoria | April, May, June, July, August, September, and October |
| Durban | April, May, June, July, August, September, and October |
| Port Elizabeth | January, February, March, April, and December |
| Skukuza | May, June, July, August, September, and October |
| Johannesburg | April, May, August, September, and October |
Climate Charts South Africa
In the following, you will find climate charts for the regions.
Furthermore, there are some charts you can use for quick comparison of climate between the regions.
Show Climate Chart for
Cape Town
Show temperatures in degree
Source of Data: German Weather Service (Offenbach) and Wikipedia
Climate Tables South Africa
In the following, you will find some climate tables for South Africa, containing information about Temperatures, Precipitation, Water Temperatures, and Hours of Sunshine.Show climate table for
Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Cape Town (South Africa)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 26° | 26° | 25° | 23° | 20° | 18° | 17° | 18° | 19° | 21° | 24° | 25° |
| Night Temperature | 16° | 16° | 14° | 12° | 9° | 8° | 7° | 8° | 9° | 11° | 13° | 15° |
| Water Temperature | 18° | 19° | 19° | 18° | 17° | 16° | 15° | 14° | 15° | 16° | 17° | 18° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 0.55 | 0.63 | 0.83 | 1.61 | 2.68 | 3.66 | 3.27 | 3.03 | 1.61 | 1.3 | 0.63 | 0.67 |
| Rainy days | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Hours of Sunshine | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Cape Town is 16.2 °C.For comparison: London 11 °C, NYC 12 °C, LA 17.9 °C
Warmest month: January (20.4 °C)
Coldest month: July (11.9 °C)
The maximum water temperature in Cape Town is 19 °C. Comfortable bathing is possible at water temperatures of about 21 °C.
Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
January, February, March, April, May, November, and December
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 20.47 inch on 69 rainy daysFor comparison: London 24.06 in, NYC 41.57 in, LA 12.01 in
There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).
You cannot expect snow in any month in Cape Town.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, January is the sunniest month with an average of 10.9 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 8.5 hours of sunshine per day on average. For comparison: London has 4.1, NYC has 7 and LA has 8.9 hours of sunshine per day on average.Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Pretoria (South Africa)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 29° | 28° | 27° | 24° | 22° | 19° | 20° | 22° | 26° | 27° | 27° | 28° |
| Night Temperature | 18° | 17° | 16° | 13° | 8° | 5° | 5° | 8° | 12° | 14° | 16° | 17° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 5.31 | 2.99 | 3.11 | 2.13 | 0.51 | 0.28 | 0.12 | 0.2 | 0.79 | 2.87 | 3.94 | 4.25 |
| Rainy days | 11 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 11 |
| Hours of Sunshine | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Pretoria is 18.2 °C.Warmest month: January (22.6 °C)
Coldest month: June (11.5 °C)
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 26.5 inch on 65 rainy daysThere is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).
Months that have possible snowfall: June
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, August is the sunniest month with an average of 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 8.8 hours of sunshine per day on average.Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Durban (South Africa)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 28° | 28° | 28° | 26° | 25° | 23° | 23° | 23° | 23° | 24° | 25° | 27° |
| Night Temperature | 21° | 21° | 20° | 17° | 14° | 11° | 11° | 13° | 15° | 17° | 18° | 20° |
| Water Temperature | 24° | 24° | 24° | 23° | 22° | 21° | 21° | 20° | 21° | 21° | 22° | 23° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 5.28 | 4.45 | 4.96 | 2.87 | 2.32 | 1.1 | 1.54 | 2.44 | 2.87 | 3.86 | 4.25 | 4.02 |
| Hours of Sunshine | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Durban is 20.6 °C.Warmest month: February (24.3 °C)
Coldest month: July (16.5 °C)
The maximum water temperature in Durban is 24 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.
Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
all months
Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
all except August
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 39.96 inchThere is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).
You cannot expect snow in any month in Durban.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, June is the sunniest month with an average of 7.6 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 6.5 hours of sunshine per day on average.Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Port Elizabeth (South Africa)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Temperature | 25° | 25° | 25° | 23° | 22° | 20° | 20° | 20° | 20° | 21° | 22° | 24° |
| Night Temperature | 18° | 18° | 17° | 14° | 12° | 9° | 9° | 10° | 11° | 13° | 15° | 16° |
| Water Temperature | 22° | 22° | 22° | 20° | 19° | 19° | 18° | 18° | 18° | 19° | 20° | 21° |
| Precipitation (inch) | 1.42 | 1.57 | 2.13 | 2.28 | 2.32 | 2.44 | 1.85 | 2.52 | 2.48 | 2.32 | 1.93 | 1.34 |
| Rainy days | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| Hours of Sunshine | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Port Elizabeth is 17.5 °C.Warmest month: January (21.3 °C)
Coldest month: July (13.9 °C)
The maximum water temperature in Port Elizabeth is 22 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.
Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
all months
Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
January, February, March, and December
Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 24.61 inch on 70 rainy daysThere is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).
You cannot expect snow in any month in Port Elizabeth.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, December is the sunniest month with an average of 9 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 7.7 hours of sunshine per day on average.Sights and Highlights
The most frequent types of travel in South Africa are individual round trips by rental car or group trips with tour guides in a bus. The picturesque Garden Route is extremely popular with highlights such as Mossel Bay, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma National Park.
Cape Town with the world-famous Table Mountain, the legendary prison island Robben Island, the neighbouring Cape of Good Hope and the surrounding wine regions should not be missing on any South Africa trip. The Drakensberg Mountains are also a scenic highlight, as is the Kalahari Desert at the Northern Cape.
The most popular safari areas are Kruger National Park and neighbouring private reserves such as the highly recommended Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Pilanesberg, Balule, Madikwe, Timbavati, Hluhluwe and Addo Elephant National Park. The largest national park is the Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park on the Botswana border.
More information about the best things to do: South Africa | Cape Town
Popular Activities
Cape Town: City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Bus & Minivan Tours
from 16 $ »
Discover the many attractions Cape Town has to offer on a double-decker sightseeing bus tour. Choose a Classic (1-day) or Premium (2-day ticket), and hop-on and off the bus whenever you like. Travel on the 4 tour routes, and enjoy multilingual commentary.
From Cape Town: Cape Point and Boulders Beach Full-Day Tour
Tours
from 32 $ »
Enjoy a day excursion from Cape Town to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Visit the penguins at Boulders Beach and even spot whales in season.
Cape Town: Table Mountain Cable Car, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Bus & Minivan Tours
from 42 $ »
See the best of Cape Town with this combined Table Mountain return cable car ticket, Cape Town hop-on hop-off bus ticket and, free walking tour. Use the bus to be dropped at the door of the Cableway station.
More attractions
Cape Town: Robben Island Ferry Tour with 1-Way Hotel Pickup | Cape Town: Waterfront and Sunset Champagne Cruise | From Cape Town: Cape of Good Hope & Penguins Tour | Two Oceans Aquarium: Skip-the-Line Entrance ticket | Durban: 30-Minute Harbor Boat Cruise | Township and Robben Island Combination Tour | Cape Town: Tandem Paragliding Adventure |Current Weather and Forecast
Current Weather in Pretoria (Station Lynnwood)
clear sky, 28.5 °CClouds: 4 % Wind: 2 mph NO
Air Pressure: 1016 hPa Humidity: 42 %
Air Pressure: 1016 hPa Humidity: 42 %
Last updated: 7th Feb 2023, 11:56 am
The next days …
| 7th Feb 2023 | 8th Feb 2023 | 9th Feb 2023 | 10th Feb 2023 | 11th Feb 2023 | 12th Feb 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 17 °C to 31 °C |  17 °C to 25 °C | 16 °C to 22 °C | 16 °C to 27 °C | 16 °C to 25 °C | 17 °C to 29 °C |
| 17 °C to 31 °C | 17 °C to 25 °C | 16 °C to 22 °C | 16 °C to 27 °C | 16 °C to 25 °C | 17 °C to 29 °C |
| Clouds: 11 % | Clouds: 100 % | Clouds: 100 % | Clouds: 82 % | Clouds: 45 % | Clouds: 2 % |
| No Precipitation | 0.71 in of rain | 0.55 in of rain | 0.3 in of rain | 0.5 in of rain | 0.09 in of rain |
Weather information provided by OpenWeatherMap. (CC BY-SA)
Show temperatures in degree
Important Regions and Cities
We have extended climate information for the following regions:Hottest Month
January: 34 °C
Day Temperature in Skukuza
January: 34 °CDay Temperature in Skukuza
Coldest Month
June: 4 °C
Night Temperature in Johannesburg
June: 4 °CNight Temperature in Johannesburg
Rainiest Month
January: 5.31 in
Rain in Pretoria
January: 5.31 inRain in Pretoria
Driest Month
July: 0.12 in
Rain in Pretoria
July: 0.12 inRain in Pretoria
Maximum Water Temperature
January: 24 °C
Water Temperature in Durban
January: 24 °CWater Temperature in Durban
Sunniest Month
January: 10.9 hours/day
Sunshine in Cape Town
January: 10.9 hours/daySunshine in Cape Town
Activities and Attractions
Cape Town: Full-Day Winelands Tour with Wine Tastings & Food
Tours
from 85 $ »
Cape Town: Table Mountain, Penguins & Cape Point Shared Tour
Tours
from 63 $ »
Cape Town: Coastal Catamaran Cruise
Culture & history
from 18 $ »
Distances to South Africa
| London | New York | Los Angeles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | 6010 mi | 7820 mi | 9990 mi |
| Pretoria | 5620 mi | 7980 mi | 10380 mi |
| Durban | 5940 mi | 8280 mi | 10640 mi |
| Port Elizabeth | 6100 mi | 8150 mi | 10380 mi |
Where’s South Africa?
Show Cape Town on MapShow Pretoria on Map
Show Durban on Map
Show Port Elizabeth on Map
Continent: Africa
All Holiday Destinations in AfricaShare your Experience and Win
We want to know: how was the weather during your South Africa holiday? You can win a travel coupon of 1000 $. The price will be raffled among all submissions.
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South Africa: Experiences of our Visitors
Were 14 days in the wine country, on the Garden Route, in the Addo and in the Drakensberg mountains: Mostly sunny and warm, in 2 weeks 3 rainy days, but then continuous rain: Between Wilderness and St. Francis: 1 day of continuous rain. In the middle Drakenberge mountains: 2 days and 3 nights of continuous rain.
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good
in the north very mild, around 25-28 degrees, a little cooler at night. Gardensroute was also pleasant, except in Oudshoorn. There it was with 44 degrees clearly too hot.
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent
Great weather, no rain, pleasantly warm.
South Africa in February/March is recommended!
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent
The weather was great, we had two rainy days but also very very hot days up to 35 degrees. By rain I mean rather light to medium drizzle. Occasionally it was cloudy.
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good
We were at the Cape from the end of February to the beginning of March. It was warm to hot. Had a stormy rainy day at Mossel Bay, otherwise the weather was great.
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good
We had great weather along the Garden Route in November and especially in the Cape region it was fantastic.
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good
Simply super! Just right, maybe a bit too hot for some of us, but it was perfect!
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent
We had 3 short, soft showers during 3 weeks (until 6.nov). That was in Pretoria, the Hluhluwe and the De Hoop. Otherwise cloudy from time to time, but mostly sunny and warm. In the Klein Karoo a good 35 degrees, also around St.Lucia. The 4 days we spent in Cape Town were dry, sunny and around 25 degrees.
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent
Probably one should look at Africa in every season, so that one really gets every weather 🙂
I was from the beginning of May to the beginning of July and even saw a lot of heat, cold, rain and storm and not only from the weather 🙂
Especially in May you have summery days and in the evening it has pleasant temperatures to sit outside and when it gets cold, you just make a campfire 🙂
You just have to make the best of every situation and enjoy being in this beautiful country! 🙂
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good
Weather in Cape Town and Wine Country was great,
Wild Coast beautiful, but with single showers
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent
1, sunny, dreamlike, not too cold, suitable, everything blossomed. Couldn’t have been better
Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent
The weather corresponded to the respective geographical location. In the East there was a great drought
Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good