Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Best Time to Visit

2 Golden Gate Highlands Safaris

Expert

By Philip Briggs

Philip is the author of the Bradt and Insight guides to South Africa.

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The best time to visit Golden Gate is in the warmer months from October to May. The park is at the height of its beauty during the Wet season, when the skies are free from haze and dust, and the vegetation is green. April and May are particularly stunning when the poplar trees are in autumn foliage. Animals can easily be spotted in the open grassland at any time of the year.

Best Time October to May (Beautiful scenery)

High Season October to March (The park might get a bit busier during school holidays)

Low Season April to September (Very cold)

Best Weather October to March (Warmer)

Worst Weather May to August (Cold with mornings dropping to below freezing point)

May to September –Dry Season – Winter

Wildlife viewing is slightly better, as animals are drawn to water sources and sightings become more predictable
The park is quieter
Less rain makes for easier hiking
A chance of snow, making for stunning scenery
Mornings and nights are cold and days are relatively cool
Dust fills the air making the sky hazy

Wildlife Photos

View Photos (8)

+6 Photos

October to April –Wet Season – Summer

Lush landscapes and beautiful scenery
Pleasant temperatures
The chance of encountering newborn animals
The arrival of migratory birds makes for the best birding
Thunderstorms in the afternoons might interfere with hiking
Wildlife viewing is not quite as good as during the Dry season (wildlife viewing isn't spectacular during the Dry season either)
It is high season, and the park is busier