South Africa Travel Guide Best Time To Visit
By Philip Briggs
Philip is author of the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.
Philip is author of the Rough Guide to Game Parks of South Africa.
Kruger & Around
January (Kruger & Around)
- Lush scenery and great birding
- Lovely warm evenings
- Peak of the Wet season, hot and humid during the day
- Wildlife viewing is not as good as in the Dry season
- It can be crowded, especially during school holidays
February (Kruger & Around)
- Beautiful scenery
- Excellent birding with migratory species present
- Wildlife viewing is better in the Dry season
- Wet season, hot and humid days, lovely evenings
March (Kruger & Around)
- Green environment
- Great birding with many migrants present
- Wildlife viewing is not as good as in the Dry season
- Past the peak of the Wet season, rain diminishes
April (Kruger & Around)
- End of the Wet season, lovely mild weather
- Stunning landscapes after the rains
- Wildlife is still dispersed, more difficult to spot
- Migratory birds leave
May (Kruger & Around)
- Good wildlife viewing
- Little rain
- Chilly nights and mornings
- Morning game drives in open vehicles can be chilly
June (Kruger & Around)
- Excellent wildlife viewing
- Dry conditions
- Cold nights and mornings
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are cold
July (Kruger & Around)
- Excellent wildlife viewing
- Very dry conditions
- Cold nights and mornings
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are cold
August (Kruger & Around)
- Wildlife viewing is excellent
- The bush gets drier as the winter progresses
- Cold nights and mornings
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are cold
September (Kruger & Around)
- Excellent wildlife viewing as the bush is dried out
- The end of the Dry season brings lovely mild daytime weather
- Evenings and early mornings are less cold than in mid-winter
- Morning game drives in open vehicles can be chilly
October (Kruger & Around)
- Good wildlife viewing but animals start to spread out
- Beginning of the Wet season, the first rains bring relief
- It starts to heat up
November (Kruger & Around)
- Lovely warm evenings
- Great birding
- Wet season, it’s hot and humid
- Wildlife viewing is better in the dry winter months
December (Kruger & Around)
- Lovely warm evenings
- Great birding with many migrants present
- Wildlife viewing is less productive than in the Dry season
- It gets hotter and more humid as the Wet season progresses
- It can be crowded, especially during school holidays
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Cape Town & Around
January (Cape Town & Around)
- Warm and dry weather
- Lovely time on the beach
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is always good
- It is high season and it can be crowded
February (Cape Town & Around)
- Lovely warm and dry weather
- Great time for beach activities and general sightseeing
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is good all year
March (Cape Town & Around)
- Mild and dry weather
- Excellent weather conditions for general sightseeing
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is always good
April (Cape Town & Around)
- Few visitors around except during Easter holidays
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is always good
- It cools down at the end of summer
- Morning game drives in open vehicles can be chilly
May (Cape Town & Around)
- Low season with few visitors around
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is good throughout the year
- Cold conditions throughout the region
- Regular rainfall in Cape Town
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are cold
June (Cape Town & Around)
- There are few visitors around
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is always good
- It is chilly throughout the region
- Cape Town sees plenty of rainfall
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are very cold
July (Cape Town & Around)
- Low-season prices are available
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is excellent
- The whole region is relatively cold
- Cape Town sees regular rainfall
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are bitterly cold
August (Cape Town & Around)
- Low season with few visitors around
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is good
- Cold conditions throughout the region
- It rains regularly in Cape Town
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are very cold
September (Cape Town & Around)
- Mild weather with occasional rain
- Low season with few visitors around
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is always good
- Morning game drives in open vehicles are cold
October (Cape Town & Around)
- Mild weather with little rain
- Beginning of summer, but nights are still chilly
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is good throughout the year
- Morning game drives in open vehicles can be chilly
November (Cape Town & Around)
- Warm and dry weather
- Lovely conditions to explore the beaches and other attractions
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is always good
December (Cape Town & Around)
- Lovely weather
- Excellent time to enjoy the beaches and other attractions
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is good all year
- It is high season and it can be crowded
Excellent Good Fair Poor
The best time to visit South Africa for a wildlife safari is from May to September. During these winter months, the east of the country (where the main parks are located) experiences its Dry season. Wildlife is easier to spot during the Dry season because vegetation thins, and animals gather around waterholes and rivers. The ‘Kruger & Around’ sections below relate to the parks and reserves in
Cape Town’s Dry and Wet seasons are opposite to those in Kruger. Therefore, the best time for visiting Cape Town and surrounds is during the dry summer months of November to March. The ‘Cape Town & Around’ sections below apply to the entire
Kruger & Around
| Best Time | May to September |
|---|---|
| Travel Seasons | High season: October to March |
| Weather | Best weather: April to May and September to October |
Cape Town & Around
| Best Time | November to March |
|---|---|
| Travel Seasons | High season: October to March |
| Weather | Best weather: November to March |
Pros and Cons - Kruger & Around
May to September – Dry Season – Winter
- Wildlife is easier to spot because there is less vegetation and animals gather around rivers and waterholes
- Little to no rain and most days are sunny
- Few mosquitoes
- Low season and parks are not crowded, except for Kruger during school holidays
- It gets cold at night and in the mornings
October to April – Wet Season – Summer
- After the first rains, the scenery turns green and all looks fresh
- Best time for bird watching, and migratory birds are present
- Rains are mostly short afternoon showers and seldom interfere with your trip
- Wildlife viewing can be quite slow since the bush is thicker and wildlife is more difficult to spot
- It gets very hot in December, January and February, and parks get crowded during the main school holidays in December
Pros and Cons - Cape Town & Around
May to September – Wet Season – Winter
- Low season with few visitors around
- Although it is the Wet season, there are many sunny days
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is good year-round
- It is cold for beach and general holiday activities
- Game drives in open vehicles are bitterly cold
October to April – Dry Season – Summer
- Pleasant warm weather with little rain
- Best time to enjoy Cape Town and the Garden Route
- Wildlife viewing in the Cape Region parks is good throughout the year
- It is less cold on game drives
- It gets busy in high season
Wildlife Photos
Beautiful male lion
© Ariadne van ZandbergenNile crocodile in the water
© Ariadne van Zandbergen +23 Photos
Spotted hyena with pup
© HPH PublishingBuffalo looks at camera
© Ariadne van ZandbergenWild dog
© Ariadne van ZandbergenGemsbok fighting (South Africa side)
© SouWestSleeping black-maned lion (South Africa side)
© IkachanRed hartebeest with young calves (South Africa side)
© Nico SmitGiraffe drinking at a waterhole (South Africa side)
© Nico SmitBrown hyena (South Africa side)
© HPH PublishingHoney badger (South Africa side)
© HPH PublishingAfrican wildcat (South Africa side)
© Nico SmitBlue wildebeest at sunrise (South Africa side)
© Nico SmitLeopard in a tree
© Ariadne van ZandbergenClose-up of white rhino
© Ariadne van ZandbergenKlipspringer
© HPH PublishingAlert side-striped jackal
© Ariadne van ZandbergenSide view of a nyala
© Ariadne van ZandbergenLion pride
© Ariadne van ZandbergenCheetah with cubs
© Ariadne van ZandbergenHippo yawning
© Michael PolizaTwo zebra rubbing noses
© Michael PolizaNyala looking at the camera
© Ariadne van ZandbergenAlert impala
© Ariadne van ZandbergenPlains zebra with beautiful scenic background
© Ariadne van Zandbergen Best Time To Go by Major Park
Most parks offer year-round wildlife viewing, but they are at their best during the Dry season when wildlife is easier to spot. Kgalagadi gets extremely hot during December to February and is best visited in cooler months.
Excellent Good Fair Poor
- Hluhluwe-iMfolozi GR
- Kruger National Park
- MalaMala Private GR
- Phinda Private GR
- Sabi Sand Private GR