This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Best time to visit South Africa

In Cape Town: November to March — the months averaging 18–27 °C by day. 9 of the twelve months clear that band in Cape Town, so this is the driest run of 5 in a row.

South Africa is not one climate. Each reference city below is answered on its own numbers.

Cape Town

  1. January: 26 °C by day, 17 °C at night, 13 mm of rain, recommended
  2. February: 26 °C by day, 18 °C at night, 11 mm of rain, recommended
  3. March: 24 °C by day, 16 °C at night, 18 mm of rain, recommended
  4. April: 22 °C by day, 14 °C at night, 34 mm of rain
  5. May: 19 °C by day, 12 °C at night, 61 mm of rain
  6. June: 17 °C by day, 10 °C at night, 94 mm of rain
  7. July: 16 °C by day, 9 °C at night, 89 mm of rain
  8. August: 17 °C by day, 10 °C at night, 82 mm of rain
  9. September: 18 °C by day, 11 °C at night, 45 mm of rain
  10. October: 21 °C by day, 13 °C at night, 30 mm of rain
  11. November: 22 °C by day, 14 °C at night, 27 mm of rain, recommended
  12. December: 24 °C by day, 16 °C at night, 18 mm of rain, recommended
Warmest
January, 26 °C
Coolest
July, 16 °C
Driest
February, 11 mm
Wettest
June, 94 mm

Johannesburg

August to December — 18–27 °C by day. 10 of the twelve months clear that band in Johannesburg, so this is the driest run of 5 in a row.

  1. January: 25 °C by day, 14 °C at night, 132 mm of rain
  2. February: 24 °C by day, 14 °C at night, 108 mm of rain
  3. March: 23 °C by day, 13 °C at night, 81 mm of rain
  4. April: 21 °C by day, 10 °C at night, 49 mm of rain
  5. May: 19 °C by day, 6 °C at night, 19 mm of rain
  6. June: 16 °C by day, 3 °C at night, 9 mm of rain
  7. July: 16 °C by day, 3 °C at night, 3 mm of rain
  8. August: 20 °C by day, 5 °C at night, 9 mm of rain, recommended
  9. September: 24 °C by day, 9 °C at night, 21 mm of rain, recommended
  10. October: 25 °C by day, 11 °C at night, 68 mm of rain, recommended
  11. November: 24 °C by day, 13 °C at night, 93 mm of rain, recommended
  12. December: 25 °C by day, 14 °C at night, 133 mm of rain, recommended
Warmest
January, 25 °C
Coolest
June, 16 °C
Driest
July, 3 mm
Wettest
December, 133 mm

Durban

May to September — 18–27 °C by day. 12 of the twelve months clear that band in Durban, so this is the driest run of 5 in a row.

  1. January: 27 °C by day, 21 °C at night, 100 mm of rain
  2. February: 27 °C by day, 22 °C at night, 84 mm of rain
  3. March: 27 °C by day, 21 °C at night, 91 mm of rain
  4. April: 25 °C by day, 19 °C at night, 84 mm of rain
  5. May: 24 °C by day, 16 °C at night, 50 mm of rain, recommended
  6. June: 22 °C by day, 14 °C at night, 29 mm of rain, recommended
  7. July: 21 °C by day, 13 °C at night, 40 mm of rain, recommended
  8. August: 22 °C by day, 14 °C at night, 33 mm of rain, recommended
  9. September: 23 °C by day, 16 °C at night, 65 mm of rain, recommended
  10. October: 23 °C by day, 17 °C at night, 94 mm of rain
  11. November: 24 °C by day, 19 °C at night, 96 mm of rain
  12. December: 26 °C by day, 20 °C at night, 98 mm of rain
Warmest
January, 27 °C
Coolest
July, 21 °C
Driest
June, 29 mm
Wettest
January, 100 mm

How this is worked out: a month qualifies when its mean daytime high falls between 18 °C and 27 °C. Where more than five qualify, the answer is the driest run of consecutive qualifying months; where none do, it is the driest three months in a row if the year is hot throughout, or the warmest three if it never gets there. The figures are the thirty-year monthly averages charted below, and they are averages, not a forecast — any single year can miss them by a wide margin.

Cape Town

Long-term averages for Cape Town: the mean daily high, the mean overnight low and the mean monthly rainfall across 30 years of ERA5 reanalysis data (1995–2024).

DayNight
51015202530°C0100mmJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: Day 26 °C, Night 17 °C, Rain 13 mm. February: Day 26 °C, Night 18 °C, Rain 11 mm. March: Day 24 °C, Night 16 °C, Rain 18 mm. April: Day 22 °C, Night 14 °C, Rain 34 mm. May: Day 19 °C, Night 12 °C, Rain 61 mm. June: Day 17 °C, Night 10 °C, Rain 94 mm. July: Day 16 °C, Night 9 °C, Rain 89 mm. August: Day 17 °C, Night 10 °C, Rain 82 mm. September: Day 18 °C, Night 11 °C, Rain 45 mm. October: Day 21 °C, Night 13 °C, Rain 30 mm. November: Day 22 °C, Night 14 °C, Rain 27 mm. December: Day 24 °C, Night 16 °C, Rain 18 mm
Show the monthly table
Cape Town
MonthDay (°C)Night (°C)Rain (mm)
January261713
February261811
March241618
April221434
May191261
June171094
July16989
August171082
September181145
October211330
November221427
December241618

Johannesburg

Long-term averages for Johannesburg: the mean daily high, the mean overnight low and the mean monthly rainfall across 30 years of ERA5 reanalysis data (1995–2024).

DayNight
0510152025°C0200mmJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: Day 25 °C, Night 14 °C, Rain 132 mm. February: Day 24 °C, Night 14 °C, Rain 108 mm. March: Day 23 °C, Night 13 °C, Rain 81 mm. April: Day 21 °C, Night 10 °C, Rain 49 mm. May: Day 19 °C, Night 6 °C, Rain 19 mm. June: Day 16 °C, Night 3 °C, Rain 9 mm. July: Day 16 °C, Night 3 °C, Rain 3 mm. August: Day 20 °C, Night 5 °C, Rain 9 mm. September: Day 24 °C, Night 9 °C, Rain 21 mm. October: Day 25 °C, Night 11 °C, Rain 68 mm. November: Day 24 °C, Night 13 °C, Rain 93 mm. December: Day 25 °C, Night 14 °C, Rain 133 mm
Show the monthly table
Johannesburg
MonthDay (°C)Night (°C)Rain (mm)
January2514132
February2414108
March231381
April211049
May19619
June1639
July1633
August2059
September24921
October251168
November241393
December2514133

Durban

Long-term averages for Durban: the mean daily high, the mean overnight low and the mean monthly rainfall across 30 years of ERA5 reanalysis data (1995–2024).

DayNight
1015202530°C0100mmJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: Day 27 °C, Night 21 °C, Rain 100 mm. February: Day 27 °C, Night 22 °C, Rain 84 mm. March: Day 27 °C, Night 21 °C, Rain 91 mm. April: Day 25 °C, Night 19 °C, Rain 84 mm. May: Day 24 °C, Night 16 °C, Rain 50 mm. June: Day 22 °C, Night 14 °C, Rain 29 mm. July: Day 21 °C, Night 13 °C, Rain 40 mm. August: Day 22 °C, Night 14 °C, Rain 33 mm. September: Day 23 °C, Night 16 °C, Rain 65 mm. October: Day 23 °C, Night 17 °C, Rain 94 mm. November: Day 24 °C, Night 19 °C, Rain 96 mm. December: Day 26 °C, Night 20 °C, Rain 98 mm
Show the monthly table
Durban
MonthDay (°C)Night (°C)Rain (mm)
January2721100
February272284
March272191
April251984
May241650
June221429
July211340
August221433
September231665
October231794
November241996
December262098

Comments

No comments yet. Share the first one.

Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.