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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

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Sources (1)

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