WHEN TO TRAVEL
The best time to visit South Africa for a safari is June to September, during the dry winter months when bush coverage is more sparse and it’s easier to spot the wildlife. The best time to visit Cape Town is usually December to February, over the summer.
South Africa has different seasons depending on where you are. Most of the country has a rainy summer and a dry winter, but the Western Cape " Cape Town" and the winelands is more Mediterranean in climate, with dry summers and wet winters. Cape Town’s dry season is across the summer months of December to March and its winter months of June to September are wet. Johannesburg, the east coast, and northeastern safari destinations such as Kruger National Park have big summer storms that bring the most rainfall to the region, whereas winters are typically dry.
Peak seasons in South Africa are the summer months of December and January ,especially Christmas and New Year, and for safaris in the northeast of the country, the driest months of June to August. December and January are when Cape Town is the busiest, with lots of domestic tourists, particularly from Johannesburg. Travelling after this summer rush is best — it’s still hot in February and March. Bear in mind that the summer south-easterly wind, also known as the Cape Doctor, is very prevalent during this time.
The hottest months in the Western Cape are over the peak summer months — January and February. December often takes a while to heat up, but by early February, Cape Town is generally consistently hot and sunny. The ocean breeze keeps it from sweltering, but head inland to the Winelands and it can be uncomfortably hot at this time of year. If you’re heading off on a safari in Kruger or a similar area, the hottest months are the same, but also the wettest — December to February, when it feels hot and humid.
The best months for wildlife spotting are June and July — this is when it’s cool and dry in northern safari destinations, such as Kruger National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve or Welgevonden Game Reserve, and therefore easiest to spot animals around waterholes or in the dry bush.