South Africa Travel Information

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When to Go to South Africa

To get the most out of your next adventure it makes sense to consider some of the very local factors that combine to make up what you feel is the best time to travel to a destination. Many of these factors are very personal - some people prefer to travel when the weather is not too hot, or sites too crowded - others prefer to travel when a traditional local event is taking place. Taking into account the dates of public holidays can also make sense as these may have an impact on opening times of attractions, shops and restaurants, or might affect public transport or other services. Conversely public holidays can be a time of great local festivities and celebrations providing a feast of local expressionism and culture.

Climate

South Africa enjoys a temperate and pleasant climate, with lovely warm sunny days most of the year. The seasons of the southern hemisphere are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere so summer runs from November through to February, when most of the country is characterized by hot weather with some afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are generally mild and dry. South Africa enjoys an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine daily, with an average annual rainfall of 464 mm, compared to a world average of 857 mm. In the Western Cape, the average rainfall is highest in the winter months. In other provinces, the average rainfall is highest during summer. Average temperature for summer is 22 ºC and for winter is 14 ºC.

Seasonality

South Africa can be visited during any time of the year, although most travellers prefer the summer months from September to April. The only activity that is strictly seasonal is whale watching available from mid-September –early December. In the northern game parks, wild animals can be spotted more easily during the drier winter months, because the vegetation is less dense. It may be worth considering avoiding travel during the South African school holidays, particularly if planning to visit some of the major National Parks and coastal resorts – these can get very crowded. For example, the coast tends to be a bit crowded around Christmas and New Year, when all the schools are on holiday, the universities are out and many local people take their annual leave. So, if you're looking for peace and quiet - this is not the time to visit. Another major peak is over Easter - when the schools are also on holiday and, once again, many people take their leave so they can spend holidays with their children. Weekends in the Kruger are also busy.

National Holidays

Date	Description
21 Mar 08	Human Rights Day and Good Friday
24 Mar 08	Eaaster Monday
27 Apr 08	Freedom Day
28 Apr 08	Freedom Day - day in lieu
01 May 08	Workers Day
16 Jun 08	Youth Day
09 Aug 08	National Women's Day
24 Sep 08	Heritage Day
16 Dec 08	Day of Reconciliation
25 Dec 08	Christmas Day
26 Dec 08	Day of Goodwill
01 Jan 09	New Year's Day

National Events

Event	Occurs	Description
Cape Town Jazz Festival	End of March	Both international artists as well as South African musicians take part in this two-day celebration of Jazz music.
Grahamstown Arts Festival	Start of July