South Africa

Rainbow lands bloom with wild beauty, May to September unveils a dry, safari-rich escape

25 spots20 speciesDecember

01 · Overview

The best time to visit South Africa is between May and October, when dry days bring safaris and Cape Town’s coast into vivid focus. With 15°C to 25°C weather, it’s perfect for spotting the Big Five in Kruger, hiking Table Mountain, or exploring the Winelands. For fewer crowds, try April or November.

02 · Travel essentials

Practical info

LanguageAfrikaans, English, Zulu

CurrencySouth African Rand (ZAR)1 USD = 19 ZAR

TimezoneUTC+209:55

Emergency10111 (police), 10177 (ambulance)

DrivingLeft-hand

Plug type

TippingNo

Vaccinations–

GPI

Measures how peaceful and safe a country is.

2.507

03 · Wildlife calendar

Climate

Best timeBased on various factors

WeatherCelsius

26^°

25^°

23^°

21^°

19^°

20^°

22^°

23^°

24^°

25^°

Sea Temp.Celsius

23^°

24^°

23^°

22^°

20^°

18^°

17^°

18^°

19^°

21^°

22^°

RainfallDays per month

SunshineHours per month

280_/h

260_/h

250_/h

230_/h

220_/h

210_/h

220_/h

230_/h

240_/h

250_/h

260_/h

270_/h

Tourism Season

Bull Shark

Dolphin

Great White Shark

Hammerhead Shark

Orca

Penguin

Sea Turtle

Shark Ray

Tiger Shark

Albatross

Cheetah

Crocodile

Eagle

Elephant

Giraffe

Hippopotamus

Leopard

Lion

Rhinoceros

Zebra

04 · Wildlife Spots

Wildlife Spots (25)

Bull Shark

Protea Banks (South Africa)

Dolphin

Wild Coast / Sardine Run (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Great White Shark

Gansbaai / Dyer Island (South Africa)

Hammerhead Shark

Protea Banks (South Africa)

Orca

False Bay / Cape Town (South Africa)

Penguin

Boulders Beach (Simon's Town, South Africa)

Sea Turtle

Sodwana Bay (iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa)

Shark Ray

Aliwal Shoal / Protea Banks (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Tiger Shark

Protea Banks (South Africa)

Albatross

Cape Town pelagics (False Bay), South Africa

Cheetah

Phinda Private Game Reserve (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Cheetah

Samara Karoo Reserve (Eastern Cape, South Africa)

Crocodile

St Lucia Estuary, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

Eagle

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Elephant

Kruger National Park (South Africa)

Elephant

Addo Elephant National Park (Eastern Cape, South Africa)

Giraffe

Kruger National Park (South Africa)

Hippopotamus

St Lucia Estuary, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa

Hippopotamus

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Leopard

Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa

Lion

Kruger & Sabi Sands (South Africa)

Lion

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (South Africa)

Rhinoceros

Kruger National Park (South Africa)

Rhinoceros

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Zebra

Kruger National Park (South Africa)