Best Time to Travel to South Africa

5 December 2025

South Africa truly lives up to its name as a world in one country, offering a stunning array of experiences: dramatic coastlines, cosmopolitan cities, beautiful winelands, and breathtaking mountain passes.

When is the best time to travel to South Africa? It is an excellent year-round country, with something to see no matter the time of year. Here are a few tips on the best time to travel depending on what you’re after.

The country is a premier safari destination, home to the globally recognised Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands, as well as other popular private reserves like Kariega, Pumba, and Shamwari in the malaria-free Eastern Cape. It even has outstanding marine wildlife to see at one of the world’s best whale-watching locations, Hermanus.

The best time for a safari in South Africa

While you can visit South Africa in every month of the year, the best time to travel to South Africa for a wildlife experience is the dry season. During this time, vegetation thins and animals gather around waterholes and rivers, making it easier to track and spot them. This is the low travel season, and it brings little rain, fewer mosquitoes, and the best game viewings. You have a much better chance of spotting the Big Five (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo) and other animals in their natural habitat.

So when is South Africa’s dry season? May to September for the East side of the country. These are the winter months for the Kruger National Park and the surrounding game parks (this is where the most popular parks are located). For the West side (Cape Town and surrounds), the dry season occurs during their summer months: November to March.

However, the wet seasons are not to be forgotten. They are considered high season for good reasons. The scenery is green and lush, meaning an abundance of flowers and vegetation. The park’s landscape changes, and the wildlife thrive off that. This season is when many baby animals are born, and the bird viewing is excellent due to the presence of migratory birds.

We highly recommend the shoulder months, April and October. The lesser-known best time to travel to South Africa. These are the periods between seasons where you get to experience the best of both worlds: greater vegetation, mild weather, good game views, smaller crowds, and lower prices as the travel seasons switch over. You’ll be treated to a balance between the heat of summer and the cold of the winter months. The bush isn’t as thick as it is during the wetter seasons, making spotting wildlife still quite easy, and the weather itself is mild and pleasant. And since these months fall outside of the high season, you can enjoy lower prices and fewer crowds at popular safari locations.

Find out where to go on safari here: Top Safari Destinations in South Africa.

When to go birdwatching

South Africa is a dream for birdwatchers, offering everything from fynbos-cloaked mountains to wide savannas, forests, wetlands, and coastline. The variety of habitats means you can expect wonderfully diverse sightings, often within the same day. Whether you’re listening for sunbirds flitting through Cape flora or watching raptors ride the thermals over the Lowveld, birding here feels immersive and wonderfully alive.

The country is rewarding in every season, but spring and summer (October to February) is generally considered the best time for birdlife. This is when migratory species arrive in full force, and many feathered friends are busier and more visible. The landscape bursts into colour, insects are plentiful, and bird activity naturally follows.

That said, winter birding has its own quiet magic. From May to September, when the dry season settles in across much of the country, the vegetation thins and water becomes scarce. Birds gather around rivers, dams, and waterholes, making them easier to spot and identify. Many resident species nest during this time, offering wonderful opportunities to observe breeding behaviour. This is particularly true in the Kruger National Park and the surrounding Lowveld, where crisp mornings and golden grasslands make birdwatching both relaxing and rewarding.

The best regions shine at different times of the year. The Kruger is exceptional year-round, but it truly comes alive in summer when migrants arrive. The park’s 500+ species seem to fill every corner of the sky. In winter, sightings become clearer as birds congregate near water, making it easier to settle into a hide or game-viewing road and enjoy uninterrupted views.

Further south, Cape Town offers a completely different birding experience, thanks to its unique fynbos biome and dramatic coastal landscapes. Spring and early summer are the absolute highlights here. The fynbos bursts into bloom, attracting endemic species like the Cape Sugarbird and Orange-breasted Sunbird, while wetlands and coastal reserves welcome an array of waders and seabirds. A morning at Kirstenbosch or a stroll along the False Bay shoreline can reveal an impressive mix of species in a matter of hours.

The Drakensberg, with its rolling green slopes and high mountain passes, is another special region that rewards birders throughout the year. It is particularly enchanting in spring and early summer, when wildflowers bloom and alpine species become more active, adding a vibrancy to the already breathtaking scenery.

Across the country, from lush wetlands to arid savannas and misty mountains, South Africa offers a birding experience shaped beautifully by the seasons. Whether you’re chasing the arrival of summer migrants, searching for endemic gems of the Cape, or enjoying the calm clarity of winter sightings, you’ll find that every month brings something unique to discover in the skies.

 

When to go whale watching in South Africa

Beyond the thrills of the land-based safaris, South Africa offers a dramatic marine spectacle. The Western Cape coastline is globally renowned as one of the best places to witness migrating whales.

Flanked by mountains and dotted with indigenous forests and family-friendly beaches, Hermanus is considered the world’s best spot for land-based whale watching. An essential stop. The optimal viewing season runs from June to December, with peak, guaranteed sightings occurring from August to October. This period sees hundreds of southern right whales migrate from the chilly waters of Antarctica to South Africa’s welcoming coast to mate, give birth, and nurse their young.

This marine spectacle pairs perfectly with a drive along the Garden Route, a wondrous, 200km stretch of coast from Mossel Bay to Storms River, going through Hermanus.

 

Namaqualand spring flowers

Every year, the vast, semi-desert plains of Namaqualand transform into one of the world’s most breathtaking natural displays. Peaking during September, you’ll see millions of wildflowers burst into colour, carpeting the normally arid landscape in dazzling shades of orange, purple, pink, and yellow. More than 3 500 floral species thrive in this region, including the famous Namaqualand daisies, creating a vivid tapestry that stretches for hundreds of kilometres across the Northern Cape.

Driving the Namaqualand Flower Route during this time feels almost surreal. The blooms follow the sun, so travellers slowly winding south toward Cape Town in the late morning and afternoon enjoy the best views. Whether you’re a photographer chasing the perfect shot or simply someone who loves watching nature surprise you, the Namaqualand spring flowers are a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle worth timing your trip around.

 

Ready to plan your South African adventure?

With its shifting seasons, remarkable wildlife spectacles, and astonishing natural diversity, South Africa really is a destination that rewards you no matter when you choose to visit. Each month reveals a new reason to fall in love with this extraordinary country.

If this guide has inspired you, you’re in the best possible hands. Our passion for this destination runs as deep as our expertise. Somak Luxury Travel has been crafting unforgettable safaris for over 50 years. Whether you’re dreaming of tracking the Big Five, chasing summer birdlife, pairing whale watching with a Garden Route adventure, or timing your visit to catch the great spring bloom, we know exactly how to bring your trip to life.

When you’re ready to turn inspiration into a journey, get in touch. Let us design a tailor-made South Africa holiday that fits the season, the scenery, and the extraordinary experiences you’re after. Your unforgettable holiday begins with the experts.

Call our travel expert to begin your journey to a tailor-made adventure today.