Deciding when the best time to visit Cape Town is can be tricky. This year-round destination boasts a Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and cool, rainy winters, with temperatures peaking in the summer months and cooling off during winter. As the World’s Most Awarded Safari Company, we know how to help you decide when and where to go based on your interests and activities! So, without further ado, here’s our guide on the best times to visit Cape Town.
Cape Town is a spectacular all-year-round destination!
Best Time to Visit Cape Town: Our Month-to-Month Guide
From summer to winter, every season brings its unique thrills. Here’s what to expect every month of the year when visiting Cape Town.
Guide to when is the best time to visit Cape Town, Image Credit: Rhino Africa
Cape Town in January and February: Summer in the City
Mediterranean summers are hot, dry, and sometimes windy. Cape Town is no exception, and the distinct lack of humidity makes for epic summers. The southeaster is like a gigantic leaf blower that cools the air and clears the sky, making for perfect beach weather when it stops.
Summer in Cape Town is a heady concoction of lazy days on the beach, scenic drives to iconic attractions, fabulous lunches and romantic sunset dinners. This bustling urbanity intertwined with mountainous fynbos nature reserves, blue-flag beaches, and elegant wine farms makes this one of the world’s most attractive city destinations.
- Best for: Everyone! Especially outdoor enthusiasts and families
- Highlights: Beach days, wine farms, hiking, outdoor markets, New Year’s Eve celebrations
- Hot Tip: This is peak tourist season, so book accommodation and activities well in advance. Expect higher prices and more crowds but unbeatable weather.
The Clifton Beaches are an all-time favourite in Cape Town
Cape Town in March, April and May: Autumn Calm
While summer steals the spotlight, autumn is a hidden gem in Cape Town. The weather remains pleasantly warm, but the summer crowds have dispersed. The wind takes a breather, the sun wipes its brow, and the locals, spoilt as they are, come out to play. And there's a reason for it, as this is the ideal time to explore the city without the rush.
With plenty of sunshine still to go around and the occasional shower to cool things off, autumn plays host to Cape Town’s major outdoor events, including the Cape Town Cycle Tour and Two Oceans Marathon. The gentler weather encourages further exploration of the nature reserves, beaches and outdoor attractions.
- Best for: Travellers seeking tranquillity, cultural enthusiasts, and outdoor explorers
- Highlights: Festivals, cultural events, hiking, and wine tastings
- Hot Tip: Autumn is perfect for exploring Cape Town's scenic beauty, as the clear skies and cooler temperatures make it ideal for outdoor activities
Autumn is the perfect time of year to enjoy outdoor activities in Cape Town
Cape Town in June, July and August: Intimate Winter
Cometh winter with its cosy log fires and candlelit dinners. Cape Town’s winter can be a blustery, rainy affair but it's nothing like a northern hemisphere winter. In fact, we like the excuse to slow down and enjoy time with our loved ones. The countryside's fynbos are lush and green, making it a beautiful time to explore Cape Town’s nature reserves, vineyards, and mountains on clear days. Plus, it’s whale-watching season, so you can enjoy sightings of southern right whales frolicking along the coastline.
Winter is also a time to get your cultural groove on with food and wine shows, music concerts and delightful theatre shows. This also happens to be prime safari time in the rest of the sub-continent where the weather tends to be much drier, making for ideal game viewing conditions!
- Best for: Couples, foodies, wine (or beer, whisky, gin, brandy…) enthusiasts, and highbrow culture-lovers
- Highlights: Whale watching, food and wine festivals, theatre shows, and nature walks
- Hot Tip: Be flexible with outdoor plans, as rain is common. It’s a great time to enjoy indoor attractions
Colder weather calls for sipping red wine in the Cape Winelands
Cape Town in September and October: Spring Unfurls
In Cape Town’s spring months, life bursts forth with whales calving up and down the coast, fynbos flowering in great garish swathes and blue skies revelling beneath a mild sun. Warm beach-worthy days intersect with cosy fireside evenings, and we poor bedraggled Capetonians have a spring in our step after a long winter ordeal.
Getting out and about is the order of the day in spring, and there’s no shortage of options. Flower shows, whale festivals, food and wine events, outdoor cinema screenings, music and sporting events all jostle for fine weather and free weekends.
- Best for: Families, couples, outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, beach-goers and culture buffs
- Highlights: Whale watching, flower season, summer events, and wine tours
- Hot Tip: Spring is similarly ideal for outdoor activities. Head to Kirstenbosch Gardens for the best views of the blossoming flora, or take a trip to the West Coast to see the wildflowers in bloom
Spring has sprung in a colourful Cape Town, Image Credit: Alexander Hill
Cape Town in November and December: Summer Comes Early
By November, Cape Town starts to transition into summer, ushering in a return to the long beach days, lazy lunches, and sunset strolls along the Sea Point promenade. The days are properly hot by December, and the nights are festive, with holiday events and New Year's Eve celebrations lighting up the city – both literally and figuratively!
Exploring the Cape in November and December is a delight, with many nature reserves to hike, vistas to gawp at, lunches to feast on, and wines to enjoy. The holiday events calendar also kicks in, with many wonderful activities and events to enjoy indoors and outdoors.
- Best for: Families, couples, outdoor enthusiasts, and beach lovers
- Highlights: Beaches, picnics in the Winelands, alfresco dining, outdoor adventures, and festive events
- Hot Tip: This period is a fantastic time to visit if you want to enjoy summer activities without the full force of the peak season crowds
Cape Town is the perfect destination to share in memorable moments, Image Credit: Faber Restaurant
Activity-Specific Recommendations
To ensure you visit Cape Town at the best time for your personal interests, here’s a breakdown of key activities and when to experience them.
- Best Time for Whale Watching: July to October, when southern right whales are visible along the coastline.
- Best Time for Beach Days: December to March, during Cape Town’s summer.
- Best Time for Hiking: March to May (autumn) or September to November (spring), when the weather is mild.
- Best Time for Wine Tasting: All year round, though winter (June to August) offers cellar tours, and summer is perfect for vineyard picnics.
- Best Time for Safari: June to August is ideal for game viewing in the Kruger National Park and Eastern Cape reserves.
- Avoiding the Crowds: While Cape Town’s summer is undeniably stunning, the city's off-peak seasons offer their own perks. From April to September, you can expect fewer tourists, making it easier to explore attractions like Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront at a more relaxed pace. Accommodation and flight prices are also generally lower, allowing you to stretch your budget further.
Each season in Cape Town has something special to offer
FAQs About Visiting Cape Town
Do Cape Town’s Main Attractions Stay Open All Year Round?
Yes. Cape Town’s most popular attractions are Cape Point, Table Mountain, Robben Island Museum, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Winelands and the V&A Waterfront. All are very much open all year round. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway does close for maintenance every year in late July/early August, usually for a couple of weeks. The good news is you can still hike up the mountain when the cable car is closed.
When is the Best Time to Visit Cape Town and Go on a Wildlife Safari?
Cape Town is awesome all year round. However, each season offers a different experience. When it comes to safaris in South Africa, the game reserves in the Eastern Cape are excellent all year round. So, if you want to visit Cape Town in the summer, you can take a road trip for an excellent (and malaria-free) Garden Route safari.
If you want to fly over to Kruger National Park, the best time for a safari is generally in winter, from June to August, as the bush is sparse, making it easy to spot wildlife. However, don't discount safaris in summer as the bush is green and lush, with migratory birds and newborn wildlife all around.
When is Cape Town's Busiest Time of Year for Travel?
While Cape Town is a popular destination all year round, the city receives most of its visitors in the summer between December and February. To skip the crowds and peak season rates, the best time to visit Cape Town is before or after our summer. Those months are October/November and March/April.
Does it Ever Snow in Cape Town?
No, not in the city. Cape Town has a wonderfully mild Mediterranean climate. Winters are cold and wet but nothing like northern hemisphere winters. Snow falls on the mountain peaks of the Cape's interior, but proximity to the sea and local weather conditions prevent Cape Town from ever getting cold enough for snow.
Is Cape Town a Beach Destination?
Yes! Cape Town's beaches are famous for their soft white sands and clear water, with more blue-flag beaches than any other city along South Africa's extensive coastline. The sea temperature can be cold, especially along the Atlantic Seaboard, but the Indian Ocean beaches of Muizenberg and False Bay offer warmer water. Surfing, kiting, kayaking and all types of ocean activities are favourites on both coastlines of the Cape Peninsula. Also, paying the penguins at Boulders Beach a visit is a must!
The famous penguins at Boulders Beach in Cape Town
Ready to Start Planning Your Cape Town Holiday?
Deciding that you want to visit Cape Town is easy. Deciding when is the best time to visit Cape Town is also easy – all year round. But, with each season bringing something to the table, we highly recommend you visit more than once!
Contact our Rhino Africa Travel Experts to chat about what you want to see and do while visiting our fair city, and let's start planning!
