Visiting South Africa in January

It’s peak season in South Africa and one of the hottest months of the year country-wise. The Cape is one of the driest parts of the country in January, with temperatures rising to around 29C, so it’s a lovely time of year to explore the city and the Garden Route – although a busy one as a result.

If you’re hoping to climb Table Mountain while you’re in Cape Town, it can be windy during January so it’s best to time your visit for the morning when it’s usually calmer – the ‘table cloth’ cloud which often sits above the flat-topped peak also tends to appear on windy afternoons, which hides the spectacular views out onto the water.

Wildlife

And while you won’t see whales of the Cape at this time of year, there are colonies of seals at Plettenberg Bay which you can snorkel with as well as hitting the beaches around Knysna as you explore the Garden Route. Or head to De Hoop Reserve where it’s a great month to see some of the 260 species of birds which live there. If you’re planning to venture further along the coast to explore Tsitsikamma National Park, it can be very wet during January, with day-long drizzle, heavier cloudbursts or misty days in the temperature rainforest though.

South Africa’s summer is also a good time to explore the Winelands. While it’s hotter there this month too, you’ll get to visit during the main grape harvest, although if you’re planning to cycle through the vineyards around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, it’s best to avoid the middle of the day.

Elsewhere across the country, it’s also hot but wetter. It’s not the best time to spot the Big Five at Kruger National Park which sees some tropical rainstorms this month, as does KwaZulu-Natal and Durban, where it’s one of the rainiest months of the year and humid. It’s a good time to escape to the beach to find some cooling sea breezes. And with 3,000km of coastline to enjoy, you won’t have any trouble finding a gloriously sunny stretch of golden sand, even if you have to share it with quite a few others.

January also marks the anniversaries of the Battle of Isandlwana and the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, so the KwaZulu-Natal battlefields can also be busier this month. Further north, the Drakensberg Mountains are cooler but you can expect regular thunderstorms this month so it’s not the best time to go hiking here.

Festivals: The Kaapse Klopse, or the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival to give it its official name, takes place on January 2 so it’s also affectionately known as the Second New Year. Dating back to the early 19th century, it was originally a day when enslaved people were allowed to celebrate the New Year – today you can expect parades with a jazz soundtrack, dancing and singing on the streets, along with bright costumes.

Best for: Sunshine, dry weather in Cape Town, the Garden Route, hitting the beach