South Africa fits a lot into one trip: big-game safaris in the north-east, the mountains and vineyards around Cape Town, a long coastline on two oceans and wide semi-desert in between. Distances are large, but roads and domestic flights are good, and many visitors drive themselves. The whole country shares one clock with no daylight saving, and its seasons are the reverse of Europe's.
South Africa for visitors
Most international flights arrive in Johannesburg or Cape Town. Johannesburg, the largest city, is the usual gateway to the safari parks of the north-east and has some of the country's most important museums. South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria is the administrative capital, Cape Town the legislative capital, where Parliament sits, and Bloemfontein the judicial capital ([1]). On this page, the local time and live weather are for Pretoria, a short drive north of Johannesburg.
Kruger and the north-east
Kruger National Park, on the border with Mozambique, is one of Africa's largest game reserves, with good roads, rest camps and the chance to see lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffaloes. You can drive yourself through the park or stay in one of the private reserves along its edge, where guided game drives in open vehicles are the norm. On the way, the Panorama Route follows the edge of the escarpment past the Blyde River Canyon and its viewpoints.
Cape Town and the Winelands
Cape Town sits between Table Mountain and the sea, with beaches, coastal drives round the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point, and penguins at Boulders Beach. An hour inland, the Winelands around Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl combine old Cape Dutch estates, mountain scenery and wine tasting. Along the coast to the east, Hermanus is known for whale watching from the cliffs.
The Garden Route and beyond
The Garden Route runs along the south coast between Mossel Bay and the Tsitsikamma forest, a classic road trip through lagoons, beaches and forested hills, with towns such as Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. Further east, Durban has warm Indian Ocean beaches and its own spicy curry tradition, and the Drakensberg mountains inland are the country's best hiking area. The Karoo, a vast semi-desert in the interior, is crossed on the long drives between the regions.
Frequent domestic flights link Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and car hire is the usual way to explore the Cape, the Garden Route and the parks.
Time in South Africa
South Africa has one time zone, Africa/Johannesburg, South African Standard Time (SAST). It is UTC+2 all year: the country does not use daylight saving time, so the clocks never change.
Right now Pretoria is 2 hours ahead of London, 7 hours ahead of New York and 1 hour behind Nairobi. In the European winter South Africa matches Cairo, Athens and Helsinki; in the European summer it shows the same time as Paris and Berlin. Flights from Europe run mostly north to south, often overnight, so you can land with little or no jet lag.
In winter, when days are shorter, the sun rises late by the clock: in Pretoria at about 06:53 in June, against 05:12 in December.
Climate and weather
As in the rest of the southern hemisphere, summer runs from December to February and winter from June to August. Beyond that, South Africa has two very different rainfall patterns.
Cape Town and the south-western Cape have a Mediterranean climate: warm, dry, often windy summers and cool, wet winters, when rain fronts arrive from the Atlantic. Most of the rest of the country is the opposite. On the Highveld, the high interior plateau where Johannesburg and Pretoria are, rain falls in summer, mostly as short afternoon thunderstorms, while winter is dry and sunny with cold nights and frost. The Lowveld around Kruger is lower and hotter, with humid summers and mild, dry winters. The east coast around Durban is subtropical, humid in summer and mild in winter. The Garden Route gets rain in every season, and the Karoo and the north-west are semi-arid, hot in summer and cold on winter nights.
In Johannesburg, average highs are about 26°C in December and 17°C in July, while winter nights fall to 4°C. The city gets about 740 mm of rain a year. The wettest month in Johannesburg is December, and the driest is July. The Johannesburg guide has the full month-by-month table.
- Johannesburg
Show the numbers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 134 | 108 | 97 | 44 | 19 | 7.2 | 1.0 | 6.2 | 17 | 71 | 101 | 135 |
Cape Town's rain chart would look almost like a mirror image: most of its rain falls in the months when Johannesburg is driest. On the coast, the sea is much colder on the Atlantic side than on the Indian Ocean side.
Best time to visit South Africa
For a safari in Kruger and the north-east, the dry winter months, roughly May to September, are best: the bush is thinner, animals gather at water, and it is cooler for game drives. Bring warm layers for early game drives.
For Cape Town and the Winelands, the dry summer from about November to March is the main season, with long days for beaches and mountain walks, but also the most visitors. Winter in the Cape is wetter and quieter, and it is the start of the whale-watching season along the south coast, which continues into spring. In spring, the semi-desert of Namaqualand, north of Cape Town, can be covered in wild flowers after good winter rain.
Autumn and spring suit a trip combining Cape Town with a safari. The Garden Route can be visited at any time of year. The South African school holidays around Christmas and the New Year, and Easter, are the busiest periods on the coast and in the parks, so book early.
Practical facts
- Capital: Pretoria (administrative); see above for the other two capitals.
- Population: about 63 million (UN World Population Prospects 2024, 2023 estimate).
- Currency: South African rand (ZAR). Cards, including contactless payment, are widely accepted; carry some cash for tips, markets and small shops.
- Languages: South Africa has 12 official languages, including isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, English and South African Sign Language ([1]). English is widely used in business, tourism and on signs.
- Calling code: +27.
- Tipping: customary in restaurants and for guides on safari. Petrol stations have attendants who fill your car, and a small tip is usual.
- Driving: on the left.
- Emergency numbers: 10111 for the police, 10177 for an ambulance or the fire service, and 112 from a mobile phone ([2]).
Plan your trip with hoyoopin
- Johannesburg city guide: Highveld summers and their thunderstorms, dry winters with cold nights, the jacaranda season, what to pack and South African time.
- World Clock: South Africa's time next to your own and other cities.
- Weather: live conditions and the forecast for Cape Town, Durban or any other town in South Africa.
- Africa: time zones and key facts for every country on the continent.
- Further reading: official languages around the world.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is South Africa in?
South Africa uses South African Standard Time, UTC+2, all year, with the IANA identifier Africa/Johannesburg.
Does South Africa have daylight saving time?
No. The clocks stay the same all year.
What is the capital of South Africa?
There are three: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative) and Bloemfontein (judicial) ([1]).
When does it rain in Cape Town?
Mostly in winter, from about May to August. Summers in Cape Town are dry, sunny and often windy, the reverse of Johannesburg and the interior, where rain falls in summer.
When is the best time for a safari in South Africa?
The dry winter, roughly May to September, when the vegetation is thinner and animals are easier to find.
Sources
- South African High Commission in the United Kingdom: South Africa at a glance: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative) and Bloemfontein (judicial) capitals; the 12 official languages listed.
- GOV.UK: South Africa, getting help: police 10111, ambulance and fire 10177, all emergencies from mobiles 112.