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Best time to visit Cape Town: month by month
Short answer
March to May is often the best time, with warm days of 18-23°C, little wind and fewer visitors. Summer (December-February) is hot and dry at about 24-25°C with only 2-4 rainy days a month, but it is windy, busy and most expensive. Winter (June-August) is cool, about 16-18°C with 10-12 rainy days, but cheap, green and good for whales.
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°C | 17°C | 4 | very high |
| Feb | 25°C | 17°C | 2 | high |
| Mar | 23°C | 16°C | 7 | high |
| Apr | 22°C | 14°C | 5 | medium |
| May | 18°C | 12°C | 11 | low |
| Jun | 18°C | 11°C | 12 | low |
| Jul | 16°C | 9°C | 10 | low |
| Aug | 17°C | 10°C | 11 | low |
| Sep | 17°C | 11°C | 9 | medium |
| Oct | 21°C | 13°C | 7 | medium |
| Nov | 23°C | 14°C | 7 | high |
| Dec | 24°C | 16°C | 4 | very high |
Temperatures and rainy days: Copernicus ERA5 averages, 2021–2023. Crowd levels are our estimate.
Season by season
Spring (Mar-May)
Autumn in the southern hemisphere: 18-23°C, calm and mostly dry (5-11 rainy days). Ideal for hiking and the Winelands harvest.
Summer (Jun-Aug)
Southern winter: highs of 16-18°C, lows of 9-11°C and 10-12 rainy days. Quiet, cheaper, green, with whales arriving.
Autumn (Sep-Nov)
Southern spring: 17-23°C, rain dropping to about 7-9 days. Wildflowers on the West Coast and whales in False Bay.
Winter (Dec-Feb)
Southern summer: 24-25°C and dry, with 2-4 rainy days, but the strong south-easter wind blows often. Peak season.
Events worth planning around
- Cape Town Carnival, usually in March
- Cape Town International Jazz Festival, usually in spring (March-April)
- Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, Sundays from late November to April
- Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Carnival, 2 January
When to avoid
Late December to mid-January is crowded and most expensive. June and July are the wettest months; the cableway and boat trips close more often in bad weather.
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Common questions
What is the best month to visit Cape Town?
March, April and November: warm, mostly dry and less windy or crowded than midsummer.
When is whale season in Cape Town?
Roughly June to November, with southern right whales along the coast, especially in False Bay and at Hermanus.
Is Cape Town cold in winter?
Cool rather than cold: highs of about 16-18°C and lows of 9-11°C, with frequent rain.