Weekly note

Where to go in South Africa in winter

Winter is December to February north of the equator and in South Asia; June to August south of the equator. These are the places in South Africa where at least two of those three months are a sweet spot or good, ranked on ten years of climate readings, public holidays and fares.

Winter in the north: December to February

3 of the 4 places are a sweet spot or good in at least two of December, January and February; 1 of them in each of the three.

  1. Durban South Africa December: goodJanuary: sweet spotFebruary: sweet spot 3 of 3 good or better · highs 26–28°C
  2. Cape Town South Africa December: okJanuary: goodFebruary: sweet spot 2 of 3 good or better · highs 26–28°C
  3. Johannesburg South Africa December: okJanuary: goodFebruary: good 2 of 3 good or better · highs 25–26°C

Fewer than two good months

Winter in the south: June to August

4 of the 4 places are a sweet spot or good in at least two of June, July and August; 4 of them in each of the three.

  1. Kruger National Park South Africa June: sweet spotJuly: sweet spotAugust: good 3 of 3 good or better · highs 25–28°C
  2. Johannesburg South Africa June: goodJuly: goodAugust: good 3 of 3 good or better · highs 17–21°C
  3. Durban South Africa June: sweet spotJuly: goodAugust: good 3 of 3 good or better · highs 23°C
  4. Cape Town South Africa June: goodJuly: goodAugust: good 3 of 3 good or better · highs 17–18°C

South Africa, season by season

Winter elsewhere

Labelled and ranked by the score from London, as every month page is, until you choose your own city: then your own city's score decides, and the places are split into your own country, short hops within 1,500 km, and further away. A month counts when it is a sweet spot or good; two such months put a place on the list, and more months, then a higher average score, put it higher. The climate is each place's own, from ten years of readings. How we rank