The climate of South Africa allows you to enjoy a sunny holiday at any time of the year. However, your clothing requirements may vary depending on your particular destination, so be prepared!
If you intend to spend a lot of time outdoors and definitely in the summer, bring a hat to protect yourself from the blazing sun. In the summer, light cotton clothing is recommended because daytime temperatures are generally around 25-30 degrees Celsius.
During the short period from January to mid-March, temperatures sometimes reach 35 degrees. During this period, the nights can be just as hot. In the Cape, with its Mediterranean climate, it does not rain to refresh the air. There are some topless and nude beaches in South Africa, but in general, nudity is still frowned upon.
Farther inland, there is often a thunderstorm in the afternoon or evening. In fact, the rain can get quite heavy, so a raincoat is recommended. On summer afternoons, the heat usually subsides and only a light jacket is required.
In the winter months (May to October) the sun shines almost every day. Daytime temperatures range between 17 and 22 degrees Celsius. The nights can be very cold. Temperatures have been known to plummet to below freezing in Johannesburg, Gauteng.
The temperatures in the early morning and late afternoon are also quite cold. Still, South Africa is not a country where fir trees are used. Usually, on most sunny winter days, a pair of pants and a T-shirt are all you need. In the Mediterranean stretch along the southwestern Cape, winters are wet.
As winter temperatures do not justify having central heating in buildings and homes, European tourists may find the winters harsher than South Africans. We have grown used to the cold around us and simply layer up if necessary. Only in the last few years have some houses installed underfloor heating. In Johannesburg sometimes during the winter, and in the Cape in the afternoon it blows quite cold, so bring windproof clothing.
January:
The first month of the year is characterized by the lush vegetation that has been generated by the first summer rains. The grass is usually very long, especially along the riparian vegetation. Larger herbivores such as Kudu, Zebra and Waterbuck give birth at this time, the thick vegetation allowing them to hide their young while they graze nearby. Temperatures can climb into the late thirty degrees Celsius, but torrential rains in the late afternoon often bring welcome relief from the heat. Hunting is distributed due to the abundance of water and good grazing.
February:
February, considered one of the warmest months of the bushveld summer, is characterized by animals moving only when it is cold enough. We start our safaris later and often wake up earlier to avoid the formidable rays of the sun. The chances of torrential rains are not as high as in January and the heat is drier this time of year. The general color of the reserve remains green and the vegetation remains thick
March:
The heat subsides slightly towards the end of March and the chances of rain are less at this time of year. The young of the different animals born in early summer now have stout legs and are better equipped to escape predators. The flow of the Sand River is still good, and normally the natural water in the tray is still readily available to animals.
April:
April brings the changes of the year and is often when the very short bushveld fall takes place. The water in the tray dries up a bit and most of the animals will start to rely more on the Sand River for water. The temperatures are quite pleasant, but they can vary between very hot during the day and cold at night. Roundleaf teak and combretums begin to change their colors from green to yellow and brown.
May:
This month is the turning point of the year and is the most definitive in the transformation from summer to winter. The temperature difference between day and night is more pronounced, the afternoons require warmer clothing, but the days are usually very pleasant. The groundwater is starting to dry up now and the game is starting to concentrate closer to the river. This results in predators moving to favorite water spots in the hope of anticipating a successful ambush. Deciduous trees begin to lose their leaves and the bush feels more open. Visibility is improving and one can look further into the bush from the road.
June:
Winter is upon us now; when leaving in the morning it is better to “dress to undress”. The temperature will rise at least ten degrees Celsius from the time you leave your trip to the time you return. At night, you should take the extra clothing you need to protect yourself from the low temperatures. The flow of the Sand River begins to slow and most of the animals congregate around the deeper pools of the river to quench their thirst. Predator watching is best this time of year, the lack of vegetation and established water spots make it easy to track and find the big cats.
Colder days often cause cats to move around during the day in search of prey, and many kills have been witnessed in broad daylight.
July:
In many ways, July is similar to June, the only difference being that it is drier and animals such as white rhino and Cape buffalo make daily trips to the river to drink. The elephants only leave the river bed at night when it is cooler, spending the day feeding on the remaining lush vegetation.
Towards the end of the month it starts to get a little hot during the day, but the nights are still cold.
August:
August is by far the driest of the months, the temperature rises during the day and although the nights are still cool the days are very pleasant. There are many regular visitors to MalaMala who rate August as the best time of the year to come to see the animals. The grass is now a golden to brown color and tends to thin out a lot.
September:
September is a month of great contrasts, the mountains are still dry, but many of the trees are beginning to bloom; the bright red of Weeping Boer-bean, the yellow of Knobthorn trees or the combination of white and yellow of Transvaal Gardenia. All of these cast a glow over what is now a very dry month for Mt. The last chills of winter pass and the days can be hot again. Viewing continues to be exceptional due to the lack of water and scant ground cover.
October:
The savannah now looks forward to rain, the days getting hot enough to create thunderstorms in the afternoons. Storms don’t usually bring much rain, but certainly enough to jump-start the shrub’s early growth and flush it a fresh green color. Most of the trees have lost their flowers and sprout new green leaves. satisfying Giraffe, Kudu and other browsers.
November:
The days are now getting warmer and the chances of afternoon showers are greater. The general appearance of the bush is now green and the grass is starting to regrow, this will attract herbivores such as zebra, wildebeest and buffalo. The flow of the Sand River will also increase and become more stable.
Many migratory birds will arrive to take advantage of the summer conditions, some of them would have come from further north in Africa and others would fly from Europe.
The end of the month would see the arrival of the first Impala lambs.
December:
In fact, this is a very busy time on the reserve, as impala calving and wildebeest calving are in full swing. Predators take full advantage of the abundance of young and the nights are full of action. The characteristic kingfisher of the forest arrives and its trill as a call joins the melody of the songs while many of the birds begin to make their nests. Welcome thunderstorms are followed by insect hatchings that birds and mammals make the most of.
The long, hot days result in a great deal of movement on the cooler nights, as the animals seem to be making the most of this time of abundance.