Month guide · Cape Town · South Africa
Cape Town in March
What March is really like in Cape Town: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jim.henderson, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
March is one of the best months to visit Cape Town. Expect average highs of 25°C (77°F), lows of 14°C (57°F), about 4 rainy days and roughly 12.4 hours of daylight. Warm, settled weather and harvest season in the winelands; one of the best months for hiking.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 25°C (77°F) / 14°C (57°F)
- Rainy days
- About 4
- Daylight
- About 12.4 hours
- Sea temperature
- 15°C (59°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in March
March is the 3rd-warmest month in Cape Town: days average 25°C (77°F) against a yearly average high of 22°C (72°F), and nights fall to about 14°C (57°F). Rain falls on roughly 4 of its 31 days. Compared with February (27°C (81°F)), March is cooler; by April highs drop to around 23°C (73°F).
- Sunrise (15 March)
- About 06:46
- Sunset (15 March)
- About 19:05
- Daylight
- About 12.4 hours
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F)
Winter (June–August). Cool and wet with passing cold fronts, green mountains, whales in False Bay and the lowest hotel rates; the cableway closes on stormy days.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, March rates 4 for crowds (the peak is January at 5) and 4 for hotel prices (highest in January). Book accommodation early: March is one of the pricier months.
Events in March
- Cape Town Cycle Tour — mass-participation cycle race around the peninsula (usually March)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in March
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Waterfront · V&A Waterfront
V&A Waterfront
Take a short harbour cruise at sunset for a view of Table Mountain from the water.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Shopping
- Food
- After dark
Neighbourhood · Bo-Kaap
Bo-Kaap
The brightly painted houses on the slopes of Signal Hill are home to the city's historic Cape Malay community, descended largely from people brought to the Cape from Southeast Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- History
- Food
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Gallery · V&A Waterfront
Zeitz MOCAA
Look up from the centre of the atrium, then take the stairs rather than the lift to see the carved tubes up close.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · City Bowl
District Six Museum
Housed in a former Methodist church on Buitenkant Street, the museum remembers the mixed inner-city district whose 60,000 or so residents were forcibly removed under apartheid from the late 1960s.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 25°C, lows near 14°C and 4 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; comfortable walking shoes.
Is March a good time to visit Cape Town?
One of the best months to visit Cape Town, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are February, April and November. Compare every month.
Cape Town in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is March a good time to visit Cape Town?
It is one of the best months to visit Cape Town. Warm, settled weather and harvest season in the winelands; one of the best months for hiking.
+How warm is Cape Town in March?
Average highs are around 25°C (77°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Cape Town in March?
Expect rain on about 4 days of the month, so it is usually dry.