Month guide · Cape Town · South Africa
Cape Town in September
What September is really like in Cape Town: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Hilton1949, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
September is a good-value shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 19°C (66°F), lows of 9°C (48°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 11.9 hours of daylight. Spring: fewer cold fronts, wildflowers and peak whale watching at Hermanus.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 19°C (66°F) / 9°C (48°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 11.9 hours
- Sea temperature
- 13°C (55°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in September
September is the 9th-warmest month in Cape Town: days average 19°C (66°F) against a yearly average high of 22°C (72°F), and nights fall to about 9°C (48°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 30 days. Compared with August (18°C (64°F)), September is about as warm; by October highs climb to around 21°C (70°F).
- Sunrise (15 September)
- About 06:45
- Sunset (15 September)
- About 18:37
- Daylight
- About 11.9 hours
- Sea
- 13°C (55°F)
Summer (December–February). Hot, dry and sunny with long evenings, beach days and outdoor concerts; also the windiest and most crowded season, with peak prices around the holidays.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, September rates 3 for crowds (the peak is January at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in January). That makes September one of the better-value months to book.
Events in September
- Hermanus Whale Festival (usually late September)
- Heritage Day — national holiday (24 September)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in September
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Viewpoint · Signal Hill
Lion's Head hike
If you go for sunset, carry a head torch for the descent and walk down with other hikers.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Hout Bay
Chapman's Peak Drive
This toll road carved into the cliffs between Hout Bay and Noordhoek has around 114 bends above the Atlantic, with lay-bys for photographs of Hout Bay harbour and the Sentinel.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Garden · City Bowl
Company's Garden
Walk through it between Bo-Kaap and Kloof Street; it is the most pleasant route across the city centre.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- History
Viewpoint · Signal Hill
Signal Hill
The rounded hill above Sea Point and the Waterfront can be driven almost to the top, where lookouts face the Atlantic, the stadium and the city.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
What to pack
For highs near 19°C, lows near 9°C and 7 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is September a good time to visit Cape Town?
A good-value shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, February–April and November are better overall. Compare every month.
Cape Town in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is September a good time to visit Cape Town?
It is a good-value shoulder-season month. Spring: fewer cold fronts, wildflowers and peak whale watching at Hermanus.
+How warm is Cape Town in September?
Average highs are around 19°C (66°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Cape Town in September?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.