Season guide · Cape Town · South Africa
Cape Town in summer
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Danie van der Merwe from Cape Town, South Africa, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
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. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F), with about 9 rainy days across December–February. February is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 15°C (59°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 9
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F) to 15°C (59°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26°C (79°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 3 | 14.2 h | 5/5 |
| February | 27°C (81°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 3 | 13.4 h | 4/5 |
| December | 25°C (77°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 3 | 14.4 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 26°C (79°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 9 of the year's roughly 74 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Cape Town Minstrel Carnival — street parade (usually 2 January, Tweede Nuwe Jaar)
- January: Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts (Sundays through summer)
- December: Festive lights on Adderley Street (usually December)
- December: Day of Reconciliation — national holiday (16 December)
Make the most of the weather
Nature · Table Mountain National Park
Table Mountain and the Aerial Cableway
The flat-topped mountain rises about 1,085 metres above the City Bowl.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
Garden · Newlands
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Bring a picnic; the lawns below the mountain are one of the best places in the city for a long afternoon.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Beach · Simon's Town
Boulders Beach penguin colony
A colony of endangered African penguins lives among the granite boulders near Simon's Town, about 45 minutes south of the city.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Iconic
- Photo spot
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
Day trips in summer
- Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — The southern tip of the Cape Peninsula is part of Table Mountain National Park, with the Flying Dutchman funicular up to the old lighthouse at Cape Point, sea cliffs, fynbos, ostriches and baboons.
- Stellenbosch (About 45 minutes by car) — South Africa's second-oldest town has oak-lined streets of whitewashed Cape Dutch buildings, a university, galleries and dozens of wine estates in the surrounding hills, many with tasting rooms and restaurants.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Cape Town?
Yes: February is among the best months. 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.
+What is the weather like in Cape Town in summer?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F), with about 9 rainy days over the season.