Season guide · Cape Town · South Africa
Cape Town in winter
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cool and wet with passing cold fronts, green mountains, whales in False Bay and the lowest hotel rates; the cableway closes on stormy days. Expect highs up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around 7°C (45°F), with about 30 rainy days across June–August.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 7°C (45°F) to 18°C (64°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 30
- Sea
- 13°C (55°F) to 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 18°C (64°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 10 | 9.9 h | 1/5 |
| July | 18°C (64°F) | 7°C (45°F) | 10 | 10.1 h | 2/5 |
| August | 18°C (64°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 10 | 10.9 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 18°C (64°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 30 of the year's roughly 74 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 1/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Southern right whale season begins (usually June to November)
- August: West Coast wildflower season (usually August to September)
Good choices for winter
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Gallery · V&A Waterfront
Zeitz MOCAA
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa occupies a 1920s grain silo whose concrete tubes were carved into a cathedral-like atrium by Heatherwick Studio.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · City Bowl
District Six Museum
Ask whether a former resident is guiding that day; their talks bring the exhibits to life.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Aquarium · V&A Waterfront
Two Oceans Aquarium
The aquarium shows the marine life of the cold Atlantic and warmer Indian Ocean currents that meet off the Cape, including a kelp forest tank, rays, turtles and a large predator exhibit.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · City Bowl
Iziko South African Museum
Combine it with a planetarium show on a rainy afternoon with children.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Day trips in winter
- Franschhoek (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — A valley town founded by French Huguenots, known for its restaurants and wine estates under dramatic mountains.
- Hermanus (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — From roughly June to November, southern right whales come close to the cliffs of Walker Bay, and the cliff path through Hermanus is one of the best places in the world for land-based whale watching.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Cape Town?
It is a trade-off: Cool and wet with passing cold fronts, green mountains, whales in False Bay and the lowest hotel rates; the cableway closes on stormy days. The best months overall are February–April and November.
+What is the weather like in Cape Town in winter?
Highs of up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around 7°C (45°F), with about 30 rainy days over the season.