When temperatures drop and mornings arrive with misty breath, it’s tempting to stay tucked indoors with a cup of something warm. But what if South African winters could offer more than just comfort? Beyond log fires and red wine, winter is the secret season for adventure seekers—cooler conditions, fewer crowds, and landscapes that transform in the cold.
Picture/Drakensberg Experience
Snow safaris and mountain magic
Where: Southern Drakensberg & Eastern Cape Highlands
Snow in South Africa? Absolutely. The high-altitude villages of Rhodes, Barkly East, and Matatiele transform into icy playgrounds from June to August, offering one of the few chances to see real snowfall in the country. While formal ski resorts no longer operate, intrepid travellers still flock to these regions to hike through snow-dusted passes, build snowmen, and snap frosty sunrise views
Good to know: In the Drakensberg, winter reveals frozen waterfalls and jagged peaks framed by powdery dustings. Guided hikes to San rock art sites feel all the more magical under a winter sky.
Whale watching season is in full swing
De Hoop Whale Trail/Scott Ramsay/Dirty Boots
Where: Hermanus, De Hoop Nature Reserve
Forget the usual safari—come winter, South Africa’s southern coast turns into a marine Big Five hotspot. From June, southern right whales migrate to calve in warmer waters, and places like Hermanus and De Hoop offer some of the best land-based whale watching in the world.
Good to know: Pack binoculars, follow cliffside trails, or even kayak out for a closer view (weather permitting). Fewer visitors in winter mean front-row seats to one of the ocean’s greatest spectacles.
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Soak in thermal springs beneath the stars
Picture/Booking.com
Where: Warmbaths (Bela Bela), Goudini Spa (Western Cape), The Baths (Citrusdal)
There’s something wildly satisfying about sinking into a hot spring while surrounded by crisp winter air. Bela-Bela’s geothermally heated pools offer a warm escape in Limpopo’s bushveld, while Goudini Spa, just outside Worcester, is a family-friendly option tucked into the mountains of the Western Cape.
Good to know: For a quieter retreat, head to The Baths in Citrusdal, where Victorian-style rock pools and private stone tubs let you soak under starlit skies after a day of hiking or citrus picking.
Ride the Dunes—No heatstroke necessary
Picture/Absolute Adventures
Where: Atlantis Dunes, Witsand Nature Reserve
If you’ve tried sandboarding in summer, you’ll know the effort it takes to scale a dune in 30-degree heat. Now imagine doing it with winter’s cool breeze on your back.
Good to know: Atlantis Dunes near Cape Town and the stark-white Witsand dunes in the Northern Cape make for thrilling downhill rides—no snow required.
Stargazing in the Karoo’s silence
Stephen Potter/SAAO
Where: Sutherland, Tankwa Karoo, Nieu-Bethesda
Winter is stargazing season in the Karoo. The air is dry, the skies are cloudless, and light pollution is almost non-existent. Head to Sutherland—home of SALT (Southern African Large Telescope)—or camp out in the remote Tankwa Karoo for Milky Way views that defy imagination.
Good to know: In winter, you can catch the Southern Cross early in the evening and even spot Saturn’s rings through a telescope.
Winter wine safaris with a wild twist
Picture/Elgin Adventure Centre
Where: Elgin, Hemel-en-Aarde, Cederberg
Forget sipping sauvignon in the summer sun—winter wine adventures come with roaring fires, mulled reds, and warm, food-paired tastings. In Elgin and Hemel-en-Aarde, some estates offer 4×4 tastings or vineyard hikes with views over mist-covered valleys.
The Cederberg, meanwhile, rewards the effort to get there with dramatic rock formations and one of the most remote wine farms in the country.
Night game drives & bushveld fire feasts
Picture/Madikwe Safari Lodge
Where: Madikwe, Kruger National Park, Buffelsdrift Game Lodge
The dry winter months are the best time for wildlife viewing. Vegetation thins out, animals congregate around waterholes, and the cooler weather makes mid-day drives far more comfortable.
But night drives are where the real thrill lies. Guided 4x4s with red filters reveal nocturnal creatures—leopards on the prowl, owls in flight—before returning to camp for bush braais and fire-cooked dinners under the stars.
Surf’s Up in KwaZulu-Natal
Picture/Stormrider Surf Guides
Where: Durban, Wild Coast
While the Cape chills to single digits, KwaZulu-Natal holds onto warmth year-round. Durban’s ocean stays swim-friendly even in July, and the winter swell is ideal for surfing, kitesurfing, or simply watching from the sand with an ice cream in hand.
Add to that fewer crowds and winter sun, and you’ve got the perfect excuse to pack a board.
Take a snowy scenic drive
Aaron Radomsky/Storm Report SA
Where: Naude’s Nek Pass, Sani Pass, Matroosberg
For those who want snow without the skis, scenic drives through high passes can offer incredible photo ops. Naude’s Nek in the Eastern Cape is one of South Africa’s highest peaks and is occasionally blanketed in snow. Matroosberg near Ceres sees regular snowfall, with self-drive and 4×4 options available when conditions allow.
Good to know: Sani Pass, between South Africa and Lesotho, adds the thrill of crossing a snow-dusted border at over 2 800m.
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