The best times to visit Garden Route for ideal weather are

March 5th to June 3rd

or

September 24th to December 30th

based on average temperature and humidity from NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Read below for more weather and travel details.

 

 


Other Garden Route Travel Info

Weather in Garden Route

Temperature

Average temperatures in Garden Route vary little. Considering humidity, temperatures feel nice most of the year, excluding some cold weeks in the winter, with a fair chance of precipitation about half of the year. The area is more temperate than most — in the 64th percentile for pleasant weather — compared to tourist destinations worldwide. Weeks with ideal weather are listed above. If you’re looking for the very warmest time to visit Garden Route, the hottest months are January, February, and then March. See average monthly temperatures below. The warmest time of year is generally early March where highs are regularly around 80.6°F (27°C) with temperatures rarely dropping below 61.2°F (16.2°C) at night.

Garden Route Temperatures (Fahrenheit)

Key
High
Average
Low

Garden Route Temperatures (Celsius)

Key
High
Average
Low

“Feels-Like” Temperatures

The way we experience weather isn’t all about temperature. Higher temperatures affect us much more at higher humidity, and colder temperatures feel piercing with high winds. Our perceived temperatures factor in humidity and wind chill to better represent how hot or cold the day feels to a person.

Garden Route Perceived Temperature (F)

Key
High
Average
Low

Garden Route Perceived Temperature (C)

Key
High
Average
Low

 

Average Garden Route Temperatures by Month

Daily highs (averaged for the month) usually give the best indication of the weather. A significantly lower mean and low generally just means it gets colder at night.

Show Fahrenheit

Month Avg. High (°F) Avg. Mean (°F) Avg. Low (°F)
Jan 78.3 68.1 60.5
Feb 78.9 68.1 60.3
Mar 78 66.6 58.2
Apr 75.1 62.3 52.9
May 72.8 60 50.3
Jun 68.1 56.2 46.5
Jul 67.1 55 45.3
Aug 68.4 55.7 45.7
Sep 69.1 56.7 47.3
Oct 70.2 59.8 51.7
Nov 72.5 61.9 53.6
Dec 75.3 65.7 58.3

Show Celsius

Month Avg. High (°C) Avg. Mean (°C) Avg. Low (°C)
Jan 25.7 20.1 15.8
Feb 26.1 20.1 15.7
Mar 25.6 19.2 14.6
Apr 23.9 16.8 11.6
May 22.7 15.6 10.2
Jun 20.1 13.4 8.1
Jul 19.5 12.8 7.4
Aug 20.2 13.2 7.6
Sep 20.6 13.7 8.5
Oct 21.2 15.4 10.9
Nov 22.5 16.6 12
Dec 24.1 18.7 14.6

 


 

Precipitation (Rain or Snow)

If dry weather is what you’re after, the months with the lowest chance of significant precipitation in Garden Route are September, May, and then December. Note that we define “significant precipitation” as .1 inches or more in this section. The lowest chance of rain or snow occurs around early September. For example, on the week of September 3rd there are no days of precipitation on average. By contrast, it’s most likely to rain or snow in early June with an average of 2 days of significant precipitation the week of June 4th.

When can you find snow in Garden Route? Weather stations report no annual snow. Please note that a value of 0 for snow in the graph below may either mean there was no snow, or that snow is unreported.

Chance of Precipitation

The graph below shows the % chance of rainy and snowy days in Garden Route.

Key
Days with precipitation

Snow on the Ground

The graph below shows the average snow on the ground in Garden Route (in).

Key
Snow depth

Average Rain and Snow by Month

Show Inches

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (in) Total Precipitation (in)
Jan 16% 0 2.4
Feb 15% 0 1.8
Mar 14% 0 2
Apr 15% 0 1.8
May 11% 0 1.2
Jun 18% 0 2.7
Jul 16% 0 2.5
Aug 14% 0 2.2
Sep 10% 0 1.3
Oct 17% 0 2.9
Nov 20% 0 4.6
Dec 13% 0 2

Show Centimeters

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (cm) Total Precipitation (cm)
Jan 16 0 6.1
Feb 15 0 4.6
Mar 14 0 5.1
Apr 15 0 4.6
May 11 0 3
Jun 18 0 6.9
Jul 16 0 6.4
Aug 14 0 5.6
Sep 10 0 3.3
Oct 17 0 7.4
Nov 20 0 11.7
Dec 13 0 5.1

 

Humidity and Wind

Garden Route has some very humid months, and above average humidity throughout the year. The least humid month is June (61% relative humidity), and the most humid month is December (74.6%).

Wind in Garden Route is usually calm. The windiest month is November, followed by December and October. November’s average wind speed of around 7.5 knots (8.6 MPH or 13.8 KPH) is considered “a gentle breeze.” Maximum sustained winds (the highest speed for the day lasting more than a few moments) are at their highest in mid November where average top sustained speeds reach 15.2 knots, which is considered a moderate breeze.

Relative Humidity (%)

The graph below shows the average % humidity by month in Garden Route.

Key
Avg. Relative Humidity

Wind

The graph below shows wind speed (max and average) in knots.

Key
Max Sustained Wind
Average Daily Wind

Average Wind Speeds

Show Wind Speeds

All wind speeds are in knots. 1 knot = 1.15 MPH or 1.85 KPH.

Month Avg. Wind Avg. Wind Feel Sustained High Wind High Wind Feel
Jan 6.7 Light breeze 12.9 Significant breeze
Feb 6.5 Light breeze 12.7 Significant breeze
Mar 6.4 Light breeze 12.6 Significant breeze
Apr 6 Light breeze 12 Significant breeze
May 6.1 Light breeze 12 Significant breeze
Jun 7 Gentle breeze 13.3 Significant breeze
Jul 6.6 Light breeze 12.6 Significant breeze
Aug 6.7 Light breeze 13.1 Significant breeze
Sep 6.8 Light breeze 13.9 Significant breeze
Oct 7.2 Gentle breeze 14.1 Significant breeze
Nov 7.5 Gentle breeze 14.4 Significant breeze
Dec 7.3 Gentle breeze 13.9 Significant breeze

Show Relative Humidity by Month

Month Avg. Relative Humidity
Jan 74.3%
Feb 73.9%
Mar 72.8%
Apr 68.2%
May 64.2%
Jun 61%
Jul 61.7%
Aug 61.9%
Sep 66.5%
Oct 73.1%
Nov 72%
Dec 74.6%

 

Is it Safe to Travel to Garden Route?

Our best data indicates this area is somewhat safe. As of Dec 04, 2023 there are travel warnings for South Africa; exercise a high degree of caution. Check this page for any recent changes or regions to avoid: Travel Advice and Advisories. This advisory was last updated on Nov 30, 2023.


 

The Busiest and Least Crowded Months

The busiest month for tourism in Garden Route, South Africa is July, followed by August and June. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Tourists are unlikely to visit Garden Route in December. Those willing to visit at these times will likely find it the least expensive month.

Estimated Tourism by Month

 

Most Popular Months to Visit

Key
Tourists Seeking Accommodations

Tourism graph is based on Google searches for services used by tourists relative to the rest of the year. Tourism data for this area is slightly extrapolated based on nearby areas. Displayed data is calculated relative to the peak, so a score of 47.8 in December means 47.8% of the tourists vs. July.

 

 

Overall Garden Route Travel Experience by Season

Fall (March through May)

Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel moderate. Highs range from 80.6°F (27°C) and 70.1°F (21.2°C) with colder temperatures in the later months. Rain is rare with 3 to 4 days of significant precipitation per month. Fall is the second busiest for tourism, which makes it a good time for those looking for things to do.

Winter (June through August)

The middle-year months have comfortably cool weather with high temperatures that are comfortable. These months see the most precipitation with 4 to 6 days of precipitation per month. June – August is the busiest season for tourism in Garden Route, so lodging and other accommodations may cost more than usual.

Spring (September through November)

Spring daily highs range from 73.8°F (23.2°C) and 68.1°F (20.1°C), which will feel comfortable given the humidity and wind. It rains or snows a significant amount: 3 to 6 days per month. Tourism is the slowest during these months due to the weather, so hotels may be affordably priced.

Summer (December through February)

Weather is perfect this time of year in Garden Route to be enjoyable for warm weather travelers. The average high during this season is between 80.3°F (26.8°C) and 73.6°F (23.1°C). On average, it rains or snows a fair amount: 4 to 5 times per month. These times of year are fairly slow with tourists.

 

Best Times to Travel› South Africa › Garden Route, South Africa