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South Africa in January

Africa's best authentic tailor-made safaris

January is part of the shoulder season in South Africa. While it’s summer, the safari destinations in the north of the country experience rainy weather. In Cape Town, summer is the dry season, so it’s the perfect time for days spent on the beach and exploring wine farms.

This time of the year also sees a lot of travellers! The summer season coincides with school holidays, so international tourists as well as local travellers are at game reserves, national parks, hiking trails, and beaches.

While safari destinations in South Africa – like Kruger National Park, Madikwe Game Reserve, Timbavati Nature Reserve, and Sabi Sands – are experiencing the rainy season, it doesn’t mean that safaris aren’t enjoyable. You can expect lush landscapes, sightings of baby animals, and excellent birdwatching with migratory birds in parks and reserves.

Weather in January

Wildlife in the Kruger National Park.
Kruger and its surrounding areas are green during January thanks to the rains | Photo: iStock

Kruger National Park and surrounding areas are green thanks to the rains, which start around October. Water sources are abundant, so finding wildlife during game drives can be more challenging compared to the dry season. However, temperatures are still hot with highs of 34 °C/93 °F coupled with high humidity. In Cape Town, temperatures can reach highs of 29 °C/84 °F and lows of 18 °C/64 °F. This is coupled with bright blue skies and little to no rain.

Average Weather in January

Kruger and Surrounds

Temperatures Celsius FahrenheitRainfall
Min18℃64℉3.3 inches
Max34℃93℉5 inches

Cape Town

TemperaturesCelsiusFahrenheitRainfall
Min18℃64℉0.4 inches
Max29℃84℉1.5 inches

Destinations to Visit in South Africa During January

Sunset at Tswalu Loapi
Tswalu is a year-round safari destination no matter the month | Photo: Tswalu Loapi

Tswalu Kalahari Private Wildlife Reserve

Tswalu is a year-round safari destination, with exciting sightings no matter the month. Summer brings dramatic thunderstorms and showers, causing the landscape to flourish. This is the time of the year when animals have their young – so you may see adorable newborns – and migratory birds make an appearance.

The Garden Route

If you dream of spending days relaxing on pristine beaches and going on watersports adventures, the Garden Route in January is fantastic! The warm weather in the Western Cape makes iconic destinations like Plettenberg Bay and Knysna perfect coastal retreats for beach holidays.

Activities to Do in South Africa in January

Canoeing suring sunset
Canoeing is a great activity during the warm summer months | Photo: Getty
  • Canoeing and kayaking
  • Swimming and snorkelling
  • Birdwatching in game parks
  • Photographic safaris

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"Discover Africa Safaris made the entire experience very enjoyable. If anything went wrong Dev and his team were on it in moments. Every part of the trip was conducted by professionals from Federal airlines to the two safari lodges. I can't say enough abo..."

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"All advising given by Discover Africa (in our case, by Justin Van Wyk) was really helpful and the programe they have outlined was great. Everything went really smooth and professional."

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"All bookings were at luxurious and convenient places. The camp tents are beautifully decorated with a rustic look and feel. Food service were amazing for most part. The bush drives are as best as it could be given the rainy season etc. Punctuality has been ..."

George Jacob, Canada10 Mar 2026

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"I had a great trip organised by Chrizaan. Everything went very smoothly including all of the pickups, flights and accommodation. I visited Namibia and loved seeing the dunes, springboks and oryx. I also visited the Okavango Delta and saw so many anim..."

Leanne Harrison, South Africa03 Feb 2026

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"We were initially overwhelmed with all of the options for African Safaris when we first started planning our trip. Luckily, Discover Africa responded promptly to our initial request for information and we were quickly scheduled for an initial consult with A..."

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"This trip was all about making memories, and it did just that. Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Mala Mala Safari Lodge, Victoria Falls, and finally Zanzibar. Our boutique hotels along the way were nothing less than stunning, as was Lanzarac Manor in Stellenbosch. T..."

Angela Dandy, United Kingdom24 Sep 2025

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