I don’t know whether or not you have considered not only a vacation in South Africa, or even got as far as the planning stage. For most people a visit to South Africa tends to be in the middle of the European Winter, because of the attractions of blue sky and a much better temperature.

Naturally enough this is high season time in South Africa, and we should all know exactly what that means.

It of course means high prices, and crowds, two things that would put me right off.

Going to South Africa has to include at least a few days spent on Safari, so what does that mean in high season?

The first thing it means is a 40% hike in hotel room rates, and in the same vein, a substantial rise in air fares especially around the Christmas to New Year period.

In addition why don’t you consider the following thoughts?

If you want to fly from Europe to Cape Town, then fares drop sharply in mid August, and hotel rates stay low until September. It is true that the temperature in Cape Town over Christmas are around 25 degrees centigrade, and in August only 18 degrees. There is far more rain in August, but what are the advantages of a low season visit apart from the obvious financial one?

The first thing is, that you don’t hopefully go to South Africa to sit and vegetate on a beach, after all you can go to many other less interesting places and do that.

There is more rain so in the Western Cape; The Namaqualand is in full bloom, just for a very short period of time.

It is a great time to go whale watching in Hermanus, and a wonderful time to visit Kruger Park, because this is when the animals congregate around water holes.

So in conclusion the best time to visit South Africa is not December/January, but August