The best time to visit South Africa depends on where you want to go, with distinct climatic zones across the country. Summer (December through to February) is the most popular time to travel when South Africans are on their annual holidays and the coastal resorts fill with people. The shoulder months of November or March are good alternatives if you want favorable weather but without the crowds.  Summers in Cape Town and along the Garden Route tend to be mild while KwaZulu-Natal experiences subtropical conditions, with mist often blanketing the Drakensberg range. Johannesburg and Pretoria enjoy hot summers with occasional thunderstorms.   Between November and February is considered the best time to visit for birdwatching while big-game wildlife viewing is at its best during the cooler months from May to September. That being said, it’s worth keeping in mind that temperatures can drop to below zero in some parts of South Africa during the winter. While the northern regions tend to be dry during this period, Cape Town experiences its majority of rainfall between June and August.  If you’re traveling throughout the entire country, consider visiting in September when you’ll get the best conditions across the board, as well as having a good chance of seeing whales along the coastline.