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At a glance

  • South Africa’s largest and most remote region
  • Home to incredible and rare wildlife, including meerkats, black-maned Kalahari lion and desert black rhino
  • Stay in luxury at Tswalu Kalahari, South Africa’s largest private game reserve
  • Namaqualand bursts into a riot of colour each spring as up to 4,000 species of wildflower blanket the normally dry landscape
  • Visit Kimberley, the region’s capital and the centre of South African diamond mining

Overview

The Northern Cape is South Africa’s largest and most remote region, home to the mighty Tswalu Kalahari, the largest private game reserve in South Africa. Few visitors make the effort to reach this remote corner of South Africa, near the border with Botswana. Those that do are richly rewarded with magnificent vistas and spectacular wildlife sightings. Traditional plains game are in abundance, but so too are rarer species like black-maned Kalahari lion, desert black rhino, aardvark, pangolin, brown hyena, aardwolf, oryx and bat-eared fox. Tswalu is particularly famous for its meerkat viewing, with habituated groups of meerkats so accustomed to people that visitors can get within feet of the skittish creatures.

When to visit

  • January
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    January is the peak of the summer season in South Africa, with hot days interspersed with spectacular thunderstorms, which usually occur in the afternoons. Wildlife viewing may be a bit more challenging due to the thicker vegetation, however this is breeding season so expect to see many young animals. Bird watching is very good with many summer migrants present.
  • February
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    As with January, February is the peak of the summer season and tends to be one of the hottest months. Days are hot with notable rainfall falling in short sharp downpours in the afternoon; the moody skies make for some excellent photography. Due to the rainfall and lush vegetation, many animals give birth at this time. Bird watching is excellent with many summer migrants present.
  • March
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    Temperatures are still hot during the day, though evenings and early mornings are cooler, meaning layers are recommended when on safari. Bird watching is still very good.
  • April
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    Days are warm, dry and clear throughout the country, making it a good time to visit. Evenings and early mornings are cooler, so layers are recommended on game drives. Vegetation starts to reduce making game viewing much easier. Bird watching is still good, however many summer migrants are starting to head to warmer climes.
  • May
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    May heralds the end of the summer season in South Africa and the onset of cooler weather. However, it's still a wonderful time to visit, with mild, sunny days and clear skies. Evening and early mornings are significantly cooler than previous months, so plenty of layers are recommended when on safari. Wildlife viewing is good as the vegetation starts to thin out.
  • June
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    June sees the first proper month of winter in South Africa. The dry season is well underway, landscapes turn to shades of brown and yellow, and the foliage thins out making wildlife viewing much easier. Days are clear and sunny, but evenings and mornings are cold. In the Kalahari, nocturnal species change their daily routines, tempted above ground by afternoon sunshine. This makes winter a wonderful time to look for aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin.
  • July
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    July is an excellent time to go on safari, with crisp, clear days and star-filled nights. The bush is less dense and waterholes are frequented more often by animals. Days are sunny and mild, however early mornings and evenings are cold, so layers are recommended, In the Kalahari, nocturnal species change their daily routines, tempted above ground by afternoon sunshine. This makes winter a wonderful time to look for aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin.
  • August
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    August marks the start of the spring flower season across the Northern Cape. The normally dry landscape erupts in an explosion of colour as up to 4,000 species of flower blanket the landscape. In the Kalahari, nocturnal species change their daily routines, tempted above ground by afternoon sunshine. This makes it a wonderful time to look for aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin.
  • September
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    The flowers of the Northern Cape are still in bloom and meerkat pups venture outside their dens for the first time.
  • October
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    In the Kalahari, meerkat pups can be seen venturing out of their dens for the first time.
  • November
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    With the rise in temperature there is increased rainfall in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Rainfall tends to come in spectacular afternoon thunderstorms. With the rains the vegetation thickens making it more difficult to spot wildlife, and as water becomes more prevalent animals disperse. This is the time of plenty, and many animals will give birth around this time. Many migrant bird species have arrived from Europe for the breeding season.
  • December
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    December is summer in South Africa, meaning warm temperatures and increased rainfall. Days are hot with mild evenings and the rainfall tends to come in short sharp bursts as spectacular afternoon thunderstorms. Game viewing is more challenging as the thicker vegetation reduces visibility and a plentiful supply of water means there's little need for animals to gather around waterholes. On the plus side, however, you'll see a host of migratory birds in their fanciful breeding plumage.

Accommodation

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