South
Africa is a huge country, extending nearly 2000km from the Limpopo
River in the north to Cape Agulhas in the south and nearly 1500km
from Port Nolloth in the west to Durban in the east. Namibia, Botswana,
Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland run from west to east along
South Africa's northern border and Lesotho soars above the grassland
towards the south-east. The country can be divided into three major
parts: the vast interior plateau (the highveld), the Great Escarpment
at its edge (the Kalahari Basin), and a narrow coastal plain (the
lowveld).
Its
position just south of the Tropic of Capricorn makes South Africa
a mostly dry and sunny place but the climate is moderated by its
topography and the surrounding oceans. Basically the further east
you go, the more handy your raingear becomes, but there are also
damp pockets in the south-west, particularly around Cape Town.
The coast north from the Cape becomes progressively drier and hotter, culminating
in the desert region just south of Namibia. Along the south coast the weather
is temperate, but the east coast becomes increasingly tropical the further north
you go. When it gets too sticky, head for the highlands which are pleasant even
in summer. The north-eastern hump gets very hot and there are spectacular storms
here in summer. In winter the days are sunny and warm.
When it comes to land mammals, South Africa hogs the superlatives: it's got the
biggest (the African elephant), the smallest (the pygmy shrew), the tallest (the
giraffe) and the fastest (the cheetah). The country is also home to the last
substantial populations of black and white rhinos - with horns intact. You're
most likely to encounter these critters in one of South Africa's national parks,
but you should keep an eye out for lurking crocodiles in lowveld streams and
rampaging hippos in the northern coastal regions. No slacker when it comes to
birdlife, South Africa is home to the ostrich (the world's largest bird), the
Kori bustard (the largest flying bird), as well as sunbirds, flamingoes, and
the sociable weaver birds who live in 'cities' of woven grass.
The region's flora is spectacular, with wildflowers from peaceful lilies to raging
red hot pokers in the grasslands, weird succulents blooming after spring rains,
and one of the world's six floral kingdoms - the Cape kingdom - prettying up
the Western Cape. Large areas in the north are covered by a savannah-type vegetation,
characterised by acacias and thorn trees, and there are forest remnants along
the southern coast and in the north-east.
Climate
SUMMER:
October - March
WINTER: April - August
Summer can be uncomfortably hot, especially in the lowveld. Higher altitudes
are pleasantly warm over summer, but the mountains are rain and mist-prone. The
north-eastern regions can be annoyingly humid, but swimming on the east coast
is a year-round proposition. Spring is the best time for wild flowers in the
Northern and Western Cape provinces. Winters are mild everywhere except in the
highest country, where there are frosts and occasional snowfalls.
Holiday-makers stream out of the cities from mid-December to late-January: resorts
and national parks are heavily booked and prices on the coast can more than double.
School holidays in April, July and September can clog up beaches and national
parks.
Summer in South Africa is from October to March and temperatures average between
15 - 30 degrees Celsius ( 60 - 96 F ) at midday.
Despite regional differences , South Africa's climate is generally mild throughout
the year. Snowfall is limited to the highest mountain peaks. South Africa is
on the whole a dry country with a mean annual rainfall of 502 mm.
South Africa ranks high in the world as far as sunshine days are concerned.
KwaZulu Natal has a mostly sub tropical climate with high humidity in summer.
The Southern Gauteng region has hot summers with occasional thunder showers and
frosty winters, while the Eastern part of this region ( known as the Lowveld
) enjoys mild winters. The Cape interior and the Freestate have similar weather
conditions to the Southern Gauteng region. The Western Cape region has a Mediterranean
climate with warm, dry summers and cold , wet winters.
