Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town in December

South Africa Updated 2026-07-01

The whole country arrives at once, so book Table Mountain, Boulders Beach, Cape Point and restaurants well in advance.

Is December a good time to visit Cape Town?

December is one of the busiest months in Cape Town, at about 88/100. If you can move your dates, June is far calmer.

What’s on in December

  • Day of Reconciliation (Dec 16) — the start of the domestic holiday rush
  • Christmas–New Year — the busiest and priciest fortnight in the city

Best days in December

Weekdays are almost always calmer than weekends.

Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat

Tue is normally the calmest day of the week.

Best hours in December

The daily rhythm, hour by hour.

Calmest 9AM
12AM6AM12PM6PM11PM

The 9:00 AM window is usually the calmest of the day.

Weather in December

Typical highs, lows and wet days.

J 27° 16°
F 27° 16°
M 26° 15°
A 23° 13°
M 20° 10°
J 18°
J 18°
A 18°
S 19°
O 22° 11°
N 24° 13°
D 25° 15°
Average high Average low Wet days

How December compares

Every month in Cape Town, ranked by how calm it is.

Quieter alternatives

If your dates are flexible, these months are calmer in Cape Town.

Book things to do

Tours and tickets in Cape Town, from our booking partner.

Affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes a crowd score or the order of our recommendations.

Frequently asked questions

Is December a good month to visit Cape Town?

December is one of the busiest months in Cape Town, at about 88/100. If you can move your dates, June is far calmer.

How crowded is Cape Town in December?

Cape Town sits at roughly 88/100 in December on our crowd scale, which is 25 points above the yearly average. The quietest month is June.

What is the weather like in Cape Town in December?

Expect highs around 25°C and lows near 15°C in December, with about 3 wet days across the month.

Other months in Cape Town