Chase the snow this winter

There are two types of winter people: Those who hibernate and huddle inside, and those who brave the cold to seek out a winter wonderland. This blog post is for the latter, the explorers who embrace a winter road trip even if there’s only the slightest chance of seeing snow. Because admit it, there’s something magical about snow in South Africa.

No, you probably won’t be able to ski in the South African snow, unless you’re going to one of a handful of ski resorts in the country. And yes, when it comes to experiencing snow on your holiday in South Africa, it takes a little planning and a lot of luck. 

Use our Ultimate Journey website and this blog post to plan your winter road trip. We created the Ultimate Journey website more than two years ago, asking South Africans to share their top road trip destinations across the country. Today, the website has more than 3210 destination suggestions, with almost 90,000 votes, making the Ultimate Journey website one of the most comprehensive South Africa road trip planners available.

Looking for snow in South Africa

 

Did you know Ceres is home to the South African Ski Club. That must mean snow, right? Just over two hours out of Cape Town, you’ll find the Matroosberg Nature Reserve, which has its own private ski slope. 

 
Hogsback is a well-loved South African destination because of it’s other-wordly feel. Many people say it’s like a scene out of Lord of the Rings. Now imagine this beautiful scenery draped in snow! Hogsback experiences snow at least once or twice every year.

 

 

In mid-winter, Clarens and the nearby Golden Gate National Park can be bitterly cold, often experiencing temperatures below zero degrees. If timed correctly, you could find this quaint, artistic village covered in a light blanket of snow. Remember that Clarens is just a short drive from Lesotho, home to the AfriSki Mountain Resort, another destination that is famed for winter snowfall.

 

 

Sutherland is known for its freezing winter temperatures and snow falls in this area every winter, particularly during August. This small Karoo town is home to SALT, the largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere, partly because there is very little light pollution in the area and few clouds. This lack of cloud cover also contributes to the colder weather, because there is no cloud protection to warm up the town.
The truth is, finding snow in South Africa is not an exact science. Snow could fall any time from April to August. Plan a holiday during this time and hope for the best, or you could be prepared to take a spontaneous road trip as soon as the weather gets significantly colder. Keep an eye on weather reports for any of the areas mentioned above. 
Remember, before going on a road trip make sure your car is ready for the long drive, especially if you’re headed to areas experiences below zero temperatures. 

Before you hit the road, go over this road trip ready checklist:

 

  • Are your tyres properly inflated and is your spare wheel in good shape?
  • Check oil and coolant levels
  • Are all exterior lights working properly? (Especially if driving into foggy/snowy weather!)
  • Are the wipers functioning correctly?
 

 

 

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