Don’t Make This Common Tourist Mistake

Many people with the global travel bug start out by visiting extraordinary places around the world. Makes sense; it's those famous images and opportunities that beckon us in the first place.

I’ve made my home in one such city: Cape Town, South Africa. Regularly listed as one of the world’s most beautiful cities, Cape Town has more attractions than half a dozen cities of its size.

Take the cableway to the top of Table Mountain and see the Fairest Cape from 3,500 feet up. Ride the ferry out to Robben Island to see where Nelson Mandela and his comrades did their time. Swim near African Penguins in the world-famous Boulders Beach at Simonstown. Visit the tip of South Africa at Cape Point, amidst one of the largest urban nature reserves in the world, full of baboons, gazelles, zebras, and ostriches.

The problem is that many tourists from the Northern Hemisphere try to cram all these wonders into 10 days or two weeks around Christmas and New Year, in the middle of our summer. Locals know to avoid prime attractions like Table Mountain and the Waterfront during that time, but tourists are caught unawares. On such days, it can take an entire day just to wait in the queue to the cableway up the Mountain… and even then, you might miss the last call.

So in service to folks who might be thinking of visiting my beautiful home country, here are some suggestions for optimal tourist timing:

Cape Town: February and March. The tourist hordes have largely gone, but the weather is still nice and warm, and even better, the southeast wind is generally calmer at that time. That means you can enjoy a day at the beach without getting sandblasted, as well as visiting all the sites with little delay.

Kruger Park: May to September. Africa's premier nature reserve is best during the southern hemispheric winter, when the bush thins out and animals congregate around water holes and rivers. September is particularly good because it begins to warm up. Best of all, there aren't hordes of tourists around.

Victoria Falls: This is in neighboring Zimbabwe, but lots of tourists make the side trip. The falls are at their most powerful in April to June, just after the rainy season. But that attracts throngs of tourists. But if you go during the rainy season between November and March, you'll still get plenty of action, as well as much lower rates in local hotels and viewing spots.

Kwazulu-Natal: Legendary home of the Zulu people, “KZN” attracts lots of tourists during summer from October to March. But it's hot and humid at that time, and beaches and roads can get crowded. The best time to enjoy the region’s lush valleys, hills, and abundant nature reserves is during April and May, when it's warm, wildlife is gathering around water holes and rivers, and best of all, tourism is at a low ebb.

Of course, there are plenty of other things to do in South Africa all year round, so you shouldn’t be afraid to come any time you like. But if some of the attractions above are on your itinerary, best to plan based on my advice!