The wows of winter as an ideal getaway season in South Africa were proclaimed with great enthusiasm last night on Twitter’s #TravelChatSA. Founded and co-ordinated by Patrycja Oosthuizen of Travel Opulent Box, the chat is a popular weekly forum that provides a colourful lucky-dip of travel tips and tasters, and spectacular pics of favourite go-to places in South Africa. Last night’s theme winter in South Africa elicited lively discussion, and here we replicate, for your enjoyment, some of the first-hand winter travel ideas and images shared by travellers and travel professionals on the chat. 

Winter Travel Ideas South Africa

“Winter rocks“, could easily be the cryptic summary for last night’s #TravelChatSA. Travel specialists and getaway fanatics all agreed that it’s a great time to travel. Why is this?

South Africa has more hours of daylight in winter than most countries (@Laniedk) and in many parts of the country winter days are superbly mild and warm; rates are low and special offers are plentiful (@ExclusivGetaway); restaurants have exceptional winter menus (@travelopulent); mild temperatures make for more pleasant car journeys (@SouthAfricais); places are less crowded (@DiBrown5) and in the northern safari regions game sightings are at their best due to lower vegetation and greater activity of wildlife in cooler weather. And so on …

THINGS TO DO IN WINTER

Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Lion sighting at Motswari in the Timbavati. Winter vegetation makes it easier to see game. Shared by @Go2Africa #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Great winter game sightings in the Kruger National Park. Shared by @Safari365 #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
South Africa’s best whale watching is in winter. Shared by @WiseWally #TravelChatSA
Enjoy ziplining: waterfalls, rainbows, proteas & snow. Shared by @CapeCanopyTour #TravelChatSA
Enjoy ziplining, waterfalls, rainbows, proteas & snow. Shared by @CapeCanopyTour #TravelChatSA

Explore farmstalls (@Papierazzi), see your local museums (@TazzDiscovers), And please do remember to dance barefoot in the rain! (@rhondastours)

FAVOURITE WINTER PLACES

“If you’ve never been to Hogsback, go!” @Derek_Hanekom

“Clarens in Free State: white water rafting with @ClarensXtreme” @DiBrown 

“Route 62 has lower rainfall” @CapeTownBot

“Stanford has 3 restaurants in top 10 Western Cape restaurants” @KazzaMcKee

“Durban sea temperature is higher than most air temps in SA in winter” @WiseWally

Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Winter in the Cederberg Mountains. Shared by @travelopulent #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Winter farmland views at Tulbagh. Shared by @AvontuurTier #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Oudtshoorn is gorgeous and green in winter. Shared by @DiBrown5 #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Doornkop Fish and Wildlife Resort in Mpumalanga. Shared by @ToursDeMornay #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Long St Cape Town. Shared by @VerattiLaura #TravelChatSA

WINTER FOOD HIGHLIGHTS

Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
A classic malva pudding recipe of Garonga Safari Lodge. Shared by @ExclusivGetaway #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
A good Indian curry – Durban style. Shared by @WiseWally #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Great wines are the perfect warm-up in winter. Shared by @travelopulent #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Robust, pot-cooked waterblommetjie bredie at Fyndraai Restaurant at Solms Delta, Franschhoek. Shared by @ExclusivGetaway #TravelChatSA

WEATHER WOWS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Mist rolls in at Chapmans Peak. Shared by @DCTours_za #TravelChatSA
Mist rolls in at Chapmans Peak. Shared by @DCTours_za #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Winter sunsets are best. Shared by @BlaauwbergHouse #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
A rainy day at Hermanus. Shared by @invisable_ct #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
We love Ceres for the snow in winter. Shared by @WiseWally #TravelChatSA
Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Misty morning at Silvermine. Shared by @ExclusivGetaway #TravelChatSA
Jakkalsdans Guest Farm in Sujtherland. Shared by @LekkeSlaap #TravelChatSA
Jakkalsdans Guest Farm in Sutherland. Shared by @LekkeSlaap #TravelChatSA

BEST WINTER MOMENTS

Winter Travel Ideas South Africa TravelChatSA
Shared by @Winelands #TravelChatSA
Winter travel ideas South Africa
Colour your travels with the #southafrican pallette. Shared by @Papierazzi #TravelChatSA
Sunsets in the wilderness - at Ngala Tented Camp in Kruger. Shared by @Go2Africa #TravelChatSA
Sunsets in the wilderness – at Ngala Tented Camp in Kruger. Shared by @Go2Africa #TravelChatSA

Thanks to #TravelChatSA, @travelopulent and to all contributors whose material is featured here. Do follow these keen and well-informed travel people on Twitter. More about #TravelChatSA 

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