Month by month
iSimangaliso in June
June is when the humpback whales arrive off iSimangaliso, the winter school holidays begin late in the month and the coast settles into its driest, clearest stretch.
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Whale season opens in June, with humpbacks passing until November. Expect 30 mm of rain on about 3 days, days of 23.0°C and nights of 16.1°C, and good game viewing as the bush thins.
June weather: dry and mild
The Open-Meteo normals give 30 mm of rain over about 3 days, a day high of 23.0°C and a night low of 16.1°C. Pack a fleece for the evenings and for early boat trips.
The humpbacks arrive
The whale season runs from June to November according to iSimangaliso. Watch from the cliffs at Mission Rocks and from Cape Vidal, or book the boat trip with Advantage Tours and Charters, the licensed permit holder for boat-based whale watching in the St Lucia section. June is also the start of the shad season on the coast.
School holidays and the end of the winter rate
South African winter school holidays start in late June, and the Authority warns that the holidays book out months ahead, particularly at Cape Vidal and Sodwana. Makakatana Bay Lodge's winter rate ends on 30 June 2026.