This week, audiences all over the world were amazed as a video of safari animals in the snow in Cape Town, South Africa, went viral on TikTok. The Daily Mail, who shared the TikTok video of the incredibly rare moment snow fell on safari in South Africa, went viral in less than 24 hours. Posted on 18 July 2024, the video, which was taken by a safari guest at Aquila Private Game Reserve, shows lions, rhinos, elephants, and even a giraffe in the snow.
Overnight, the video accumulated over 400 000 likes, 7000 comments, and a staggering 3 million views. And it’s no surprise that people from all over the world were surprised to see snow in Africa — on safari! When one imagines elephants or lions roaming South Africa’s wilderness, snowfall is not what comes to mind. But snow in Cape Town and South Africa is not as impossible as you might think.
Watch the Incredibly Rare Moment Snow Fell on Safari in South Africa
Aquila private Game Reserve and Spa, Cape Town’s top rated Big 5 Safari experience, where the viral video of snow on safari was filmed, were recently affected by a brief though extreme cold front that swept through South Africa and the Western Cape.
The Daily Mail, who captioned the video montage of wild animals in the snow: “Incredibly rare moment snow fell on a safari in South Africa,” were right about snow on safari being “incredibly rare”. The last time we witnessed snowfall on safari like this was in July 2018.
The video, which was filmed by Yvette Carmen Muller (@yvettecarmen101) during an early morning vehicle game drive on July 8, 2024, at Aquila Private Game Reserve and Spa, showcases the incredible ‘snowy safari’ scenes shared by the Daily Mail and snow-struck audiences all over the world. Yvette, who was on a Cape Town Big 5 Safari with her two children, said she is “forever grateful to have seen these magnificent animals on a rare snowy safari”.
“I took my kids for their first game reserve visit, only to have something extra special happen. SNOWING on safari! What the actual? As a child of Africa I can’t wrap my head around it… the best experience ever!”
Yvette Carmen Muller
While northern countries like England, Germany, and the United States of America are currently enjoying warm summer days, the Southern Hemisphere is in the middle of winter (June to August). However, although it’s currently the peak of winter in South Africa, so bouts of cold weather and rainfall are to be expected, snow covered landscapes and heavy snowfall is something most South Africans will go their whole lives never seeing.
South Africa is a rich, diverse and beautiful country about 1.22 million km² (470 000 square miles) in size. With varied landscapes and some of the most unique biomes in the world, from coastal white-sand beaches to vast savanna grasslands and majestic mountain ranges, seeing snow in South Africa really comes down to the time of year and the location of your visit.
Click here to watch the viral video of snow on safari in Cape Town, South Africa.
Related Article: Cold Front Brings Snow at Aquila Private Game Reserve
Snow in Cape Town at Aquila Big Five Safaris
With severe cold weather in parts of the Western Cape, including Ceres, Worcester, Montagu and Matroosberg, the Cape’s elevated areas and mountainous regions have been coated in a blanket of snow. Aquila Private Game Reserve, which is located about 2 hours (177 kilometres / 47 miles) from Cape Town, along the Table Mountain Ridge, recently shared images and video clips from a rare experience in South Africa — snow on safari.
The video didn’t just take international audiences by surprise. Safari guests and local Cape Town residents were also amazed to witness snow at Aquila Big 5 Safaris.
For the chance to experience snow on safari in South Africa and see the Big Five wildlife, book Aquila’s exclusive winter safari specials, valid until 31 October 2024.
Snow in Cape Town at Aquila Big Five Safaris
With severe cold weather in parts of the Western Cape, including Ceres, Worcester, Montagu and Matroosberg, the Cape’s elevated areas and mountainous regions have been coated in a blanket of snow. Aquila Private Game Reserve, located 2 hours from Cape Town along the Table Mountain Ridge, shared images and video clips from a rare experience in South Africa — snow on safari.
Safari guests and local Cape Town residents were amazed to witness snow at Aquila Private Game Reserve, a Big 5 safari destination only 2 hours from city. On the morning of July 8th, 2024, overnight guests were treated to the incredibly rare sight of snow falling across the 10 000 hectare Big Five Game Reserve. Although the snowfall only lasted for a few hours, sightings of lions, rhinos, giraffes and even elephants in the snow were shared all over social media and featured in major news and travel reports, including the Getaway Magazine, the Daily Mail , and Cape Town Tourism.
For more snow safari updates, follow Aquila Big 5 Safaris on Instagram (@aquilasafris) and Facebook (Aquila Private Game Reserve).
Does it Snow in Cape Town, South Africa?
Winters in Cape Town are usually snow free, except for on Table Mountain and other elevated peaks during extreme cold fronts, where an accumulation of snow and frost can sometimes occur. For the most part, Cape Town does not experience snow in the city. However, within 2 to 3 hours from the city, as one travels further towards the Western Cape’s inland towns of Ceres, Worcester, Matroosberg, Touws River and Tulbagh, snow can often be found during severe weather conditions.
South Africa can get cold — very cold. The closer to the south pole one gets, the colder the weather can become. As the country’s name suggests, South Africa is the southernmost country on the continent of Africa. And, the southernmost point of the African continent, the “Tip of Africa“, is located only 170 kilometres (105 miles) from Cape Town.
If you’re looking to see snow close to Cape Town, some of the most accessible and predictable snowfall in the Western Cape can be found in Matroosberg, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Ceres and 185 kilometres (115 miles) from Cape Town. So, while snow is not a common occurrence in South Arica, it is not an uncommon occurrence either.
