Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–17°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Cape Town7 AM SAST Partly sunny14°C Sir Lowry's Pass7:45 AM SAST Cloudy12°C Riviersonderend8:45 AM SAST Cloudy14°C Heidelberg9:45 AM SAST Rain15°C Mossel Bay10:45 AM SAST Light rain16°C Knysna12 PM SAST Heavy rain16°C Jeffreys Bay2 PM SAST Cloudy17°C Gqeberha2:30 PM SAST Cloudy17°C - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 13–22°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Cape Town7 AM SAST Sunny13°C Sir Lowry's Pass7:45 AM SAST Sunny14°C Riviersonderend8:45 AM SAST Mostly sunny16°C Heidelberg9:45 AM SAST Partly sunny21°C Mossel Bay10:45 AM SAST Mostly sunny18°C Knysna12 PM SAST Rain showers22°C Jeffreys Bay2 PM SAST Light rain18°C Gqeberha2:30 PM SAST Cloudy19°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–31°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Cape Town7 AM SAST Sunny16°C Sir Lowry's Pass7:45 AM SAST Sunny19°C Riviersonderend8:45 AM SAST Sunny23°C Heidelberg9:45 AM SAST Sunny28°C Mossel Bay10:45 AM SAST Sunny29°C Knysna12 PM SAST Sunny31°C Jeffreys Bay2 PM SAST Sunny30°C Gqeberha2:30 PM SAST Sunny26°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Cape Town7 AM SAST Heavy rain showers14°C Sir Lowry's Pass7:45 AM SAST Heavy rain11°C Riviersonderend8:45 AM SAST Rain14°C Heidelberg9:45 AM SAST Rain showers16°C Mossel Bay10:45 AM SAST Mostly sunny17°C Knysna12 PM SAST Light rain showers16°C Jeffreys Bay2 PM SAST Sunny19°C Gqeberha2:30 PM SAST Mostly sunny18°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–18°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Cape Town7 AM SAST Cloudy13°C Sir Lowry's Pass7:45 AM SAST Cloudy11°C Riviersonderend8:45 AM SAST Cloudy13°C Heidelberg9:45 AM SAST Cloudy16°C Mossel Bay10:45 AM SAST Partly sunny17°C Knysna12 PM SAST Light rain18°C Jeffreys Bay2 PM SAST Cloudy18°C Gqeberha2:30 PM SAST Partly sunny18°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 13–23°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Cape Town7 AM SAST Partly sunny14°C Sir Lowry's Pass7:45 AM SAST Partly sunny13°C Riviersonderend8:45 AM SAST Partly sunny14°C Heidelberg9:45 AM SAST Partly sunny18°C Mossel Bay10:45 AM SAST Partly sunny19°C Knysna12 PM SAST Cloudy21°C Jeffreys Bay2 PM SAST Sunny23°C Gqeberha2:30 PM SAST Sunny20°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 13–20°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Cape Town7 AM SAST Cloudy13°C Sir Lowry's Pass7:45 AM SAST Cloudy13°C Riviersonderend8:45 AM SAST Partly sunny15°C Heidelberg9:45 AM SAST Mostly sunny18°C Mossel Bay10:45 AM SAST Mostly sunny17°C Knysna12 PM SAST Sunny19°C Jeffreys Bay2 PM SAST Partly sunny20°C Gqeberha2:30 PM SAST Mostly sunny18°C
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Cape Town (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Cape Town, South AfricaStart 31 melevation
- Sir Lowry's Pass, South AfricaMountain pass · Km 60 · 39 min 452 melevation
- Riviersonderend, South AfricaKm 161 · 1 h 40 min 163 melevation
- Heidelberg, South AfricaKm 270 · 2 h 42 min 86 melevation
- Mossel Bay, South AfricaKm 386 · 3 h 48 min 25 melevation
- Knysna, South AfricaKm 489 · 4 h 57 min 9 melevation
- Jeffreys Bay, South AfricaKm 678 · 6 h 53 min 18 melevation
- Gqeberha, South AfricaKm 752 · 7 h 36 min 62 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Cape Town, Riviersonderend and Gqeberha.
| Month | Cape Town Cape Town Airport station · 46 m | Riviersonderend Robertson station · 204 m | Gqeberha 69 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | High / low °C | High / low °C | |
| Jan | 28° / 16° | 34° / 16° | 26° / 17° |
| Feb | 28° / 16° | 34° / 17° | 27° / 17° |
| Mar | 27° / 15° | 32° / 15° | 26° / 16° |
| Apr | 24° / 12° | 28° / 11° | 24° / 13° |
| May | 21° / 10° | 25° / 9° | 23° / 10° |
| Jun | 19° / 7° | 22° / 7° | 22° / 8° |
| Jul | 19° / 7° | 21° / 6° | 21° / 7° |
| Aug | 19° / 7° | 22° / 6° | 21° / 8° |
| Sep | 20° / 9° | 25° / 8° | 21° / 10° |
| Oct | 23° / 11° | 28° / 11° | 22° / 12° |
| Nov | 25° / 13° | 30° / 12° | 23° / 14° |
| Dec | 27° / 15° | 32° / 15° | 25° / 16° |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL, SF (SFM00068816, 46 m); ROBERTSON, SF (SF000236780, 204 m); PORT ELIZABETH INTERNATIONAL, SF (SFM00068842, 69 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for South Africa rather than repeat them.
- South Africa · SANRALSANRAL i-traffic
Check the official forecast from South African Weather Service and each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Cape Town to Gqeberha with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Cape Town to Gqeberha?
752 km (467 miles), about 7½ hours of driving without stops, by way of N2. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Sir Lowry's Pass, at 452 m (1,483 ft). It comes at km 60, about 39 min of driving after you leave Cape Town.
How cold is Gqeberha in July?
Gqeberha averages a high of 21°C and a low of 7°C in July (1991–2020 averages).