South African School Terms & Holiday Calendar

South African school have 4 terms each year. Coastal province school terms differ from the inland provinces (see below). Accommodation rates are generally raised during school holidays by establishments and popular holiday spots are booked well in advance (sometimes up to a year depending on location) to avoid disappointment.

We have listed the school terms and school holidays below for both Coastal and Inland provinces to help you determine when popular towns and holiday destinations will have limited availability, and to help you make choices for your holiday dates. You might want to take your holiday among local South African families, or in the quieter times of the year when schools are in progress.

Coastal Provinces (KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape):

2010:

School Term 1: 13 Jan - 26 Mar

School Holiday 1: 27 Mar - 11 Apr

School Term 2: 12 Apr - 9 Jun

School Holiday 2: 10 Jun - 12 Jul

School Term 3: 13 Jul - 23 Sep

School Holiday 3: 24 Sep - 3 Oct

School Term 4: 4 Oct - 10 Dec

School Holiday 4: 11 Dec - 18 Jan

2011:

School Term 1: 19 Jan - 1 Apr

School Holiday 1: 2 Apr - 10 Apr

School Term 2: 11 Apr - 24 Jun

School Holiday 2: 25 Jun - 17 Jul

School Term 3: 18 Jul - 30 Sep

School Holiday 3: 1 Oct - 9 Oct

School Term 4: 10 Oct - 9 Dec

School Holiday 4: 10 Dec - 17 Jan

Inland Provinces (Free State, Gauteng, North West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga):

2010:

School Term 1: 13 Jan - 26 Mar

School Holiday 1: 27 Mar - 11 Apr

School Term 2: 12 Apr - 9 Jun

School Holiday 2: 10 Jun - 12 Jul

School Term 3: 13 Jul - 23 Sep

School Holiday 3: 24 Sep - 3 Oct

School Term 4: 4 Oct - 10 Dec

School Holiday 4: 11 Dec - 11 Jan

2011 (Proposed):

School Term 1: 12 Jan - 25 Mar

School Holiday 1: 26 Mar - 10 Apr

School Term 2: 11 Apr - 24 Jun

School Holiday 2: 25 Jun - 17 Jul

School Term 3: 18 Jul - 30 Sep

School Holiday 3: 1 Oct - 9 Oct

School Term 4: 10 Oct - 9 Dec

School Holiday 4: 10 Dec - 10 Jan