Giraffes in the snow in the Karoo region of South Africa
© Kitty ViljoenGiraffes in the snow in the Karoo region of South Africa.

Antelope, rhinoceroses and elephants also photographed in icy conditions after late snowfall in South Africa

Animals more used to desert heat have been photographed enjoying the snow after a cold front brought snowfall to parts of South Africa over the weekend.

Giraffes, antelope, rhinoceroses and elephants were photographed in icy conditions around South Africa, in pictures shared widely on social media.

Kitty Viljoen captured elephants enjoying the snow in the Sneeuberg - which translates to Snow Mountain - on the Western Cape of South Africa, where snow set in late last week. She also photographed giraffes in snow in the Karoo semi-desert region.

heavy snow south africa elephants
© kittyviljoen/InstagramElephants in the snow
Antelope on the Glen Harry Game reserve in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, were also pictured surrounded by icy vegetation.

Snowfall across parts of South Africa late last week prompted the department of transport to close roads across the Eastern Cape due to slippery conditions.

The snow also hit the Western Cape, where temperatures dropped below zero across parts of Cederberg, the Hex River Mountains and the Matroosberg Reserve.


A weather forecast for the weekend, produced by Snow Report South Africa, shows snowfalls in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape, as well as in the state of Kwazulu-Natal, with some areas receiving more than 25cm of snow across three days.

Lesotho, which is an independent country surrounded by South Africa, was due to receive the heaviest covering of snow, with roughly two-thirds of the country predicted to receive snowfall.

Snowfalls are not infrequent across parts of South Africa during the winter, though this cold snap comes late in the season. In July, parts of the country were blanketed after several days of heavy snowfall.