Golden Hour City

Solar almanac · 2026-11-02 · South Africa

Golden hour in Cape Town, South Africa

33.9249° S
18.4241° E
Africa/Johannesburg

Times shown in local time for Cape Town (Africa/Johannesburg).

Golden hour & blue hour

WindowStartsEnds
Blue hour (morning)04:4605:18
Golden hour (morning)05:4406:19
Golden hour (evening)18:4119:15
Blue hour (evening)19:4120:13

Light profile · calculated

Golden hour in Cape Town through the year

Midsummer
37 min
Equinox
33 min
Midwinter
38 min

Length of the evening golden-hour window.

Cape Town lies at 33.92° S, in the subtropics, with short, decisive twilights. Its longest measured day falls on Fri 18 December 2026 with 14h 25m of daylight, and its shortest on Thu 18 June 2026 with 9h 54m — a difference of 4h 31m between the two extremes.

Evening golden hour in Cape Town runs for roughly 37 minutes at the height of summer, 33 minutes around the March equinox and 38 minutes at midwinter. The warm window is actually widest in the colder months, which makes winter evenings unusually forgiving here.

The sun sets toward 298° WNW in late June and toward 241° WSW in late December, a shift of about 57° in where the last light lands — worth checking before committing to a west-facing viewpoint. In Cape Town, the sky reaches full darkness between evening and morning twilight year-round.

Field notes for photographers

Where to shoot golden hour in Cape Town

Cape Town places a monumental mountain beside ocean, city and rugged peninsula. The changing cloud cap on Table Mountain can diffuse or spotlight the landscape within minutes.

  1. 01

    Table Mountain Summit

    Best for sunset

    Use the plateau edge to layer the city bowl, bay and distant ranges.

    Sun rises
    108° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW
  2. 02

    Signal Hill

    Best for sunset

    Move along the ridge to separate Lion’s Head from the Atlantic coastline.

    Sun rises
    108° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW
  3. 03

    Bo-Kaap — Wale Street

    Best for sunrise

    Use the street slope to stack colorful façades beneath the mountain.

    Sun rises
    108° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW

Seasonal light. Southern summer offers long, late evenings, while winter shortens the day and brings a lower sun plus more changeable weather.

Today’s solar record

+1 min/day

Sunrise
05:44

rises at 108° ESE

Sunset
19:15

sets at 251° WSW

Solar noon
12:29
Day length
13h 30m

Evening golden hour starts at 18:41

Add to calendar

Solar trajectory

Maximum 71°
05:4471° at 12:2919:15
East · sunriseHighest point of the sun today: 71° above the horizon. The shaded band near the horizon is golden-hour light.West · sunset

Twenty-four hours of light

05:44Sunrise12:29Solar noon19:15Sunset
NightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Next 7 days

DateSunriseSunsetDay length
2026-11-0205:4419:1513h 30m
2026-11-0305:4319:1613h 32m
2026-11-0405:4319:1713h 34m
2026-11-0505:4219:1813h 36m
2026-11-0605:4119:1913h 38m
2026-11-0705:4019:2013h 40m
2026-11-0805:3919:2013h 41m

Annual light rhythm · Cape Town

9h 54m—14h 24m
JFMAMJJASOND
Longest days in December (14h 24m), shortest in June (9h 54m).

Questions

When is golden hour in Cape Town today?
Evening golden hour in Cape Town starts at 18:41 and ends at sunset, 19:15. Morning golden hour runs from sunrise, 05:44, until 06:19 local time (Africa/Johannesburg).
How long does golden hour last in Cape Town?
Evening golden hour in Cape Town runs from 18:41 to 19:15, and morning golden hour from 05:44 to 06:19.
When is blue hour in Cape Town?
Morning blue hour in Cape Town begins at 04:46, before sunrise. Evening blue hour begins at 19:41, just after sunset.
What time is sunrise in Cape Town today?
Sunrise in Cape Town is at 05:44 local time (Africa/Johannesburg), rising toward 108° ESE.
What time is sunset in Cape Town today?
Sunset in Cape Town is at 19:15 local time (Africa/Johannesburg), setting toward 251° WSW.
How long is the day in Cape Town?
Cape Town has 13h 30m of daylight today.

Other views for Cape Town

Continue planning

Nearby photography guides