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Elands Bay, South Africa

Stay in Elandsbaai: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Elandsbaai

Watch this spot We email you when Elands Bay is worth the trip.

About Elands Bay

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces NW, so wind from the SE blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 14°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing NW. Wind from the NW blows onshore, wind from the SE blows out to sea, and wind from the NE or SW runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 300 m out (1 in 32). The sea is about 13°C in June, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 16°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best month is usually November, with about 5 good days in 7; in April, May and August, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Elandsbaai. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 29 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT), changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

    See flights MDW → CPT · Skyscanner from about £765 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 30 from the airport to Elands Bay.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in ElandsbaaiAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Elandsbaai · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Elandsbaai · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Elands Bay on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 19: 17 kn gusting 22, side-shore. Water: waves 0.8 m.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct7825knside1.0 mwaves
Mon 19Oct8022knside0.8 mwaves
Tue 20Oct5016knsidechop
Wed 21Oct6019knon1.0 mwaves
Thu 22Oct05knoffnot safe0.8 mwaves
Fri 23Oct4014kncross-offchop
Sat 24Oct7824knsidechop
Sun 25Oct7823knside0.8 mwaves
Mon 26Oct4314knside0.8 mwaves
Tue 27Oct1814knsidechop

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan4of 7
  2. Feb3of 7
  3. Mar2of 7
  4. Apr1of 7
  5. May1of 7
  6. Jun2of 7
  7. Jul2of 7
  8. Aug1of 7
  9. Sep2of 7
  10. Oct3of 7
  11. Nov5of 7
  12. Dec4of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 3h 30 by road. About 29h 20 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Kite Elands Bay

    13 kn gusting 16, side-shore. Water: chop.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Kite Elands Bay

    15 kn gusting 19, onshore. Water: waves 1 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 5, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 0.8 m.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Kite Elands Bay

    12 kn gusting 14, cross-offshore. Water: chop.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Kite Elands Bay

    19 kn gusting 24, side-shore. Water: chop.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to CPT, changing at ATL, then 3h 30 by road. About 29h 20 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,075–£2,130 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £765–£1,585
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £50–£85
  • Stay £110–£185
  • Food £115–£210

Places to eat near Elandsbaai

  • Wit Mossel Pot0.5 km from the centre

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.