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Where to go · May

Where to go in Africa in May

The short answer

In May, the main safari areas of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe are in the dry season. Ethiopia has short rains. Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda are in the rainy or green season there. Places at their best include Liwonde National Park, Majete Wildlife Reserve, Gorongosa National Park and Etosha National Park.

By RepBudUpdated

Water falling into the gorge at Victoria Falls, seen from the Zambian side

Photo: Revention24, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is the season in each country in May?

In the dry season

  • BotswanaDry seasonFloodwaters spread through the Delta, peaking mid-year; animals gather at water; peak rates
  • MalawiCool dry seasonSunny, pleasant days; cold nights on the Nyika, Zomba and Mulanje uplands
  • MozambiqueCool dry seasonThe driest, mildest months; cooler evenings in the south
  • NamibiaDry winterWarm days and cold nights, below freezing in places; good wildlife viewing at waterholes
  • South AfricaWinterKruger and the north-east: dry winter; thinner bush and good game viewing. Cape Town and the Western Cape: cooler and wetter; whale season on the south coast begins mid-year
  • ZambiaCool dry seasonLittle or no rain, cool mornings and nights; the bush thins as it dries
  • ZimbabweCool dry seasonClear, dry days and cold nights, with ground frost possible in June and July; game starts to concentrate at water

In the short rains

  • EthiopiaBelg (small rains)Lighter rains in central, southern and eastern areas; the long rains begin in the south-west

In the main rains

  • KenyaLong rainsWettest in April and May; lower rates, and some camps close
  • RwandaLong rainsWettest period; trekking continues on muddier trails
  • TanzaniaLong rainsWettest in April and May; some camps close, especially in the south
  • UgandaFirst rainy seasonThe first of two main rainy seasons over most of the country

General pattern from each country’s guide; it varies by region and from year to year. Compare all twelve months.

Which places are at their best in May?

Baobab and palms on dry floodplain grassland in Liwonde National ParkNational park

Liwonde National Park

Southern Region, Malawi

A park on the Shire River, managed by African Parks since 2015, where boat safaris add to game drives. It is the safari half of many Malawi itineraries that pair wildlife with a lake stay.

Best months
May to October
Getting there
By road from Blantyre or Lilongwe
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Photo: Ludger Heide, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Shire River flowing past dry-season woodland in Majete Wildlife ReserveGame reserve

Majete Wildlife Reserve

Southern Region, Malawi

A reserve in the Lower Shire Valley whose wildlife was restored after African Parks took over management in 2003; it now holds the Big Five. It is often paired with Liwonde on a southern Malawi safari circuit.

Best months
May to October
Getting there
By road from Blantyre
Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: David Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Floodplain wetland in Gorongosa National Park at dusk, with hills on the horizonNational park

Gorongosa National Park

Sofala Province, Mozambique

A park of more than 4,000 km² at the southern end of the Great Rift Valley, where seasonal floods shape grassland, woodland and pans. It is the main mainland wildlife product in Mozambique and pairs with a coastal or island stay.

Best months
May to October
Getting there
By road or light aircraft, usually via Beira
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Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Zebras and springbok drinking at the Okaukuejo waterhole in Etosha National ParkNational park

Etosha National Park

North-central Namibia, Namibia

One of Africa's largest national parks, around the vast Etosha salt pan, where wildlife gathers at waterholes in the dry season. Rest camps such as Okaukuejo have floodlit waterholes, and it is Namibia's main safari product.

Best months
May to October
Getting there
By road from Windhoek, or by light aircraft
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Photo: Christoph Strässler, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The layered rock walls and plateau rim of the Fish River Canyon under a clear skyNational park

Fish River Canyon

ǁKaras Region, Namibia

Africa's largest canyon, about 160 km long and up to 550 m deep, in the far south of Namibia, with the Ai-Ais hot springs at its southern end. It is often combined with a route to or from South Africa.

Best months
May to September
Getting there
By road to Hobas or Ai-Ais
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Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

African buffalo wallowing at Mazithi Dam with zebra grazing behind, Kruger National ParkNational park

Kruger National Park

Mpumalanga and Limpopo, South Africa

South Africa's largest national park, run by SANParks, with public rest camps and private concessions, bordered on the west by private reserves including the Sabi Sand. TravelHealthPro places it in a malaria risk area, mainly from September to May.

Best months
May to September
Getting there
Domestic flights to Kruger Mpumalanga International or Hoedspruit, or by road from Johannesburg
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Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Sand River winding through grassland and riverine trees in the Sabi Sand Game ReserveGame reserve

Sabi Sand Game Reserve

Mpumalanga, South Africa

A private reserve of lodges on Kruger's south-western boundary, with no fence between it and the national park. Guests stay at lodges and see wildlife on guided drives rather than by self-drive.

Best months
May to September
Getting there
Light aircraft to airstrips in the reserve, or by road from Kruger Mpumalanga International
Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: flowcomm, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Water falling into the gorge at Victoria Falls, seen from the Zambian sideWaterfall

Victoria Falls (Zambian side)

Southern Province, Zambia

The Zambian side of the falls lies in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park near Livingstone, with views of the Eastern Cataract and the Knife-Edge Bridge; the falls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with Zimbabwe. In the low-water months parts of the Zambian side can run dry.

Best months
February to June for the most water
Getting there
By road from Livingstone
Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Revention24, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Main Falls of Victoria Falls with rising spray, seen from the Zimbabwean sideWaterfall

Victoria Falls (Zimbabwean side)

Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean side of the falls is viewed from a path through the rainforest in Victoria Falls National Park, facing the Main Falls and Devil's Cataract; the falls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with Zambia. The town of Victoria Falls is a base for Hwange and for day trips to Chobe.

Best months
February to June for the most water
Getting there
Victoria Falls Airport (VFA)
Open in Google Maps ↗

Photo: Stiac H, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions travel agents ask about May

Is May a good time for a safari in Africa?

For dry-season game viewing, yes in Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, which are in their dry season in May. Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda are in the rainy or green season, with greener landscapes and, in some areas, lower rates or closed camps.

Where is it rainy in Africa in May?

The countries in this guide with rain in May: Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia. Patterns vary by region and year.

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Photo: Revention24, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons