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Best destinations to visit in May in Africa

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Kruger National Park
Where Africa's Big Five Roam Free
7.6
Lowveld bush in northeastern South Africa spreads across about 7,500 square miles. The dry season starts in May with mild days near 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Mornings are cool so bring a jacket for open vehicles. Thinner grass makes animals easier to spot. Elephants, lions and rhinos gather near rivers.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Experience a sunset safari and watch wildlife at dusk
  • 🌿 Take a guided bush walk and learn about the ecosystem
  • 🦁 Spot Africa’s Big Five on classic game drives
Mauritius
Tropical Bliss in the Indian Ocean
8.6
May marks the start of the cooler dry season after the cyclone months from November to April. Seas stay near 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Le Morne Brabant, a mountain at the southwest tip, is a UNESCO site. Chamarel has sand dunes in seven colours and a tall waterfall.
Highlights:
  • 🐠 Snorkel among coral reefs in Blue Bay Marine Park
  • 🥾 Hike to the summit of Le Morne Brabant
  • 🏝️ Relax on the turquoise shores of Trou-aux-Biches Beach
Etosha National Park
Namibia's Wildlife Sanctuary
7.7
Etosha means great white place in the local language, a name taken from its vast salt pan. Fort Namutoni, a white-walled German outpost from the late 1890s, now serves as a camp. May opens the dry season, so waterholes begin to draw big herds of zebra and elephants.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Drive the Etosha Pan’s vast salt flats at sunrise
  • 🦁 Join a guided safari to spot lions and rhinos
  • 🐘 Watch elephants gathering at the Okaukuejo waterhole
Victoria Falls
The Smoke That Thunders
7.5
The roar carries for miles and spray rises high above the gorge. Locals call the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning the smoke that thunders. Huge flows follow the rains. The curtain of water is 1,708 metres wide and drops 108 metres. Bring a rain jacket for the rain forest trail.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River
  • 🪂 Bungee jump from the historic Victoria Falls Bridge
  • 🌊 Admire the thundering Victoria Falls from lookout points
Chobe National Park
Elephant Haven in Botswana
7.9
The Chobe Riverfront draws large herds of elephants and buffalo to drink as the dry season begins in May. Sunset boat cruises float close to the animals. Botswana made this its first national park in 1967. Lions, hippos and crocodiles also gather along the banks.
Highlights:
  • 🐘 Watch massive elephant herds at Chobe Riverfront
  • 🚤 Take a boat cruise on the scenic Chobe River
  • 🦁 Join thrilling game drives for wildlife spotting
Namib-Naukluft National Park
Endless Dunes and Desert Drama
8.2
This park covers about 19,200 square miles, larger than Switzerland. Dunes near Sossusvlei rise more than 300 metres. Cool mornings and clear skies suit May visits. Hikers explore Sesriem Canyon and trails in the Naukluft mountains. Stars shine brightly at night over the open desert far from city lights.
Highlights:
  • 🧗 Hike Sesriem Canyon’s narrow rock walls and riverbed
  • 🌵 Explore the eerie Dead Vlei clay pan and ancient trees
  • 🌅 Climb Big Daddy dune for sunrise and desert views
Okavango Delta
Africa’s Uncharted Water Wilderness
8.0
Moremi Game Reserve covers about a third of the delta and was created in 1963 by the local Batawana people. In May the annual flood begins to arrive from Angola. African wild dogs are denning, so pups may appear. Lions, elephants and leopards roam between channels.
Highlights:
  • 🦜 Spot diverse bird species during dedicated birding tours
  • 🛶 Glide silently through waterways in a traditional mokoro
  • 🦁 Explore the wildlife on guided 4x4 safari drives
Atlas Mountains
Majestic peaks echo ancient desert horizons
8.5
The Atlas range runs about 1,500 miles across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, rises 13,671 feet near Marrakech. Mild weather and green valleys arrive in May as the snow melts. Berber villages with terraced fields line the trails around Imlil.
Highlights:
  • 🐫 Ride a camel across the Atlas desert plateau
  • ✨ Stargaze from Toubkal Base Camp overnight
  • 🏔️ Hike Oukaimeden's alpine trails at sunrise
Kenya
Safari paradise meets coastal charm
6.6
Fresh green grass and the smell of damp earth follow the long rains in May. This is low season, so Maasai Mara has fewer vehicles and lower lodge rates. Lions hunt in tall grass and birds fill the sky. Beaches near Diani and Lamu stay warm.
Highlights:
  • 🦁 Go on a Big Five safari in Amboseli National Park
  • 🏔️ Climb Mount Kenya and enjoy panoramic alpine views
  • 🦓 Witness the Great Migration across the Maasai Mara plains
Namibia
Desert wilderness meets wildlife wonders
6.9
Herero women wear long bright Victorian style dresses with horn-shaped headdresses, a tradition from the missionary era. May is cool and dry with clear skies, which suits desert drives. Fish River Canyon, the dunes of Sossusvlei and the Skeleton Coast lie far apart. Gravel roads are quiet.
Highlights:
  • ⚓ Visit the eerie shipwrecks along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast
  • 🐘 Spot wildlife on a safari through Etosha National Park
  • 🏜️ Climb the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei at sunrise
Seychelles
Tropical paradise with pristine beaches
7.7
The islands had no permanent residents until French settlers arrived in 1770. May falls between monsoons, with calm seas and light winds. La Digue has granite boulders on the beach of Anse Source d'Argent. Praslin's Vallée de Mai shelters coco de mer palms, which bear the largest seeds in the world.
Highlights:
  • 🥾 Hike the scenic Copolia Trail on Mahe Island
  • 🐢 Encounter giant tortoises on Curieuse Island
  • 🏖️ Visit Anse Source d'Argent, famed pink sand beach
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