Africa

Namibia in May

The dry season settles in. Grass still high in Etosha, but clear skies and comfortable driving days across the country.

GoodPleasant, highs near 77F (25C), cool nights

Sossusvlei, Namibia — NamibiaPhoto: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

May is a good month to visit Namibia. The dry season settles in. Grass still high in Etosha, but clear skies and comfortable driving days across the country.

Weather: Pleasant, highs near 77F (25C), cool nights
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What May is like in Namibia

May is when the dry season settles in. Days are pleasant, with highs near 77F (25C), and nights turn cool. Skies are clear and the driving days are comfortable across the country. Grass is still high in Etosha, which can hide animals, but crowds are light and prices are moderate before the winter rush.

May suits first-timers who want good weather without peak-season prices, couples and families on a spring trip. Wildlife viewing is good and getting better, though it peaks later in the dry season. If you want the best waterhole action, plan July through October.

Make the most of May

What is especially good about Namibia this month.

Comfortable road trip weather

Mild days make the long drives between Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha much more pleasant.

Fish River Canyon hike

The multi-day hike is open, with cooler weather for tackling one of the largest canyons on Earth.

Clear night skies

Dry air brings out the stars. Namibia's dark skies rank with the best anywhere.

What to pack for May

A warm fleece for cool nights
Light clothes for sunny days
Sunscreen and a hat
A headlamp for stargazing

Our timing tip

Stay inside or right at the edge of Sossusvlei and Etosha so you are through the gates at sunrise, when the light and wildlife are best.

Book Namibia for May.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Namibia
Opens a hotel search for Namibia in May, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for May
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Namibia
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Namibia
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Namibia for May. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

Things to do in Namibia

Full guide

Etosha National Park

Stay at least two nights, ideally split between the west (Okaukuejo) and east (Namutoni). The camp waterholes are floodlit at night; the rest camps are run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Sossusvlei and Deadvlei

Gates at Sesriem open at sunrise; lodges inside the park boundary get an earlier start to the dunes. Climb Big Daddy or Dune 45 before the heat and sand turn brutal.

Tickets and tours →

Swakopmund and Walvis Bay

Cool, foggy coastal towns with German-era architecture, dune adventure sports, and kayak trips among the Cape fur seals and flamingos of Walvis Bay lagoon.

Tickets and tours →

Damaraland and Twyfelfontein

Desert-adapted elephants in dry riverbeds and Twyfelfontein's UNESCO-listed rock engravings, some thousands of years old.

Tickets and tours →

Fish River Canyon

One of the largest canyons on Earth. The multi-day hike runs only from about late April or May to mid September because of summer heat and flash floods; the viewpoints are open year-round.

Tickets and tours →

The Skeleton Coast

Shipwrecks, fog, and a seal colony of tens of thousands at Cape Cross. Remote, raw, and best combined with Damaraland.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Book lodges inside or right at the edge of the parks (Sossusvlei and Etosha) first; they sell out months ahead for July and August and buy you the dawn gate advantage.
Go in June or September instead of July and August for the same dry-season wildlife with fewer European families on the roads.
Avoid the mid December to early January and Easter windows at the coast, when South African and Namibian holidaymakers fill Swakopmund.
At Etosha, drive out at gate opening and camp at a quiet waterhole rather than chasing sightings; the animals come to the water, and the crowds come to the famous pools.

Know before you go

The Fish River Canyon multi-day hike is open only from roughly late April or May to mid September; the rest of the year it is closed for extreme heat and flash-flood risk.
Park gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, and night driving outside the camps is not permitted in Etosha. Plan drives to reach camp before the gate closes.
In the rainy season, some gravel roads and river crossings in the north and in Damaraland can flood after storms. Check road conditions daily before long drives.
Business and town shops close early on Saturdays and are largely shut on Sundays outside Windhoek and Swakopmund, so stock up on fuel and groceries before weekends.

Namibia in May, quick answers

Is May a good time to visit Namibia?

May is a good month to visit Namibia. The dry season settles in. Grass still high in Etosha, but clear skies and comfortable driving days across the country.

What is the weather like in Namibia in May?

Pleasant, highs near 77F (25C), cool nights.

Is Namibia crowded in May?

May is one of the quieter months in Namibia; most sights can be done without long waits.