Namibia in May

Start of the dry season: pleasant days, cool nights, green still around.

• Central highlands · Windhoek, Waterbergbest weather

  At 1,650 m: summer thunderstorms (Jan–Mar), cold clear winter nights near freezing.

• Namib Desert · Sossusvlei, Sesriem, NamibRandbest weather

  Summer days above 40 °C in the dunes; winter days warm, nights cold. Rain is rare.

• Skeleton and central coast · Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Cape Crossfine

  Cool fog most mornings all year; east-wind sandstorms can blow in winter.

• Damaraland and Kunene · Twyfelfontein, Palmwag, Opuwobest weather

  Hot and dry; summer rain floods the ephemeral rivers.

• Etosha · Okaukuejo, Halali, Namutonifine

  Game gathers at waterholes June–October; rains bring green grass, dispersed animals and birdlife.

• Zambezi region (Caprivi) · Katima Mulilo, Bwabwata, Mudumubest weather

  Tropical, wetter and with the highest malaria risk; rivers and floodplains.

Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.

• Workers' Day

  1 May

  Public holiday.

• Cassinga Day

  4 May

  Remembers the 1978 massacre of Namibian refugees in Angola.

• Ascension Day

  May (moves yearly)

  Public holiday.

• Africa Day

  25 May

  Public holiday.

Crowds · Namibia

Medium

Prices · Namibia

Medium

Nothing unusual for the weather this month.

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Rated best or good this month

• Central highlands

  Best weather of the year (Windhoek, Waterberg)

• Namib Desert

  Best weather of the year (Sossusvlei, Sesriem, NamibRand)

• Damaraland and Kunene

  Best weather of the year (Twyfelfontein, Palmwag, Opuwo)

• Zambezi region (Caprivi)

  Best weather of the year (Katima Mulilo, Bwabwata, Mudumu)

• Windhoek

  Dry and mild.