Things to Do in Namibia in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
May Weather in Namibia
Is May Right for You?
Advantages
- Shoulder season pricing means you'll save 20-30% on accommodations compared to peak winter months, with lodges in Sossusvlei and Etosha offering better availability and rates around N$1,800-2,800 per night instead of N$3,000-4,500
- Etosha National Park wildlife viewing hits a sweet spot - animals concentrate around waterholes as the dry season deepens, but temperatures are still comfortable for morning game drives starting at 6:30am when it's around 12°C (54°F)
- Sossusvlei dunes are actually climbable in May without the scorching 40°C+ (104°F+) heat of summer months. You can tackle Dune 45 or Big Daddy around 9-10am and still manage the 1-2 hour climb without heat exhaustion
- Skeleton Coast fog creates dramatic photography conditions in the mornings, with that eerie mist rolling in from the Atlantic most days before burning off by 10-11am - something you won't see consistently in other months
Considerations
- Night temperatures drop significantly to 5-10°C (41-50°F) in desert areas, meaning you'll need proper layering for evening game drives and stargazing. That 20°C (36°F) temperature swing between day and night catches most first-timers off guard
- Some coastal activities around Swakopmund get interrupted by morning fog that can linger until midday, pushing back quad biking or scenic flights by 2-3 hours while visibility improves
- Late May marks the start of Namibia's busiest period as European winter holiday bookings pick up - if you're traveling after May 20th, you'll notice crowds increasing at Sossusvlei and Etosha, and you really need to book lodges 6-8 weeks ahead instead of the usual 3-4 weeks
Best Activities in May
Sossusvlei Dune Climbing and Desert Photography
May offers the Goldilocks temperature zone for tackling Namibia's famous red dunes - warm enough that the sand glows in that iconic orange-red color, but cool enough that you can actually climb Dune 45 (the 170m or 558ft ascent takes 40-60 minutes) without risking heatstroke. The lower humidity compared to summer months means clearer air for those epic sunrise shots at 6:45am when the dunes cast dramatic shadows. Late afternoon around 4-5pm gives you that golden hour light without the 35°C+ (95°F+) temperatures you'd get in October-November.
Etosha National Park Self-Drive Game Viewing
May sits in that perfect window where the dry season concentrates wildlife around permanent waterholes, but before the peak winter crowds arrive in June-August. Morning drives from 6:30-10am when temperatures are 12-20°C (54-68°F) give you the best elephant, lion, and rhino sightings at waterholes like Okaukuejo and Halali. The grass is still relatively short from the dry months, making spotting easier than the green season. Afternoon sessions from 3:30pm until sunset at 6pm work well too, though it warms up to 26-28°C (79-82°F).
Swakopmund Adventure Sports and Coastal Activities
The Atlantic coastal town offers sandboarding, quad biking, and skydiving when the morning fog clears - typically by 11am-noon in May. The cooler 18-22°C (64-72°F) daytime temperatures make the 2-3 hour quad biking excursions through the dunes more comfortable than summer's heat. Sandboarding down the 100m (328ft) dunes works better in May because the sand isn't scorching hot. That said, morning activities often get delayed or rescheduled due to fog, so build flexibility into your schedule.
Damaraland Rock Art and Desert-Adapted Wildlife Tracking
May's moderate temperatures make the rugged Damaraland region more accessible for visiting Twyfelfontein's 2,500-year-old rock engravings and tracking desert-adapted elephants. The 1-2 hour guided walks through the rock art sites are manageable in the 24-26°C (75-79°F) midday heat, whereas summer temperatures of 38°C+ (100°F+) make this genuinely unpleasant. The elephants move between ephemeral riverbeds, and local trackers can usually locate herds within a 2-3 hour morning drive from camps in the Huab and Aba-Huab valleys.
Fish River Canyon Rim Hiking and Viewpoint Photography
The second-largest canyon in the world (after the Grand Canyon) is best experienced via the rim viewpoints in May - the full 85 km (53 mile) canyon floor hike only runs April-September, and by May the trail is already booked solid for the season. The rim drives and short walks to viewpoints like Hell's Bend and the Main Viewpoint work perfectly in May's 22-28°C (72-82°F) daytime temperatures. Early morning around 7-8am gives you that soft light illuminating the 550m (1,804ft) deep canyon walls, while late afternoon around 4:30-5:30pm offers dramatic shadows.
Windhoek Cultural Sites and Craft Market Shopping
The capital city works well as a bookend to your trip for stocking up on supplies, visiting the National Museum, and browsing craft markets for Himba jewelry, wood carvings, and textiles. May's pleasant 23-26°C (73-79°F) daytime temperatures make walking around the compact city center comfortable. The Namibia Craft Centre on Tal Street and the larger Post Street Mall craft market offer fixed prices (unlike roadside stalls) - expect to pay N$150-400 for quality carved animals, N$300-800 for traditional jewelry, N$800-2,000 for larger pieces.
May Events & Festivals
Africa Day Celebrations
May 25th marks Africa Day across the continent, and Windhoek typically hosts cultural performances, traditional dance shows, and food markets at locations like the National Theatre and Independence Avenue. It's more of a local celebration than a tourist event, but worth experiencing if your dates align - you'll see traditional Herero dress, Damara music performances, and taste kapana (street-grilled meat) and mopane worms if you're adventurous.