Botswana in May

Floodwaters reach the Delta; cool mornings.

May is rated good. These months rate higher:

• JuneGreatPeak flood and mokoro season; cold nights (pack warm layers).
• JulyGreatHigh season; camps booked a year ahead.
• AugustGreatExcellent game; Chobe elephant herds build.
• SeptemberGreatHot days, top game viewing; flood recedes.

• Okavango Delta and Moremi · Maun, Delta camps, Khwaibest weather

  The flood from Angola arrives about May and peaks June–August, during the dry season. October is very hot and dry, with game at the water. Green season Dec–Mar brings storms and birds.

• Chobe and Linyanti · Kasane, Savuti, Linyantifine

  Chobe riverfront elephant herds peak Aug–Oct. Savuti's zebra migration passes in Nov–Dec and Mar–Apr.

• Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan · Gweta, Nata, Nxai Panfine

  Zebra and wildebeest migration on the pans in the rains (Dec–Mar); quad-bike and meerkat trips in the dry season.

• Central Kalahari · CKGR, Deception Valleyfine

  Best in the rains when antelope and predators gather on the green pans; very hot and dry in Oct–Nov.

• South-east · Gaborone, Tuli Blockbest weather

  Most of the population; Tuli is a quiet dry-season reserve on the Limpopo.

• Kalahari: Kalahari (Ghanzi, Tsabong, CKGR) · Western and central Botswanabest weather

  Cool, dry winter (May–Aug) brings cold nights near 0 °C (32 °F) and clear game-viewing days; the green season (Jan–Apr) is hot with afternoon storms and the best Central Kalahari game viewing.Cool, dry winter (May–Aug) brings cold nights near 32 °F (0 °C) and clear game-viewing days; the green season (Jan–Apr) is hot with afternoon storms and the best Central Kalahari game viewing.

• Okavango-Chobe: Okavango Delta and Moremi · Northwest, around Maunbest weather

  Flood peaks June–August when the Delta is fullest; rains December–February bring green grass and calving herds.

• Okavango-Chobe: Chobe and Kasane · Northeast, along the Chobe Riverbest weather

  Dry season June–October concentrates elephants on the river; October is hot before the rains.

• Southeast Botswana: Gaborone and the southeast · Hardveld plateau, about 1,000 mbest weather

  Rain falls mainly in the summer months (Dec–Mar), often as afternoon storms; winter (May–Sep) is dry with cold nights — exact temperatures check. Oct–Nov is hot and dry before the rains.

• Maun28 °C (82 °F) / 11 °C (52 °F), 0 rain days82 °F (28 °C) / 52 °F (11 °C), 0 rain days
• Francistown30 °C (86 °F) / 16 °C (61 °F), 5 rain days86 °F (30 °C) / 61 °F (16 °C), 5 rain days
• Gaborone25.6 °C (78 °F) / 8.3 °C (47 °F), 2 rain days78 °F (25.6 °C) / 47 °F (8.3 °C), 2 rain days
• Ghanzi26 °C (79 °F) / 7 °C (45 °F), 2 rain days79 °F (26 °C) / 45 °F (7 °C), 2 rain days
• Gweta24 °C (75 °F) / 10 °C (50 °F), 2 rain days75 °F (24 °C) / 50 °F (10 °C), 2 rain days
• Kanye24 °C (75 °F) / 10 °C (50 °F), 2 rain days75 °F (24 °C) / 50 °F (10 °C), 2 rain days
• Kasane28 °C (82 °F) / 11 °C (52 °F), 1 rain days82 °F (28 °C) / 52 °F (11 °C), 1 rain days
• Mochudi24 °C (75 °F) / 12 °C (54 °F), 2 rain days75 °F (24 °C) / 54 °F (12 °C), 2 rain days
• Nata28 °C (82 °F) / 10 °C (50 °F), 1 rain days82 °F (28 °C) / 50 °F (10 °C), 1 rain days
• Tsabong24 °C (75 °F) / 8 °C (46 °F), 1 rain days75 °F (24 °C) / 46 °F (8 °C), 1 rain days

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.

• Labour Day

  1 May

  Public holiday.

• Ascension Day

  May (moves yearly)

  Public holiday.

Crowds · Botswana

Medium

Prices · Botswana

Medium

Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Botswana, side by side.

Nothing unusual for the weather this month.

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Rated best or good this month

• Okavango Delta and Moremi

  Best weather of the year (Maun, Delta camps, Khwai)

• South-east

  Best weather of the year (Gaborone, Tuli Block)

• Maun

  Cooler and dry; start of peak season.

• Francistown

  Best months: May–Oct

• Gaborone

  Best months: Apr–Sep (dry, mild)

• Ghanzi

  Best months: May–Sep (dry, cool)

• Kasane

  Best months: May–Sep (dry season, game concentrates on the river)

• Mochudi

  Best months: May–Oct

• Tsabong

  Best months: May–Sep (cooler, dry)