What are you looking for?

Zimbabwe in May

Africa's best authentic tailor-made safaris

Game viewing improves significantly in May as sunny days become common.

May marks the first month of the dry season, and wildlife is much more prominent in different parks.

This month, a great park to visit is Hwange National Park, which hosts the Big Five (rhinos are a rare sight, though).

The park is one of the biggest in Zimbabwe and a must-see region.

While English is the official language of the country, other languages spoken here are Shona and Ndebele.

To experience a little bit of the culture, a great start is to try the national dish of Zimbabwe called Sadza. It involves mixing cornmeal with water until it reaches a smooth consistency and is often served with meat and vegetables.

Weather in May

Sunny days are expected most of the month, but an odd shower or two may occur.

Although the weather has improved this month, game drives in the morning and the evening can be chilly, so remember to dress warmly.

Average Weather in May

Temperature Celsius Fahrenheit Rainfall
Min 10℃50℉2.6 mm
Max 27℃81℉23 mm

Highlight Park to Visit in May and Why

Matusadona National Park

May is an excellent time to see wildlife here, with the star attractions of hippos, buffaloes, and elephants.

Other animals that are rare but occur occasionally in the park are lions, hyenas, and zebras.

While wildlife has previously declined, the numbers are slowly increasing, and there are plans to reintroduce black rhinos and cheetahs in the coming years.

Birding is also a great activity in the park, and even though the weather has picked up, warm clothing should be worn during morning and evening game drives.

Activities to do in May

  • Game drives
  • Photographic safaris

Ready to plan your tailor-made safari?

933 Reviews - 5/5 Stars

Craft your journey with the expertise of our dedicated Africa Safari Experts

Start Planning

What Our Guests Have to Say?

Read recent reviews from travellers who have planned and booked their trips with us

star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Trustpilot review

"I worked with Adelle on our travel itinerary and from start to finish she was incredibly. She arranged all flights, transfers, accommodations and tours perfectly! The accommodations and tours were beyond our expectations! The entire experience was seamless ..."

Elizabeth Conte, United States•28 Sep 2026•

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Trustpilot review

"My husband and I started planning our Safari in Sept to go in May. Vihann at Discover Africa was wonderful!! He setup a video call on our timeline to ask what we wanted and actually listened. He came up with a plan that we agreed to and the rest was easy. A..."

April Wilson, United States•16 Jun 2026•

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Google review

"Amazing and truly unique experience! Susan was absolutely wonderful from start to finish. She was incredibly friendly, professional, and always available to help with every detail. Her knowledge, organization, and passion made the entire safari unforgett..."

Chloé, United States•12 Jun 2026•

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Safari Bookings review

"Discover Africa Safaris were great to deal with. Cayleigh put together an excellent itinerary which included Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta and Maun. It included everything we requested, with excellent accommodation, transfers and s..."

Julie Whitmore, Australia•09 Jun 2026•

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon
Safari Bookings review

"Our entire experience was magnificent. Everything was in place and perfectly reliable. We wanted for nothing and were taken care of every step of the way. To use the word "life changing" seems so cliché, but my husband and I both found the whole trip an ama..."

Julie Ferguson, United States•03 May 2026•

Read More
star-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-iconstar-icon

"What we appreciated was the effort in doing all the best to satisfy our requests! So everything was as expected.. the tented camp (everything was like at home),the game drive( we asked a private tour), the position of the camp ( very important for us, we sa..."

Silvia Del Giovane, Italy•12 Nov 2025•

Read More
View All Testimonials

Our safari traveller reviews are independently verified and sourced from trusted third-party review platforms.