Month guide · Johannesburg · South Africa
Johannesburg in May
What May is really like in Johannesburg: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Johannesburg. Expect average highs of 19°C (66°F), lows of 6°C (43°F), about 2 rainy days and roughly 10.8 hours of daylight. Dry and sunny, with cold nights starting; a good month for Pilanesberg and Kruger as vegetation thins.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 19°C (66°F) / 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days
- About 2
- Daylight
- About 10.8 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in May
May is the 10th-warmest month in Johannesburg: days average 19°C (66°F) against a yearly average high of 22°C (72°F), and nights fall to about 6°C (43°F). Rain falls on roughly 2 of its 31 days. Compared with April (21°C (70°F)), May is cooler; by June highs drop to around 16°C (61°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:39
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 17:29
- Daylight
- About 10.8 hours
Winter (June–August). Dry, bright days and cold, sometimes frosty nights; excellent game viewing in nearby reserves.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 2 for crowds (the peak is October at 4) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in October). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Johannesburg, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Zoo · Parkview
Johannesburg Zoo
Combine it with lunch at Zoo Lake across the road and a walk around the water.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Nature · Melville
Melville Koppies
A rocky ridge of protected Highveld grassland on the edge of Melville, with indigenous plants, birdlife and the remains of an Iron Age smelting furnace.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Views
Museum · Ormonde
Apartheid Museum
Go in the morning while you are fresh, and leave time for the temporary exhibitions on Mandela and the transition to democracy.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Braamfontein
Constitution Hill
This former prison complex held Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and thousands of ordinary South Africans arrested under pass laws.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
What to pack
For highs near 19°C, lows near 6°C and 2 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Johannesburg?
One of the best months to visit Johannesburg. The other best months are April and September–October. Compare every month.
Johannesburg in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Johannesburg?
It is one of the best months to visit Johannesburg. Dry and sunny, with cold nights starting; a good month for Pilanesberg and Kruger as vegetation thins.
+How warm is Johannesburg in May?
Average highs are around 19°C (66°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Johannesburg in May?
Expect rain on about 2 days of the month, so it is usually dry.