Serengeti in May
Green season at its most beautiful. The Serengeti as it was meant to be seen — wild, empty, extraordinary.
May is when the Serengeti reveals a version of itself that the peak-season visitors never see. The short rains have settled into their rhythm — dramatic afternoon clouds building over the plains each day, short sharp showers that transform the landscape into vivid emerald, and the most extraordinary light quality of any month in the safari calendar.
The wildebeest are分散 across the southern and central Serengeti in smaller, more relaxed groups than the dense concentrations of the dry season. The big cats are well-fed and comfortable. The birdlife is extraordinary — summer migrants from the Palaearctic have arrived, joining the resident species in one of the most diverse birding destinations in Africa. And perhaps most compellingly: almost no other vehicles.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the Serengeti in May: what the green season actually looks and feels like, where to find the best wildlife viewing, how to navigate the short rains, and why May delivers exceptional safari at the lowest prices of the year.
The green season Serengeti — unlike anything peak season offers
May is not a lesser version of the Serengeti. It is a different Serengeti entirely.
The landscape in May
May is the peak of the short rains' greening effect. The Serengeti plains — which turn golden and dusty by August — are in May a vivid, luminous green. The grass is long enough to ripple in the wind. The earth is dark and rich. The temporary pools and dambos (shallow wetlands) that fill with the rains create stunning reflections and attract wildlife from across the surrounding area.
The skies in May are extraordinary: dramatic cumulonimbus clouds building through the heat of the day, often breaking into spectacular late-afternoon light shows. The photography conditions — soft morning light, dramatic afternoon clouds, vivid green landscape — are better than any dry season month. This is a landscape that looks like the Africa of the wildlife photography books, not the dusty, cropped-brown plains of peak season.
The wildlife in May
The wildebeest are not absent in May — they are simply spread across a wider area in smaller herds. You will see them throughout the southern and central Serengeti: grazing peacefully, moving in relaxed groups, often with this year's calves alongside. The big cats — lions, leopards, cheetahs — are content and well-fed after the abundance of the calving season, and typically visible in good numbers throughout May.
Perhaps the most underrated aspect of May wildlife viewing is the birding. May marks the arrival of Palaearctic migrants — birds that have travelled from Europe and Asia to spend the northern summer in Africa. The diversity of birdlife in the Serengeti in May is exceptional: we have recorded over 500 species in a single week of birding in the Serengeti during May.
Where to stay in May
Ndutu is exceptional in May. The lake attracts wildlife from across the southern plains, and the green season setting — dramatic skies, fresh grass, birdlife in abundance — is at its most beautiful. The lodge offers warm hospitality, excellent food, and one of the most peaceful locations in the Serengeti at this time of year.
Best for: Photographers, birders, and wildlife enthusiasts who appreciate solitude and natural beauty
A strong year-round option in the heart of the Serengeti. Kubu Kubu offers good access to the central Serengeti wildlife, comfortable tented accommodation, and excellent guiding. In May, the surrounding landscape is at its most beautiful, and the camp's position near the Moru Kopjes offers good resident wildlife viewing.
Best for: Travellers who want a comfortable camp with reliable year-round wildlife access
Lake Masek is in an excellent position for May wildlife viewing — the lake itself attracts diverse wildlife, and the surrounding green landscape is genuinely beautiful. The camp offers good value for money in the green season, with comfortable tented accommodation and a peaceful setting.
Best for: Value-conscious travellers who want a comfortable base in a beautiful wildlife-rich area
A mid-range option that punches above its weight in the green season. The location near the Seronera river system gives access to reliable year-round wildlife, and the landscape setting in May — green, fresh, dramatic-skied — is excellent.
Best for: Travellers seeking good quality accommodation at the best value time of year
May availability note: Unlike the peak months, May offers excellent last-minute availability at most camps. With 3-6 weeks notice, you can typically secure your first choice of camp and itinerary. This is one of May's greatest advantages — you can plan a safari relatively spontaneously without the 12-month advance booking required for July-August.
Serengeti weather & logistics in May
Average High
Warm days with afternoon cloud buildups. The temperature is comfortable and the air feels fresh. Light clothing during the day is sufficient, though a light rain layer is useful for afternoon game drives.
Morning Low
Mild mornings. You may want a light layer for pre-dawn game drives but the cold weather gear required in June-August is not necessary in May. Comfortable temperatures throughout the day.
Avg Rainfall
May is peak short rains. Rain typically falls as afternoon or overnight showers — not all-day rain. Morning game drives are usually dry. Green season logistics handle any weather; we use private 4WD vehicles at all times.
Green season road conditions in May
Road conditions: May is one of the more challenging months for road travel in the Serengeti due to rain impact on unpaved roads. Some roads in the southern Serengeti and Ndutu area can become difficult after heavy rain — we use exclusively high-clearance 4WD vehicles in May and plan routes that avoid the most problematic sections. Your guide will have up-to-date local knowledge on road conditions.
Getting to the southern Serengeti: The most reliable approach is a scheduled flight from Arusha to Ndutu Airstrip (1 hour 20 minutes), which places you directly in the heart of the southern Serengeti wildlife area. Road transfers from Seronera to Ndutu are possible but route-dependent on recent rainfall.
Self-driving: Not advisable in May. The combination of unmarked roads, rain-impacted surfaces, and wildlife hazards (wildebeest crossing roads in large numbers) makes self-drive genuinely dangerous at this time of year. Always use an experienced guide and proper 4WD vehicle.
May birding — one of East Africa's finest months
Palaearctic migrants have arrived
May marks the peak of Palaearctic bird migration in the Serengeti. Birds that have spent the northern winter in Africa — swallows, swifts, wheatears, warblers, and dozens of other species — are now departing northward, while others are arriving for the southern summer. The diversity is extraordinary: we have recorded over 100 species of birds within a single morning's game drive in the Serengeti in May.
Raptors in abundance
The short rains create ideal hunting conditions for raptors. Steppe eagles, which migrate through Tanzania in their thousands in March-May, are frequently seen. Yellow-billed storks wade in the temporary pools. African fish eagles are year-round residents and always visible along the river systems. For serious birders, May in the Serengeti is one of the finest safari experiences in Africa.
Birding highlights in May
• Steppe eagle migration (March-May peak)
• Eurasian roller (flyway vagrant)
• African pygmy goose at permanent water
• Grey-crested helmet-shrike flocks
• Northern carmine bee-eaters
• White-backed and Lappet-faced vultures
Frequently asked questions — Serengeti in May
Is May a good time for a Serengeti safari?
Will it rain every day in May?
Where are the wildebeest in May?
What does a May Serengeti safari cost?
Start Planning Your the Serengeti in May
May is the Serengeti at its most beautiful — vivid green, dramatic skies, extraordinary birdlife, and almost no other vehicles. If you have always imagined the Serengeti as a golden dry-season plains experience, let us show you the other side of this extraordinary park: the green season Serengeti that our most experienced safari guides consistently name as their favourite time of year.