Where to go in Africa in May

South Africa’s flagship park: Big Five, excellent roads and options for every budget.

A vast inland delta where floodwaters arrive in the dry season, drawing wildlife from all around.

One of the largest elephant populations in Africa, best seen from a boat on the Chobe River.

Endless salt flats, meerkats and a zebra migration after the rains.

One of the largest waterfalls in the world, on the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia.

A great white salt pan where animals queue at waterholes in the dry season.

Some of the tallest sand dunes in the world, glowing red at sunrise.

Shipwrecks, seal colonies and desert-adapted elephants.

One of the largest canyons in the world, with a famous multi-day hike.

A vast freshwater lake with clear water and colourful fish.

Turquoise water, sand dunes and coral reefs in a protected marine park.

A laid-back beach town famous for diving with manta rays and whale sharks.

Souks, riads and the nightly theatre of Jemaa el-Fna square.

The world’s largest car-free urban area, a medieval medina still working as it always has.

Orange Saharan dunes, camel treks and nights in a desert camp.

A blue-washed mountain town in the Rif.

Some of the world’s best coral reefs, a few hours from Europe.

A lively Atlantic capital, plus the island symbol of the slave trade.

Rainforest where the indri, the largest lemur, sings each morning.

A dirt road lined with giant baobabs, glowing at sunset.

Granite boulders, turquoise water and some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere.

A dramatic mountain over a turquoise lagoon, with kitesurfing and forest hikes nearby.