Knysna

Garden Route Weather in May

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the Garden Route, South Africa in May.

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Knysna Plettenberg Bay Wilderness George

Planning a getaway to the Garden Route, South Africa this May and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:

What to Expect in the Garden Route in May

The Garden Route, South Africa is a region in South Africa. May in the Garden Route generally has pleasant temperatures, with moderate precipitation.

Temperatures

You can expect pleasant maximum daytime temperatures of around 20°C (68°F) and nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) in Knysna.

For a closer look at conditions across the Garden Route, South Africa, refer to the map below.

Precipitation

In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Mossel Bay with an average of 42 mm (1.7 in) to moderate rainfall in Plettenberg Bay with 51 mm (2 in).

Average sunshine

Several destinations enjoy plenty of sunshine this month. Knysna sees close to 261 hours of sunlight, making it great for sun lovers.

Explore the Garden Route by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the Garden Route — and find the best time to visit. (based on Knysna)

January24°C (75°F) February24°C (75°F) March23°C (73°F) April22°C (72°F) May20°C (68°F) June19°C (66°F) This monthJuly19°C (66°F) August18°C (64°F) September19°C (66°F) October20°C (68°F) November21°C (70°F) December23°C (73°F)
Best Time to Visit the Garden Route →

Best Places to Visit in the Garden Route in May

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across the Garden Route.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in the Garden Route

What is the weather like in May for some of the most popular destinations in the Garden Route, South Africa?

Temperature range in the Garden Route (May)

Precipitation variation in the Garden Route (May)

Knysna

In May Knysna generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C (68°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
22°C (72°F)
20°C (68°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
15°C (59°F)
13°C (55°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly sun hours
262 hours
261 hours
239 hours
Monthly rainfall
56 mm (2.2 in)
50 mm (2 in)
49 mm (1.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
9 days
9 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
pleasant
Climate in Knysna →

Plettenberg Bay

In May Plettenberg Bay generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C (68°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
22°C (72°F)
20°C (68°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
15°C (59°F)
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
Monthly sun hours
262 hours
261 hours
239 hours
Monthly rainfall
54 mm (2.1 in)
51 mm (2 in)
53 mm (2.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
9 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
pleasant
Climate in Plettenberg Bay →

Wilderness

In May Wilderness generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
22°C (72°F)
21°C (70°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
10°C (50°F)
Monthly sun hours
201 hours
205 hours
199 hours
Monthly rainfall
58 mm (2.3 in)
48 mm (1.9 in)
44 mm (1.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
8 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
pleasant
Climate in Wilderness →

George

In May George generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
23°C (73°F)
21°C (70°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
Monthly sun hours
201 hours
205 hours
199 hours
Monthly rainfall
57 mm (2.2 in)
47 mm (1.9 in)
42 mm (1.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
8 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
pleasant
Climate in George →

Mossel Bay

In May Mossel Bay generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
22°C (72°F)
21°C (70°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
16°C (61°F)
14°C (57°F)
12°C (54°F)
Monthly sun hours
201 hours
205 hours
199 hours
Monthly rainfall
47 mm (1.9 in)
42 mm (1.7 in)
39 mm (1.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
8 days
Weather conditions
perfect
perfect
pleasant
Climate in Mossel Bay →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the Garden Route, in South Africa.

Popular cities in May

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the Garden Route in May.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Knysna 20°C (68°F) 13°C (55°F) 50 mm (2 in)
Plettenberg Bay 20°C (68°F) 14°C (57°F) 51 mm (2 in)
Wilderness 21°C (70°F) 12°C (54°F) 48 mm (1.9 in)
George 21°C (70°F) 12°C (54°F) 47 mm (1.9 in)
Mossel Bay 21°C (70°F) 14°C (57°F) 42 mm (1.7 in)
Sedgefield 21°C (70°F) 13°C (55°F) 48 mm (1.9 in)

The Garden Route weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the Garden Route, South Africa in May?

the Garden Route, South Africa typically experiences perfect weather in May, part of the season. Daytime highs in Knysna average around 20°C (68°F), and temperatures drop to about 13°C (55°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in the Garden Route, South Africa in May?

In Knysna, the average daytime high in May is 20°C (68°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 13°C (55°F).

Does the Garden Route, South Africa get a lot of rain in May?

Not particularly. Knysna averages just 50 mm (2 in) of rain in May, making it a mostly dry month for the Garden Route, South Africa.

Is May a Good Time to Visit the Garden Route, South Africa?

We believe that May is one of the best times to visit the Garden Route, South Africa with overall perfect weather in Knysna. However, the weather conditions may vary depending on your destination.

On average, the best time to visit the Garden Route, South Africa is in January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December with generally perfect weather in Knysna.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the Garden Route.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to South Africa? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in South Africa.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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