Seasons
When to go
Dry season, harmattan and rains, region by region
The season board
The dry season, roughly November to March, is the most reliable. Choose a month to see what each part of the country is doing.
January. Peak season. Harmattan haze in the north and often on the coast; cool nights in the north.
February. Still dry and busy. Haze lifts later in the month in the south; the north heats up.
March. Hot everywhere, very hot in the north. Good for Mole's elephants, which gather at the water.
April. The south's rains begin. The far north is at its hottest before its own rains.
May. Rains in the south and forest; green and humid. Fewer visitors, lower demand.
June. The heaviest rains on the coast. Some trails close; the Volta falls are building.
July. Rains continue, with cooler, cloudier days on the coast. Emancipation Day and Panafest season around the end of the month in some years.
August. A drier lull on the coast. Chale Wote in Accra, Homowo season among the Ga. Rains at their height in the north.
September. Short rains in the south; the north still wet. Cape Coast's Fetu Afahye early in the month.
October. Short rains easing in the south. The falls in the Volta highlands are full.
November. The dry season starts. Green landscapes, clear air, good walking everywhere.
December. Dry, festive and busy, especially around Christmas, when many in the diaspora travel. Book early.
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South coast | Harmattan | Harmattan | Hot | Rains | Rains | Rains | Rains | Lull | Short rains | Short rains | Dry | Dry |
| Forest belt & Volta | Harmattan | Harmattan | Dry | Rains | Rains | Rains | Rains | Lull | Short rains | Short rains | Dry | Harmattan |
| North | Harmattan | Harmattan | Hot | Hot | Rains | Rains | Rains | Rains | Rains | Rains | Dry | Harmattan |
- Dry: Dry and warm. The most reliable travelling weather.
- Harmattan: Dry, with dust haze blown from the Sahara. Cooler nights, softer light, poorer views; flights in the north can be delayed.
- Hot: Dry and very hot, especially in the north, where afternoons can pass 40°C.
- Rains: The main rains. Heavy downpours, usually in the afternoon or overnight; some roads and trails are muddy.
- Short rains: The south's shorter second rainy season: showers rather than days of rain.
- Lull: A drier, cooler break between the south's two rainy seasons.
Broad patterns, not forecasts. (to verify)
Three zones, three rhythms
The south coast (Accra, Cape Coast, Ada, the western coast) has two rainy seasons: the main rains from about April to July, and shorter rains around September and October, with a drier lull in August.
The forest belt and the Volta (Kakum, Kumasi, the Volta highlands, the Akuapem Ridge) follow a similar pattern, greener and more humid, with waterfalls at their fullest late in the rains.
The north (Mole, Tamale, the Upper regions) has one long wet season from about May to October, and a hot, dry season that peaks in March and April. (to verify)
The harmattan
From about December to February a dry wind blows south from the Sahara, carrying fine dust. Skies turn milky, views shorten, nights in the north are cool, and photographs take on a soft, golden haze.
It is still good travelling weather. The main practical effect is on flights in the north, which can be delayed when visibility drops, so we leave slack in the plan around them. (to verify)
Month by month
January
Peak season. Harmattan haze in the north and often on the coast; cool nights in the north.
February
Still dry and busy. Haze lifts later in the month in the south; the north heats up.
March
Hot everywhere, very hot in the north. Good for Mole's elephants, which gather at the water.
April
The south's rains begin. The far north is at its hottest before its own rains.
May
Rains in the south and forest; green and humid. Fewer visitors, lower demand.
June
The heaviest rains on the coast. Some trails close; the Volta falls are building.
July
Rains continue, with cooler, cloudier days on the coast. Emancipation Day and Panafest season around the end of the month in some years.
August
A drier lull on the coast. Chale Wote in Accra, Homowo season among the Ga. Rains at their height in the north.
September
Short rains in the south; the north still wet. Cape Coast's Fetu Afahye early in the month.
October
Short rains easing in the south. The falls in the Volta highlands are full.
November
The dry season starts. Green landscapes, clear air, good walking everywhere.
December
Dry, festive and busy, especially around Christmas, when many in the diaspora travel. Book early.
Let us help you plan your trip
Tell us your month, and we will tell you which houses suit it
- A specialist who writes back by hand
- Days ordered one house at a time
- Time left free after the heavy days
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