When to Visit Cameroon

Dust-laden harmattan slides south from the Sahel, bleaching northern skies to pale brass and chilling the nights. Down south it's dry, bright and busy with post-holiday traffic.

Still locked in the dry season. Grass fires haze the Plateau with wood-smoke while mangoes sweeten in village markets. Laterite roads stay solid, prime time for long drives.

Heat piles up, first thunderstorms snap over the Atlantic at dusk, and humidity glues shirts to skin. Hotel prices relax as expat families fly home for school.

Real rain kicks in south of Yaoundé, short, sharp afternoon bursts that drum tin roofs and steam the tarmac. Up north the air stays hot and mostly dry.

Green season hits full voice: forest tracks ooze ochre mud, frogs strike up at dusk, and the air smells of soaked earth and bruised mango. Tourists thin, prices drop.

Coastal rain peaks; slate-grey skies unload in sheets, then clear just as fast. Mountain slopes look brushed in velvet, great for photos if you don't mind a soaking.

Wettest month in the south. Potholes breed, traffic snarls. But the countryside glows neon green. In the north, quick storms top up seasonal pools and rinse the dust.

Rain backs off a notch. Yet waterproof gear is still non-negotiable. Bamenda nights can dip to 15°C (59°F), pack a fleece for dawn over the crater lakes.

A second rain pulse sweeps Douala and Kribi. Rivers swell, waterfalls roar, humidity locks at 80%. Hornbills flap overhead, prime month for birders.

Downpours shrink, skies brighten, and locals rush Limbé's black-sand beach. Mornings steam, afternoons blaze, keep a dry shirt handy.

Dry season returns. Roads harden, evenings smell of wood-fire and roasting corn. Circle Douala to the Ring Road without chaining up.

Peak window: clear skies, steady 30°C (86°F) days, highland nights cool enough for sleeves. Hotels cost more, villages spin end-of-year dances until dawn.