Best Time to Visit Lome

Dry and sunny: November to February

This is the easy stretch. December and January are our top picks. December is the driest month, with only 17 mm of rain, and it has the most sun. January is close behind. Days are hot but not fierce, and the evenings stay warm enough for a drink outside.

You can walk the Grand Marché, the big central market, without dodging downpours. Beach days at Lomé's coast are reliable too. The sea can have strong currents, so swim where locals do and ask first. November is a good shoulder month. It's a little wetter, but you'll still get plenty of sun. February starts to turn sticky and rainier.

December is also when many Togolese living abroad come home for the holidays. Flights and hotels can fill up, and the city feels lively. If you want quiet, go in early November or late January.

March to July: hot, wet and heavy

March is rated Poor, and it's a sharp change. Rain falls on 21 days, the air feels thick, and the sun mostly hides. April to June is the main rainy season. June is the wettest month at 186 mm, with May close behind. Rain falls on 27 days in both May and June, so expect it daily, often in heavy bursts.

Is it worth going? Only if you're flexible. Streets can flood, and dirt roads out of town turn to mud. Day trips to Lake Togo and Togoville, a historic town across the water, are harder in the worst downpours. On the plus side, hotels are quieter and the air is a bit cooler by July, when highs drop to 27°C.

August to October: a short break, then more rain

August is a small gap. It's rated Fair, with the least rain of the wet months at 56 mm. If you must travel mid-year, this is your best shot. Then September and October bring a second rainy season. October is the muggier one, with rain on 27 days.

Low season runs through most of this period, so you'll find space and calmer prices. Pack a rain jacket for the walk to a maquis, a casual open-air restaurant, and plan indoor stops like the National Museum. For a first trip, though, stick with the dry months.