Best Time to Visit Niamey

Cool and dry: December to February

This is the season to come. Mornings and evenings are properly cool, and December and January share the best comfort scores on our table. Days are sunny and dry, and the air is dusty-dry rather than sticky. January is the coolest month, with lows around 16°C, so you might want a light jacket for early starts.

It's also the easiest time for walking around town. Spend a morning at the Grand Marché, the big central market, then wander the Musée National Boubou Hama, which has a small zoo and craft workshops. At sunset, find a spot by the Niger River for a plate of grilled fish. By February, afternoons climb toward 36°C, so you'll want shade at midday.

You may meet the harmattan, a dry wind that blows in dust from the Sahara. On some days it turns the sky hazy. It's worth knowing about if you're planning photos.

The long heat: March to June

Be honest with yourself here. March to May is hard going. April is the hottest month, with highs around 41°C and warm nights near 27°C. Sightseeing is a dawn and dusk affair, and the middle of the day is for a fan or air-conditioning.

Rain starts to creep in from May, and June brings storms on more than half the days. They cool things down, but humidity climbs. If you must travel in this stretch, May is no gentler than April. Keep your plans light and indoors in the afternoons.

Rains and the return of calm: July to November

July and August are the rainy season. August is the wettest month, with about 200 mm on almost every day. Days are cloudy and muggy, and the roads on the edge of town can turn to mud. Temperatures are lower, around 31°C, but it won't feel fresh. The upside is a green, quiet landscape and few other visitors.

September is still wet. October is a transition month, with fewer storms and more sun. By November the rain has gone, humidity is low and the heat is easier again, though evenings aren't yet cool.

Niamey sees few leisure tourists in any month, so "high season" mostly means the cooler months, when aid workers and business travellers are about. Book your hotel early for December and January. If you're planning a trip around the Gerewol festival, check with local contacts first, as dates and access vary and it's held far from the capital.