Best Time to Visit Ouagadougou

November to February: dry and the easiest

December and January are your best bet. Days are hot but not crushing, nights are cool, and it hardly rains. Mornings can feel almost fresh, with highs around 33°C and lows of 15°C. In this season the Harmattan, a dry wind off the Sahara, can leave a dusty haze over the city. The sky may look pale, but the heat is easier to handle.

This is the time for walking and getting around. You can wander the craft stalls at the Village Artisanal de Ouagadougou, look at the masks in the Musée National, or take a shared taxi out to Laongo, where granite sculptures stand in the open. Nov and Feb are still pleasant, though Feb starts to heat up.

The big event is FESPACO, the pan-African film festival. It runs every two years, in odd-numbered years, usually late February into early March. Hotels fill up, so if you're going for films, expect a busier, pricier city. The SIAO craft fair is also held every two years, in even-numbered years, usually around late October to early November. Check the current dates before you book.

March to May: the hot squeeze

March and April are the hardest months. Highs reach 39–40°C, and nights stay warm, so there's little relief. The sun hours drop in the table because of dust haze, not cloud. Afternoons are for shade, a cold drink and a long lunch of grilled chicken or brochettes (skewers) at a maquis, a casual local open-air restaurant.

May brings the first storms. Humidity climbs, and the rain falls on about 13 days. If you hate crowds and heat together, this is a quiet time, but you'll need patience.

June to September: rainy season

The rains peak in July and August, with August the wettest month at 268 mm. Showers are heavy and the red dirt streets can flood fast. Temperatures drop a bit, but the air feels thick and sticky. Highs of 31°C in August make it the coolest of the hot-weather months, but it doesn't feel cool.

It's low season for visitors, so you'll have places to yourself. It suits people who don't mind mud and delays, and who want green countryside. Plan on road trips taking longer, especially on unpaved routes.

October: the in-between month

October is a fair choice. The rain eases to about 12 days, and the sky clears. It's a good time if you want the fresh green landscape without the August downpours. Nights are warm, and it's still humid, but it dries out as November nears.