Best Time to Visit Pikine

Dry season: November to May

This is the best stretch, and the data backs it up. Days are warm but not harsh, and rain is rare. December to February is the coolest part, with highs of 22 to 24°C and cooler nights. You'll want a thin jacket for evenings, especially when the sea breeze picks up near the Atlantic.

March and April feel mild, but humidity climbs and the air gets heavy. May is warmer still. If you plan to walk Pikine's busy markets, such as Marché Syndicat, the cooler months are kinder to your feet.

Pikine is a big suburb of Dakar, not a resort. Most visitors come to see everyday Senegalese life, visit family, or use it as a base for the city. The dry months make getting around easier. The roads and the crowded minibuses called cars rapides are less of a struggle when streets aren't flooded.

Rainy season: July to October

Rain builds in July, then peaks in August and September. Those two months see rain on 24 and 25 days, and sun drops to about 3 hours a day. That's the heart of the wet season, and our ratings call it Poor. Pikine sits low, at only 17 m, and its streets are known for flooding. Expect standing water, slow traffic and muddy side roads.

It's also hot and sticky, with nights that barely cool below 27°C. If you can only come now, keep your plans flexible and stay near main roads. October is a gentler month, with rain on 11 days and more sun coming back.

Which month for which trip

For city sightseeing in Dakar, such as Gorée Island, the Monument de la Renaissance Africaine and the Soumbédioune fish market, pick December to February. For beach time at Ngor or Yoff, March to May and November are warm and mostly dry. June is a decent shoulder month, with more cloud but little rain.

Crowds are lightest in the rainy months, but that's because few people want to be here. High season for visitors runs from November to about April, when European winter sends more travellers to Senegal. Expect busier flights and fuller hotels in Dakar then.

Looking for culture? The Grand Magal of Touba, a huge Muslim pilgrimage, moves with the Islamic calendar. It can fall in the wet season, so check the date before you book. Travelling then? Expect heavy traffic on roads out of Dakar.