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When it rains in Guinea it really rains. Roads quickly become impassable and pretty much everything comes to a halt. It’s therefore vital to know the best time to visit Guinea. I reveal all right here.
The seasons in Guinea
As you may have guessed from the introduction, Guinea has a two season climate rather than a four season one.
The dry season occupies the winter months of October until April. The rest of the year, May until the end of September, consists of the wet season.
However, lighter showers can begin from around the middle of February and continue on into November.
Guinea’s dry season
While some rainfall does often occur in November, Guinea’s dry season is usually in full swing from the beginning of December. It continues into January and February.
These three months are typified by sunny skies and warm to hot days. Temperatures can hit 32°C (90 F), and humidity gradually builds during the latter half of this period.
The breeze off the Atlantic can help keep you cool, although the prevailing wind (the harmattan) is itself hot, bringing in heat and sand from the Sahara Desert to the east.
Nights provide some respite, and are particular cool in Guinea’s mountainous interior.
Guinea’s wet season
In reality, you’re going to want to avoid the wet season. It’s at its worst along the Atlantic coast, where you’ll find the hotels of Conakry, the capital.
Up to four metres (160 inches) of rain can fall each year during the wet season months in this part of the country.
The far north and east sees around a quarter of this total, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking this means the rains aren’t heavy.
The wet season peaks in July and August. However, the continued rain means unsurfaced roads don’t dry out until October or November at the earliest.
Temperatures during this period range between 23 and 30°C (73-82 F).
The best time to visit Guinea
One of West Africa’s wettest destinations, the best time to visit Guinea is undoubtedly the dry season. What’s more, you should be aiming at the middle months of the season, around January and February. This relatively short window provides the best options when it comes to transportation and enjoying all the country’s attractions, such as hiking on Mount Nimba.
