When to Visit Gabon

Steamy mornings give way to torrential but brief afternoon cloudbursts. Sea is bathtub-warm off Pointe Denis.

Humidity thickens. Mangoes ripen in village markets and lightning flickers most nights.

The "little monsoon" peaks; expect hour-long downpours that turn Libreville's backstreets into shallow canals.

Rivers swell to the brim - great for boat safaris in Loango, hopeless for forest trekking.

Rains taper, skies crack open earlier each evening, first humpback whales appear near Port-Gentil.

Classic dry-season start: hard-packed laterite roads, coolish nights, wildlife easier to spot in Lopé.

Coolest, driest month. Forest walks are almost mosquito-free and beach bonfires feel pleasant.

Same as July but with a touch more haze. Sea remains flat, good for kayaking the Komo River mouth.

Humidity climbs, first thunderstorms roll through after dinner, forest orchids burst open.

The "big monsoon" arrives with a vengeance. Expect slate-grey skies and frog-choking roads. Yet turtles still nest on Pongara Beach.

Wettest month. Afternoon ferries often cancelled. But forest butterflies swarm in neon clouds.

Rains ease slightly, evenings grow sticky again, holidaymakers reclaim Libreville's seafront hotels.