How To Survive The Harmattan In Ghana

From December through to February, the harmattan is the north-easterly Sahara trade winds which rush in desert-like sandstorms, leaving skin dry, lips cracked, and everything covered in dust. However, it also results in low mosquito breeding rates and your laundry drying faster! The following are tips on how to survive the harmattan in Ghana.

Hydrate

You might not sweat as much during the harmattan but drinking water regularly is still strongly advised. Eating fruit is also recommended. Keeping hydrated helps to keep the skin smooth and reduces stress. People who stay outdoors during harmattan for long durations need to keep a balanced water level at all times.

Dose up on vitamin C

Temperatures are generally low during harmattan mornings, when it can get as cold as 9°C (48°F), but afternoons have had recorded temperatures of higher than 30°C (86°F). The relative humidity takes a nose-dive. As such, there’s the likelihood of contracting flu because of the combination of the dust and undulating temperatures. A daily dose of vitamin C keeps your health up and nausea at bay.

Fend off cracked lips

Wind-chilled and cracking chapped lips are seen everywhere the harmattan visits. For this reason, moisturisers, creams and balms meant for preventing dry lips are worth keeping nearby. Locally, shea butter, almond oil and anything vitamin E-based will be your best friend during this season. You can also try the easy Ghanaian homemade method of leaving thin slices of cucumber over your lips for five minutes.

Low visibility is one of the manifestations of harmattan

Avoid buildings fires

Ghanaian forests and shrub lands, especially in the Northern regions, have faced disastrous spreading bush fires which are difficult to combat. Fire belts are usually put up to prevent destruction of foliage when the dry season hits. Measures are being put in place as part of the national climate change and fire fighting plan.

Dress for harmattan

During cold harmattan phases, multiple layers become requisite as opposed to an option. However it gets warm really quickly sometimes, and your overcoat will become unnecessary. Throw on a pair of jeans and layer a T-shirt under a sweater and don’t forget your dust resistant glasses.

Hand, hair and body care

Your hands, face, hair and body need just as much nourishing care as your lips do when harmattan strikes in Ghana. The sunny yet slightly chilling afternoons with chalky atmospheres cause thin films of dry dust to settle on your skin, especially with outdoor exposure. Regular showers are recommended, and oily moisturising body creams are essential.

Cover your face

The dryness that harmattan brings also encourages dried-out and irritated nasal passages so it is essential to carry a nose spray. The harsh harmattan is not the best season for asthmatics either, therefore, it’s recommended to keep your face covered, use air purifiers and inhalers when needed, and stay away from dusty places i.e. anywhere outside during a sandstrom.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.