Unique landscapes
Despite its hot, arid climate, Djibouti boasts an astonishing diversity of landscapes: lakes (Assal and Abbe), green mountains (Goda and Mabla), desert or semi-desert areas (Gagadé and Grand Bara), white sand beaches, mangroves, volcanic landscapes and one of the last primary forests on the African continent (Day Forest).
Two seasons
The mildest season is from November to April, with an average temperature of 25°C. Occasionally, it can rain, thanks to easterly winds that bring a few clouds. This season is simply ideal. The hottest season is from May to September. The average temperature is 35°C, but frequently reaches (and sometimes exceeds) 45°C in the shade. Two dry, scorching winds blow in July and August: the khamsin (from the northwest) and the sabo (from the southwest). Thunderstorms (rare and often at night) can also occur. In the transitional period between May and September, it doesn't rain, but the humidity is just as bad as the temperatures: a minimum of 60% day and night. It can even reach 100%. One of the hottest spots in the country is undoubtedly the Lake Assal depression, where temperatures can exceed 50°C. The highest areas, such as Day, Mablas and Arta, are appreciated for their relative coolness during hot spells.
Rarely does it rain
On average, 160 mm of rain falls per year, a pittance. But rainfall patterns vary enormously from year to year. It can rain abundantly (albeit over an extremely short period) in the course of a year: sudden thunderstorms, wadis filling up, the landscape turning green... The Goda and Mabla mountains are the most susceptible to these rains. But the humidity and coolness of these places are actually more the result of the fog that forms there. It can also rain very little or not at all for several years in certain parts of the region. In recent years, this has been the case throughout eastern Africa. Rainfall, however scarce and weak, is essential to the survival of many species, which have adapted to make the most of the few drops they do get.
Warm and crystal clear waters
The temperature of the waters of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, which meet off Djibouti, sometimes violently, never drops below 26°C. With air temperatures also very high, evaporation is high, resulting in very high salinity. These waters are characterized by their extraordinary clarity. In fact, there are no rivers flowing into them, bringing silt with them. The warm, salty water is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The warmer, saltier Gulf of Tadjourah is home to a special fauna, including coral species that have adapted to these extreme conditions, which would not normally suit them.
