Bamenda has two seasons: dry from mid-November to mid-March and wet from mid-March to mid-November. Even the dry season has cool mornings — the city sits at 1,600 m — and you may need a sweater at night.
The wet season is genuinely wet — heavy daily downpours, slippery roads, and frequent landslides on the Ring Road, which becomes nearly impassable in parts. Travel in October and November after the rains taper is usually fine and the landscapes are at their greenest.
Festivals to look out for include the annual Mankon, Bafut, and Kom dances around the December and Easter holidays, when the chiefdoms hold ceremonies open to outsiders. Confirm dates locally; the political situation has disrupted many traditional gatherings.