Highlights
Ouagadougou
The capital is a centre of West African culture, home to FESPACO, the continent's best-known film festival, held every two years, and to a large international crafts fair. Its markets sell bronze castings, leatherwork and textiles.
Bobo-Dioulasso
The second city has a relaxed atmosphere, a lively music scene and the Grand Mosque, a striking mud-brick building with wooden beams projecting from its walls. The old quarter of Kibidwé lies beside it.
Banfora and its surroundings
The green south-west around Banfora has the Karfiguéla waterfalls, the eroded sandstone Domes of Fabédougou, and Lake Tengréla, where hippos live in the water.
Sindou Peaks
A ridge of tall, narrow sandstone pinnacles shaped by erosion, rising above the surrounding farmland in the far south-west.
Tiébélé
A village in the south known for the painted earth houses of the Kassena people, decorated by women with geometric patterns in red, black and white.
Ruins of Loropéni
The stone walls of a fortified settlement in the south-west, linked to the trans-Saharan gold trade, which became the country's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Interesting facts about Burkina Faso
- The name Burkina Faso combines words from Mooré and Dioula and is usually translated as 'land of upright people'.
- The country was known as Upper Volta until 1984.
- FESPACO, the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, has been held since 1969 and is one of Africa's largest film festivals.
- Burkina Faso shares part of the W-Arly-Pendjari complex, one of the largest protected savannah areas in West Africa, with Benin and Niger.
- Bronze casting using the lost-wax method is a long-standing craft in Ouagadougou.
Best time to visit
The cooler dry season from November to February is the most comfortable time, though the harmattan wind can bring dusty haze. March to May is very hot. The rainy season from about June to September brings green landscapes but can make unpaved roads difficult. Check the dates of festivals such as FESPACO, which is held in odd-numbered years.
Practical information
| Capital | Ouagadougou |
|---|---|
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
| Languages | Mooré, Dioula, Fulfulde, French |
| Plugs | Type C, E |
| Voltage | 220 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 17 police, 18 fire; confirm other numbers locally |
| Driving | On the right |
| Tipping | Not obligatory. Small tips for guides, drivers and good restaurant service are appreciated. |
Getting around
Long-distance buses connect Ouagadougou with Bobo-Dioulasso and other towns, and are the most common way to travel between cities. In towns, shared taxis and motorbikes are the usual transport. Many roads outside the main routes are unpaved and can become difficult in the rainy season. Conditions and access to some regions change frequently, so check the latest official advice before any journey.
Staying connected in Burkina Faso
Mobile coverage is reasonable in Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso and the larger towns, and along the main roads between them. In rural areas coverage is patchy, and in remote areas there may be none at all. Wi-Fi is available in some hotels and cafés in the main cities but can be slow. Mobile internet has at times been restricted. Download offline maps, install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
See Burkina Faso eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Burkina Faso
- Google Maps: Directions in the cities and offline maps for travel between towns.
- Google Translate: French translation for conversations, menus and signs.
- WhatsApp: Widely used to contact guides, drivers and guesthouses.
- XE Currency: Convert CFA francs, which are pegged to the euro.