Burkina Faso travel guide
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in the West African Sahel, a land of savannah, rocky outcrops and mud-brick villages. It is known for its music, crafts and cinema, and for painted houses and mosques built from earth. Very few tourists visit at present, and anyone considering a trip should first read their own government's current travel advice.
Places worth the trip
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 Burkina Faso
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.
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.
Practical details
- Capital
- Ouagadougou
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- Mooré, Dioula, Fulfulde, French
- Plug types
- C, E
- Voltage
- 220 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 17 police, 18 fire; confirm other numbers locally
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Not obligatory. Small tips for guides, drivers and good restaurant service are appreciated.
Staying online 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.
Useful apps
- 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.
Burkina Faso travel FAQs
Very few do at present, and conditions change quickly. Read your own government's current travel advice and check entry requirements with official sources before considering a trip.
Modern phones work on local networks, with the best coverage in the cities. A travel eSIM can give you data on arrival where networks are available, but coverage is limited in rural areas.
Mooré, Dioula and Fulfulde are widely spoken, along with many other local languages. French is used in administration, business and education, and English is not widely spoken.
Yes. Most payments are made in cash, and cards are accepted only in some larger hotels. ATMs are found in the main cities, but may not accept all foreign cards.