Where is Burkina Faso? This is a landlocked Western African country that was in French colonialism for a long time. The country has taken this name since 1984, but before it, the name was Upper Volta. The name Burkina Faso means - Land of Incorruptible People. In this article, we will have a go of Burkina Faso’s tourism destinations for travellers. And find answers to the questions like: Is it safe to travel to Burkina Faso?, what is the capital of Burkina Faso?, is it safe to travel to the capital of Burkina Faso?, what is the Burkina Faso currency, and can we pay in dollars or euros? etc. Let’s have a look at this unknown African country.
Brief information about Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked and pauper country. Unfortunately, French colonialism has milked its resources and economy for many decades. This is why education, health conditions, or road infrastructure are in a bad fix. Burkina Faso gets profit mostly from the agricultural industry. Local people grow cotton, rice, corn, and export it to European and Middle East countries. The Burkina Faso flag also describes the abundance of agriculture. The green colour on the Burkina Faso flag comes to mean fruitfulness of the natural resources of the country. By the way, the Burkina Faso flag is one of the Pan-African coloured flag groups.
Burkina Faso possesses gold mines, but the country cannot benefit enough from this field. Generally, Burkina Faso depends on international aid. The government also tries to get loans from countries.
The geography of Burkina Faso is various. The south and south-west of the country have enough water capacity thanks to massive rivers Komoe, Black Volta, Niger. Contrary to this, the northern regions have water shortage problems. Therefore, south and south-west Burkina Faso are much more relevant to agriculture. The landscape of the country is mostly flat. For instance, the highest peak is only 749 meters (Tenakouru).
Burkina Faso Population
Referring to United Nations estimation, the Burkina Faso population is about 19 million. It is a very high number for the fragile economy. Thousands of local seasonally migrate to neighbouring countries Ivory Coast and Ghana to work in agricultural fields. Burkina Faso population generally represents two ethnic groups: Mande and Voltaic. Both these groups have spread to every region of the country.
Burkina Faso Language
French is the official Burkina Faso language. However, people do not speak French in daily life. Mossi is the most prevalent Burkina Faso Language. Approximately half of the nation speak this language. Generally, Burkina Faso is a multilingual state with an estimated 69 languages and dialects. Local people don’t understand English well, so it is good to learn local words, knowing French to communicate properly.
Burkina Faso Religion. Burkina Faso is a secular state. But the most extensive Burkina Faso religion is Islam. After Islam, Christianity comes in second place. Dogon is the traditional, indigenous Burkina Faso religion with 15% of believers. Moreover, there are several old and indigenous religions that local clans believe and still keep.
1. The capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
What is the capital of Burkina Faso? Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and also the political, administrative, main business city of the country. What is the capital of Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou means? This hard-pronounced name comes from the 15th century and translates as a “place that people get honour and respect.” The biggest airport in Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou International Airport, is in the city centre. Therefore, it is easy to get to the main squares of the airport. It is also possible to come to Ouagadougou by bus from neighbouring countries (Ghana, Benin, Niger, Mali, or Togo). Is it safe to travel to Burkina Faso by bus? We do not recommend using a bus for its uncomfortableness. But it is usually safe. If you are on Ivory Coast, you can also travel to Ouagadougou by train. But bear in mind that the travel schedule is changeable. There are two types of taxi transport services in Ouagadougou. 1. Green Taxi – These taxis are cheaper, but taxi drivers always want to trick passengers, especially if they don’t know the city well, or they are foreigners. Additionally, Green Taxi may carry a number of passengers at the same time. Tourists should bargain before the route and be persistent when drivers want to change the suggestion. 2. Yellow Taxi- These taxis are more costly. A passenger can travel without sharing his seat. Moreover, yellow taxis are available at every hour of the day.
Tourists should change their money to Burkina Faso currency XOF (CFA Franc) when they travel to Burkina Faso because there are few places to pay by card. The “Cash is king” quote is really going well in Burkina Faso. One US dollar is about 554 Burkina Faso currency XOF. However, travellers say that tradesmen are willing to take USD or Euro instead of local Burkina Faso currency.
Ouagadougou is famous for its live music restaurants, theatres, and markets. Tourists always buy qualitative textiles and souvenirs from local markets. Streets in Ouagadougou are busy – people are trading, and on the other hand, the roads are full of street mopeds and festivals. Food prices are generally low, but some cafes are highly expensive, especially when foreign guests visit them.
2. Banfora city
Tourists come to Banfora in order to take a tour of Karfiguela Waterfalls. Banfora’s nature is beautiful regardless of the rainy or dry seasons. There are cafes, restaurants, and markets, and travellers can go shopping before starting the hiking route. Sometimes tourists ask, is it safe to travel to Burkina Faso with caravans? Banfora is a great place to keep cars and caravans safely.
3. Bobo-Dioulasso city
Bobo-Dioulasso or Bobo is the second-largest city in Burkina Faso after Ouagadougou. The food prices are apparently lower than the capital city. Many tourists from the United States and the European countries choose Bobo for its nightlife activities. Cafes and restaurants with delicious local foods and live music bands are the main attractions in these nightlife facilities. Live music from Bobo-Dioulasso is popular in Burkina Faso.
4. Tiebele village
Tourists who come to Burkina Faso from Ghana usually start to discover the country by visiting Tiebele village. The local people in Tiebele village are Kassena. They are an old and prominent ethnic crew in Burkina Faso. Kassena people have built their houses and huts from the mud-straw mix. The huts are simply constructed, but their decorations are marvellous. Tourists like to take photos of these traditional African huts and to see the daily life of local people.
5. Gorom Gorom
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Gorom Gorom is a special town for its popular market. Every Thursday, local people and tourists come here to buy various goods from fruit to handcrafted presents. Tradesmen sell pricy leather materials, textiles, and souvenirs in the Gorom Gorom market. Gorom Gorom situates in the northern part of the country near Sahel.
6. The Ruins of Loropeni
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The Ruins of Loropeni is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage. These are the old monuments and describe how the region was important in the gold trade. Scientists assume that The Ruins of Loropeni has more than a thousand year of history. They are sure that there are plenty of historical facts referring to these monuments. Therefore, researches around the ruins are continuing today. Travellers who are addicted to history will definitely love The Ruins of Loropeni.
7. Arli National Park
There are four national parks in Burkina Faso, and Arli National Park is one of them. Arli National Park is famous for the watering hole. Tourists can observe and take a photo from the watering hole. The whole area of the Arli National Park is about 700 km, so it is good if you take guided tours during the visit. Tours generally are safe and cheap. You can see the variety of animals in Arli National Park, including monkeys, gnus, lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, etc. And where is Burkina Faso Arli National Park? You can get to Arli National Park by the N19 highway with Pama or Diapaga (southeast Burkina Faso).
8. Nazinga Reserve
Tourists who come to Burkina Faso to explore wildlife should never miss Nazinga Reserve. The area of Nazinga Reserve is more than 97,000 hectares. This national park is especially well known for elephants. Due to the rainy season, visitors come to Nazinga Reserve from December to April. There are no hotels inside the national park; you can find accommodations and rental houses at a low price. And where is Burkina Faso Nazinga Reserve and how to get there? Nazinga Reserve is on the western side of Burkina Faso near Ghana. Tourists can get there by guided tours and special services by local people. Local villagers are well-informed about the region and are usually reliable.
9. W National Park
W National Park is in Burkina Faso’s second UNESCO World Heritage-listed natural reserve.
Burkina Faso shares W National Park with Niger and Benin. The natural landscape is fully savannah and sparse forests. This is why W National Park is the best place for migratory birds. Also, tourists can observe cheetah and impala in W National Park.
10. Sindou town
Sindou town is famous for hodgepodge rocks. The town is always full of foreign tourists. They want to take photos and beautiful sights in Sindou rocks. Sindou a little bit resembles Cappadocia in Turkey, but the colours and sequence of rocks are different. Sindou rocks are much more beautiful in the sunset.
