Domestic trips can be planned by road and rail. Private bus routes operate between all cities of Burkina Faso. There are several relatively well organized and competing bus companies: TSR, TCV, STAFF, Rimbo, SONEF, CSTR, RAKIETA, Raimo, TKF… The companies have their own bus stations, which are mostly on the outskirts, depending on the destination. Pre-orders are often also possible by phone. The security of the individual transport companies varies, but has improved a lot in recent years. Some buses have technical speed limits built in. The tariffs do not differ between the individual companies (e.g. Ouaga-Bobo 5,000 FCFA, Ouaga-Fada 4,000 FCFA, Ouaga-Banfora 8,000 FCFA, Ouaga-Dori 5,000 FCFA, Ouaga-Ouahigouya 4,000 FCFA). In air-conditioned buses, the price increases by around 1,000 FCFA.

In addition to coaches or intercity buses, mini buses or so-called bush taxes are often used. They often only leave when all the seats are occupied.

There are hardly any domestic flight offers. Air Burkina offers scheduled flights between Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou. Airplanes with pilots can be rented from Aéroclub Ouaga (tel. 50.33.41.13).

The SITARAIL operates the rail link between Ouagadougou, Koudougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, which continues through Banfora the Ivory Coast and the port of Abidjan. Driving from Ouagadougou to Abidjan (1,264 km) can take 36 hours of fun. A trip in 2nd class was previously only recommended for the resilient adventurer. Recently, however, there are no more classes. The trip to Abidjan costs 27,000 FCFA.

Europcar rents chauffeured cars at the airport for 30,000-50,000 FCFA / day (Tel. 50 48 18 70). The private rental car and moped market is large.

There are a number of interesting tourist destinations, at most a few of which can be listed here. To the west are the following sights: the waterfalls of Karifigélah, the peaks of Sindou, the Dômes of Fabédougou, the Ténakourouberg, the hippos of Tengréla, the falaise of Banfora, the ruins of Loropeni (see also pre-colonial history) and the old town by Bobo-Dioulasso. A cultural attraction is the Senoufo culture west of Banfora.

In the Sahel, the colorful weekly markets where the different ethnic groups come together (Markoye and Gorom-Gorom), the dunes by the lake are the main ones of Oursi with the Tuareg settlements and the archaeological sites with rock carvings in Markoye and Aribinda are worth a visit. In Oursi, archaeological excavations of a 1,000 year old settlement were roofed over and made accessible to the public with a museum (Musée OURSI HU-BEERO). Insider tip for those interested in ethnology is Pobé Mengao with a visit to the Kurumba king and the earth priest (Sawadogo). The Austrian ethnologist Annemarie Schweeger-Hefel conducted research here for over 30 years. Ten years ago, with German-French help, a museum for historical and archaeological objects of the Nioniosis or Kurumba culture was established.

Maître Pacéré has put together an impressive historical ethnographic collection in Manega, about 60 km north of Ouagadougou.

There is a modern sculpture park in Laongo near Ziniaré. Not far from there is the Opera Village Africa initiated by Christoph Schlingensief.

In the east the large national parks can be visited: the Arly National Park with its lodge and the W National Park on the border to Benin and Niger with a rich fauna (about 300 lions left). The architecture of the Gourounsi and Bissa in the Po area (Tiébélé, Tiakané, Tangassoko, etc.) is another attraction.

At the end of September 2016, prizes (MADIGO) were awarded to the 10 best hotel, restaurant and entertainment businesses.

Since the unrest in 2011 and the unstable situation in Mali since 2012, tourism has declined. After the terrorist attack on January 15, 2016, the tourism industry in Ouagadougou experienced further devastating break-ins and was already on the ground before the COVID 19 pandemic. The ministry is working on a new strategy to revitalize the sector.

Travel to Burkina Faso

Travel to Burkina Faso
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