Burkina Faso – A small country with laidback charm

Despite absence of big attractions, the African country of Burkina Faso steals hearts with its enchanting landscape, lively cultural scene and warm welcome. In addition, the country is famous for its great musical tradition that can be experienced during a visit to Ouagadougou, the capital and Bobo-Dioulasso, another major city. Thousands of movie buffs fly to Ouagadougou which holds film festival every alternate year. Its major cities have enough to engage you for few days. Here we give a lowdown on thing to do during your visit to Burkina Faso.

Ouagadougou

It is better to start your trip with a visit to Ouagadougou which is major airport and capital city of Burkina Faso. Ouagadougou also called Ouaga acts as a jumping off point for many tours in the country. The city boasts of impressive architecture and thriving art scene. The city has a large number of live bands and theatre companies to keep its event calendar ticking.

Musee National

Situated at a short drive from the city centre in a new premise the museum showcases various masks, ancestral statues (especially from Lobi country) and traditional costumes. The museum focuses on artefacts related to ethnic groups. Work is still on the progress and new features are being added to museum.

Grande Mosquee

One of the major religious destinations in Bobo-Dioulasso, Grande Mosquee was built in 1893. The mosque elegantly showcases Sahel-style mud architecture, with conical towers and wooden struts. On your visit to the mosque you should go inside the building and onto the roof to understand its architecture better.

Bobo-Dioulasso

This second largest city in Burkina Faso is known for the gentle pace of life where there are tree lined avenues and semitropical environment making a perfect setting for visitors. There is a lot to do in and around the city. There is an array of music venues that can be explored.

Réserve de Nazinga

Spread over 97,000-hectare at a distance of 40km from Pô near the Ghanaian border, the reserve is one of the must visit attractions for wildlife enthusiasts. On their visit to the park the guests will come across antelopes, monkeys, warthogs, crocodiles and several species of birds. The chances of seeing wildlife is year round but they can be best spotted from December to April. There are some good accommodation options here where guests can stay for night to watch these animals in their natural setting.

Banfora

Situated in a perfect place the sleepy town of Banfora is visited for its laidback charm. Surrounding with lush green area the city acts as a base for exploration of beautiful surrounding. If you are staying in the city on Sunday you can go to visit its lively Sunday market where several goods from nearby Côte d'Ivoire are on sale.