Things to do in Burkina Faso

Hike among the dramatic, wind-sculpted rock needles of the Sindou Peaks at dawn, when the sandstone glows gold and the plains stretch endlessly below.

Explore the surreal rounded sandstone domes of Fabedougou, a natural gallery of eroded shapes that create a silent, otherworldly landscape.

Feel the cool spray of the Cascades de Karfiguéla, a wide waterfall plunging into a natural pool, surrounded by lush vegetation and smooth rock terraces.

Drive through the Nazinga Game Ranch at sunrise to encounter herds of elephants, buffalo, and West African antelopes in this vast protected savanna.

Take a traditional pirogue onto the calm waters of Lake Bala, a UNESCO biosphere reserve, to see families of hippos and a spectacular variety of birds.

Walk among the imposing 11th-century stone walls of Loropéni, a mysterious fortified settlement that once controlled the gold trade and is now Burkina Faso's only World Heritage site.

Gaze up at the towering wooden beams and intricate mud-brick pinnacles of this 19th-century mosque, a masterpiece of Sudano‑Sahelian style in the heart of the old city.

Lose yourself in Ouagadougou's central market, a labyrinth of stalls selling wax-print fabrics, fresh produce, spices and handcrafted leather goods, alive with haggling and colour.

Approach the revered crocodiles of Sabou, considered protectors by the local community, and watch them bask on the banks of the sacred pond.

Enter a traditional compound in the Gourunsi village of Tiébélé and admire the intricate, symbol-laden black-and-white murals that decorate every wall.

Witness a powerful masked dance, with whirling raffia costumes and pounding drums, performed by the Kassena inhabitants inside the sacred royal courtyard.

Soak up the excitement of Africa's largest film and television festival, where open-air screenings are paired with live balafon and kora performances across Ouagadougou.

Browse a rich collection of Sahelian string, wind and percussion instruments at Ouagadougou's museum of music, with demonstrations that bring the sounds of Burkina to life.

Trace the country's diverse ethnic heritage through masks, bronze statues, Mossi royal artefacts and contemporary art inside the Musée National in Ouagadougou.

Enjoy an evening of theatre, dance or live music from Burkina Faso's top performers in the courtyard of this cultural hub, a regular stage for FESPACO and other festivals.

Experience Ouagadougou's nightlife at this long-established club, where DJs spin coupé-décalé and Afrobeats until the early hours in a lively, upscale setting.

Join locals at this popular open-air eatery in downtown Ouaga for perfectly spiced grilled chicken, plantains and a chilled local Brakina beer.

Taste tô with gombo sauce, riz gras and bissap juice in the leafy garden of this well‑loved restaurant, a quiet oasis in the capital.

Haggle for bronze figurines, leather bags, silver jewellery and batik fabrics directly from artisans in the open‑air workshops of Ouagadougou's crafts village.

Wander an open-air museum of giant granite sculptures by artists from across the continent, set in a sparse Sahelian landscape that amplifies the works' mystique.

Climb the isolated rocky peak that rises abruptly from the savanna near Pô, rewarded with panoramic views over Ghana and Burkina Faso’s southern plains.

Watch Mossi blacksmiths shape tools and jewellery using traditional methods in the bustling market town of Kaya, the heart of Sahelian metalwork.

Scan the seasonal wetlands of Mare d'Oursi, a Ramsar site, for huge flocks of migratory pelicans, storks, and ducks against a stark desert backdrop.

Join Africa’s largest gathering of artisans at the Salon International de l'Artisanat de Ouagadougou, where hundreds of stalls showcase textiles, sculptures, and design from all over the continent.

Offer millet paste to the giant sacred catfish in the natural pool of Dafra, a traditional ritual site in Bobo-Dioulasso that blends animist belief with community veneration.