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Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou (or Ouaga) is the capital of Burkina Faso. It lies smack bang in the middle of the country, standing at the crossroads of several ancient trade routes. Burkinabs are gregarious people, always ready for a laugh and a chat over coffee, and hospitality is one of the citys trademarks. Unlike many other Sahelian cities. Its more a large country town than a megalopolis; the core central area is easily covered on foot. Theres not a lot to see, or visit, in Ouagadougou but what it lacks in epic monuments and grand buildings it makes up for in wide, shady boulevards, a relaxed atmosphere and friendly smiles. Ouagadougou is not predominantly Muslim so its also got a lively nightclub scene. A number of reasonably cheap internet cafes are popping up in Ouaga making it a pretty good place to get online. Most of the major streets branch off from the roundabout like spokes on a wheel. Places to stay and eat are scattered evenly throughout the triangle.
The main trading centre is inside a triangle, with the train station at the northern point, the Presidential Palace at the eastern point and the cathedral at the southern point. Nelson Mandela Avenue bisects the top half of the triangle before terminating at a large roundabout, the Place des
Nations Unies. Aimless ambling is a pleasant pastime in Ouagadougou. The cathedral, near the Moro-Naba Palace, is the largest church in the interior of West Africa. Ouagadougous Grande March is always worth a visit. Its in the centre of town and has a number of great stalls upstairs.
Bobo-Dioulasso
Bobo is about 300km (186mi) to the south of Ouagadougou(Burkina Fasos Capital city) and is easily accessible. Flights leave Ouagadougou four times a week, trains leave three times a week, and buses leave daily. Taxis and minibuses also travel to Bobo from Ouagadougou, but are slightly more expensive than the buses. Bobo-Dioulasso, home to the Bobo people, is another laid-back, friendly city. Its even smaller and easier to negotiate than Ouagadougou but has the same airy boulevards, tree-lined streets and thriving market places.
The Muse Provincial du Hout, housed in a Sudanese-style building, has two sets of exhibitions; one showcasing modern African art, batik, and sculpture, and the other exhibiting traditional art of the region. For a touch of French class, check out the Centre Culturel Franais Henri Matisse. Its got shady trees, magazines, and comfy chairs; everything you need for a time-out from traveling. The most impressive of Bobos buildings is the Grande Mosque. Its built out of mud in traditional Sudanese style, and for an exorbitant price the caretaker will take you on a guided tour; less if you just want to see the inside which is the most interesting section anyway.
Parc National d`Arli
The Parc National dArli lies in the southwest corner of Burkina Faso. It was created in the 1950s in an attempt to stem the environmental effects of desertification and deforestation. Although Arli Park itself is rather small, it actually runs into two other reserves, Singou and Pama, creating a vast expanse of savanna crisscrossed by the impressive cliffs of Tambarga and Gobnangou. Theres a smorgasbord of fauna to choose from – antelopes, baboons, gazelles, monkeys, warthogs, hippopotamus – but the real stars of the show are the elephants and lions. The lions are free-range, though, so nix the idea of a stroll around the park at dusk.
The parks main accommodation is an attractive lodge but theyve got you over a bit of a barrel, money-wise. You can camp near the hotel or stay at the less expensive Chez Madame Bonazza in nearby Pama. This French-named, Italian-owned, West African location offers reasonable accomodation and a good nosh up.
If youre getting there under your own steam, take the Ouaga-Niamey highway. Its 389 km (241mi) east to Kantchari, turn south toward Diapaga, and then southwest to the entrance to Arli Park. The leg from Daipaga to Arli is about a 130km (80mi) drive. Alternatively, you can catch the bus from Ouagadougou to Diapaga or Namounou, and then hitch to Arli.
Banfora
Karfigula waterfalls
Karfigula waterfalls are interesting year-round, but really hit their straps in the rainy season. After the unrelenting dryness of much of the rest of Burkina Faso, the waterfalls are a nice change. There is a bit of a bilharzia problem, so swimming in the pools below the waterfalls can be risky, and youll need to bring your own water during the dry season because the water gets too dirty to drink. The Dmes de Karfigula, an escarpment-type formation, not far from the waterfall, is good hiking grounds. The fishermen from the nearby village will be more than willing to take you out in their pirogues, for a couple of dollars (and some hard-nosed bargaining), to get a closer look at the bird life. A little further on from the lake are the seriously weird Sindou rock formations. Theyre like playdough sculptures – towering, tipsy, and stuck to the floor with lopsided ingenuity.Ten kilometres (6mi) beyond the waterfalls is Lake Tengrla, a pleasant spot to stop and stretch your legs.
Getting from Ouagadougou is a matter of catching the built-for-comfort train straight through to Banfora (if its not the express to Abidjan), or catching the train to Bobo and then getting a bus or bush taxi the extra 80km (50mi). The best way of getting around the outlying district of Banfora is by mobylette, bicycle, or motorcycle, which can be hired for the day.
Gorom-Gorom
Gorom-Gorom, in the northeast of Burkina Faso, is a typical Sahelian town. This is where civilisation runs out of puff. From here on in its all lonely desert dunes and whistling silences. The accommodation in Gorom-Gorom is traditional Sudanese style, so its easy to immerse yourself in the ambience of Sahelian life. The largely nomadic population are mainly Tuaregs (or blue men of the desert), Peuls, Maures, and Songhas.
The Gorom market is unquestionably the most colourful and interesting in Burkina Faso, if not the Sahel, and may well be the countrys largest. The mixing and melding of the different Sahelian and Saharian ethnic groups make it a sight worth seeing. Theres Tuareg herders in indigo robes; Peul herders and Songha farmers in bright yellow and red turbans; Peul women with brightly couloured boubous (robes), intricately braided, beaded, and bejewelled hairdos, and large silver and gold hooped earrings. The men wear richly decorated leather belts and elaborate silver swords. And thats without even beginning to describe the intriguing desert food and desert crafts for sale.
Resrve de Nazinga
The Resrve de Nazinga, south of Ouagadougou, near P and the Ghanian border, is a game park run by Canadian environmentalists. Today, Burkina Faso is estimated to have the largest elephant population of West Africa, due in large part to the policies of the Nazinga game reserve. Since 1979, the workers on the reserve have aimed for a balance between the needs of the human population, and the necessity to protect the elephants from ivory hunters and other human predators. The policies are a mixture of limited game cropping, local employment, promotion of ecotourism and anti-poaching measures. All visitors must travel with a guide and, although you can get out and walk around, the elephants have occasionally shown themselves to be thorough ingrates by charging the unsuspecting ambler.
The Ranch is pretty much in Woop-Woop, and not many people get there without a 4WD. If you cant drive your own vehicle out there, see if you can find a group of tourists driving in that direction, and compliment them on their choice of cars. Outright grovelling and begging for a lift is also a good option. The other way to do it is through the Ministry of Tourism in Ouagadougou, who operate one-day tours.
If youre travelling under your own steam, try taking a bushtaxi or minibus from Ouagadougou to P and then do your grovelling and begging to get that extra 50km (30mi) to the Resrve de Nazinga. Ouagadougou to P is about 140km (87mi).
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