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.
Related Travel Information
Burkina Faso : General Information for Travellers
TRANSPORT & GETTING AROUND
Air: International Flights
Air France : Flies into Ouagadougou
Domestic Flights
From Borgo, the domestic airport located 10 miles from Bobo Dioulasso, Air Volta operates a service between Bouake, Tambboa and Bamako.
Train: Between Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso there is a daily services with two classes. This can overcrowded at time.
Bus: Fairly regular bus services operates between all the major towns but this is often suspended during the raining season.
Road: Traffic drives on the right hand side and an International Driving Permit is recommended, although a temporary licence to drive can be obtained from
Karfiguéla waterfalls
Karfiguéla 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 you’ll need to bring your own water during the dry season because the water gets too dirty to drink. The Dômes de Karfiguéla, an escarpment-type formation, not far from the waterfall, is good hiking grounds. The fishermen from the nearby village will be more than willing
Burkina Faso : History
Burkina Faso was originally inhabited by the Bobo, Lobi, and Gurunsi peoples, with the Mossi and Gurma peoples immigrating to the region in the 14th century. The lands of the Mossi empire became a French protectorate in 1897, and by 1903 France had subjugated the other ethnic groups. Called Upper Volta by the French, it became a separate colony in 1919, was partitioned among Niger, the Sudan, and Côte d'Ivoire in 1932, and was reconstituted in 1947. An autonomous republic within the French Community, Upper Volta became independent on Aug. 5, 1960.
President Maurice Yameogo was deposed on
