Our Burkina Faso holidays and tours have been the result of painstaking research and are carefully designed to showcase the very best of this country. Most people have never heard of Burkina Faso. Fewer still could pinpoint it on a map. Yet this small landlocked country is home to sites and attractions that make it a strong contender for West Africa’s most delightful place to visit.
Stretching from the boundaries of the Sahara in the north to the more verdant lands further south, Burkina Faso seems to change every hundred kilometres or so. The markets of Oursi and Markoye, close to Mali see blue robed Tuaregs ride in on their camels to trade. In contrast the town of Bani contains a stunning collection of mud-built mosques. This is a region of sand dunes, nomads and brightly dressed women standing in stark contrast to the browns and yellows of the desert.
However another extreme of the country lies in the southwest. Here our Burkina Faso holidays can take you to see waterfalls gush forth from the mountains and hippos lounge lazily in lakes and waterholes. The otherworldly landscapes of the Sindou Peaks and Fabedougou are a photographer’s dream and invite exploration. And deep in the forest lie the mysterious ruins of Loropeni, their origin unknown.
Top highlights on Burkina Faso holidays and tours
- Visit the bi-annual Festima mask festival, a great place to see traditional culture
- Travel to the painted villages of the Kassena people
- Meet the secretive Lobi people in their fortress style houses
- Explore the stunning landscapes around Banfora
- Experience the urban bustle of Bobo Dioulassou
Visitors to Burkina can also check out the local nightlife in one of the many open-air bars of the capital, Ouagadougou, and haggle for excellent local crafts.
Burkina Faso is also renowned for its extraordinary mask dances. Come at the right time and you can stumble across traditional celebrations marking the end of the harvest, or the start of the rainy season, where performers don elaborate costumes and perform arcane rituals, imbued with deep meaning for local people.
Burkina is a real joy to explore, full of the colours of West Africa and with an atmosphere that cannot fail to seduce. Our Burkina Faso holidays show you one of West Africa’s best-kept secrets.
Culture
Burkina Faso is evenly split between Islam and Christianity, with the north being predominantly Muslim. Yet indigenous beliefs are still widely practised, even by those who profess to be Christian or Muslim – old traditions diehard here. The official language of Burkina Faso is French, but with over sixty different ethnic groups there are a huge amount of individual languages.
When to go on holiday to Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso experiences two distinct seasons. The dry season runs from October until April, and the wet season from May until September. These can change by a few weeks either side depending on climate variations. Although most people choose to visit in the dry season, it’s also possible to visit in the wet season – the rains, although heavy, do not last the whole day and usually take the form of short sharp bursts. Some roads can be difficult during the wet season though.
Start planning your Burkina Faso tour
Check out our small group tours to Burkina Faso: Festival of the Dancing Masks and Burkina Faso Encompassed. Although many of our trips are small group adventures with set departures, as a bespoke operator, we can design and create trips to suit any traveller, from solos to larger group. If you would like to find out more about tailor-made Burkina Faso holidays or our group tours, call us on 01473 328546 or email us via our contact page. We’d love to hear from you.
