Burkina Faso

Places in Burkina Faso

• Banfora

  Banfora is greener than Bobo-Dioulasso and serves as the gateway to the famous Karfiguéla Falls (Banfora Cascades), located 10 km from the city. The area features dome-shaped sandstone formations at Dômes de Fabédougou, hippos at Lake Tengrela, and access to the Comoé-Léraba Reserve for wildlife viewing.

  Atlas entry

• Bobo-Dioulasso

  Bobo-Dioulasso is Burkina Faso's second-largest city with over half a million residents, serving as the commercial capital of the southwest. The city is renowned for its exceptional hospitality—locals say Bobos and 'Bobolaise' are among the most welcoming people in the world, regularly inviting strangers for tea or bissap.

  Atlas entry

• Dédougou

  Dédougou is a city of 43,000 people and the capital of Mouhoun Province in Burkina Faso's Boucle du Mouhoun Region. It is the 9th largest city in the country and offers access to the Mouhoun River.

  Atlas entry

• Dori

  Dori is a dusty Sahelian trading town of about 18,000 people in North Burkina Faso, known for its herders and popular livestock markets. The town sits between two large barrages (stream barriers) that make navigation difficult during the rainy season.

  Atlas entry

• Fada N'gourma

  Fada N'Gourma is the cultural capital of the Gulmance people, representing only 4.5% of Burkina Faso's population but possessing a rich heritage distinct from the Mossi heartland. The city serves as a gateway to the Réserve de Pama and the Bantia Botanical Garden, offering nature experiences alongside cultural depth.

  Atlas entry

• Gaoua

  Gaoua is a market town in the Black Volta Region of Burkina Faso, known as the home of the Lobi people. It is a hilly city in the southwest of the country, approximately 60 km from Côte D'Ivoire and 50 km from Ghana through the bush.

  Atlas entry

• Gorom-Gorom

  Gorom-Gorom is a dusty Sahelian market town that remains famous for its Thursday market, drawing traders and herders from across Oudalan province. While economic development has brought concrete and tin construction replacing some rustic charm, the market still offers an authentic glimpse into regional commerce.

  Atlas entry

• Koudougou

  Koudougou is Burkina Faso's second-largest city, serving as a cultural and administrative hub in the Volta Delta region. The city stands out for its remarkable contemporary African architecture, including Schorge High School and Noomdo Center, both designed by celebrated Burkinabé architect Francis Kéré.

  Atlas entry

• Orodara

  Orodara serves as the capital of the Siamou ethnic group in Burkina Faso's Black Volta Region, offering a glimpse into rural West African life away from tourist crowds. The town is notable for its year-round fruit and vegetable production due to old fruit tree projects and consistent river water access.

  Atlas entry

• Ouagadougou

  Ouagadougou (informally Ouaga) is Burkina Faso's capital and its cultural and economic hub, offering a more manageable alternative to larger West African capitals. The city is renowned for the Friday morning Moro Naaba ceremony, the biennial FESPACO film festival (held in odd-numbered years in March), and SIAO craft fair (every even-numbered year).

  Atlas entry

• Ouahigouya

  Ouahigouya is the fourth largest city in Burkina Faso and the final major settlement before the Mali border, making it a crucial transit point for overland travelers. The town was founded in 1757 and serves as the capital of Yatenga region, acting as the center of Mossi culture where Mooré is the common language.

  Atlas entry