Getting yourself to Burkina Faso currently looks quite different from how it would have a decade ago, and it's one of the questions we get asked most by travellers putting together their trip. The short version is this: flying in is straightforward, driving in isn't. Here's what you actually need to know about both.
Land Borders: Currently Closed to Foreign Travellers
Burkina Faso shares land borders with six countries — Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire — and in calmer times these crossings were a genuinely popular way to combine Burkina Faso with a wider West African or Sahel itinerary. That is not currently the case. Because of the ongoing security situation across large parts of the country's border regions, particularly in the north and east where the insurgency is most active, we do not recommend and do not use any overland border crossing into or out of Burkina Faso for our tours at the moment.
Crossings can and do close without notice, checkpoints and roadblocks (both official and otherwise) are a regular feature on the approach roads, and the border zones themselves sit squarely within the areas that Western government advisories flag as highest risk . Even where a crossing is technically open on a given day, the road getting to and from it is often the bigger concern. For now, if you're planning a Burkina Faso trip, land border entry simply isn't a viable or sensible option, no matter how experienced a traveller you are.
Flying In: Ouagadougou International Airport
The good news is that flying into the country is a completely different story. Ouagadougou International Airport (OUA), located just a few kilometres from the city centre, remains fully open and operating a healthy schedule of international flights, and this is how every one of our travellers arrives. A number of international carriers continue to serve Ouagadougou, including Ethiopian Airlines (routed via Addis Ababa, and one of the most popular options for travellers coming from outside the region), Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul), Royal Air Maroc (via Casablanca), Brussels Airlines, Air Côte d'Ivoire, Air Sénégal, ASKY Airlines, Air Algérie, Tunisair, and the national carrier, Air Burkina, which also runs the domestic route down to Bobo-Dioulasso.
Between them, these airlines connect Ouagadougou to hubs across Europe, the Middle East and West Africa, so most travellers will simply be looking at a single connection rather than anything more complicated. It's always worth double-checking your specific route close to departure, since capacity and frequency on some of these routes can shift at short notice, and one or two European carriers have paused and resumed Ouagadougou services over the past year depending on the security picture, but as of now the airport itself is functioning normally, with the usual immigration, customs and security processes you'd expect at any international airport.
What to Expect on Arrival
Arrival at Ouagadougou is generally quick and uneventful — this is a small, manageable airport rather than a sprawling international hub, so immigration and baggage claim tend to move fairly efficiently even when a few flights land close together. We arrange airport pickup for every traveller on our tours, so you'll be met just outside arrivals rather than having to negotiate a taxi on your own, which is one less thing to think about after a long journey. It's worth carrying a little cash in euros or US dollars for any incidental costs before you're able to change money properly.
Why This Matters for How We Plan Your Trip
Because flying is currently the only sensible way in and out, every one of our Burkina Faso itineraries is built entirely around Ouagadougou International Airport as the single arrival and departure point. This isn't a compromise — it's actually a real advantage from a safety and logistics standpoint, because it means every traveller enters and exits the country through a controlled, monitored environment rather than a remote overland crossing, and it lets our local team plan pickups, security arrangements and onward movement around a single, predictable point of entry.
If you're hoping to combine Burkina Faso with a neighbouring country like Mali, Niger , Benin or Togo , the current answer is to fly between them rather than attempt to cross overland; several of the airlines above run regional routes that make this workable, if not always the cheapest option on paper.
A Quick Note on Visas and Entry
Most nationalities require a visa to enter Burkina Faso, and the good news is that the country now offers an e-visa system that can be applied for in advance online, which we'd always recommend over trying to arrange anything on arrival. Processing typically takes a few business days, so it's worth sorting well before your flight rather than leaving it to the last minute. We cover the specifics of the application process, required documents and current costs in our dedicated Burkina Faso e-Visa guide , so have a look at that once you've got your flights sorted.
Do we offer Burkina Faso tours?
We do, and every itinerary is built around flying into Ouagadougou rather than any land crossing. If you're weighing up whether now's the right time to visit at all, we've written honestly about the current security situation too .
How can I book a tour?
Drop us a line at [email protected], or check out our current Burkina Faso and Sahel tours on the website, and we'll help you put together your route.
