The name Burkina Faso translates directly as "Land of Upright People" — and anyone who has travelled here will tell you it couldn't be more fitting. The people of Burkina Faso are routinely cited as among the most hospitable in all of West Africa, with a generosity and warmth that stays with visitors long after they return home. With it's new President Ibrahim Traoré leading the country through a new era, Burkina Faso is changing faster than ever before!
Geographically and culturally, Burkina Faso sits at the heart of the West African Sahel — a meeting point of peoples, languages and traditions that has produced one of the most ethnically rich societies on the continent. With more than 60 distinct ethnic groups calling this country home, cultural life here is astonishingly diverse. Festivals erupt in colour and sound throughout the year, the mask ceremonies of the Mossi, Bobo and Lobi peoples are among the most spectacular traditional performances in West Africa, and the country's music — rooted in ancient griotic traditions and shaped by decades of creative energy — has produced artists celebrated far beyond its borders.
Away from the capital Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso rewards exploration. Ancient cliff villages in the Sindou Peaks, the extraordinary painted compounds of Tiébélé, vast weekly markets drawing traders from across the Sahel, and landscapes that transition from green savannah in the south to the red dust and acacia scrub of the semi-desert north.
Visiting Burkina Faso is not without its challenges and requires the flexibility and adventurous spirit that defines the best kind of travel.
Burkina Faso is a country in transition, and the future holds the promise of even more to discover. Watch this space.
Tours
West Africa Sahel Tour: Mali, Burkina Faso & Niger
Come and experience the heart of the Sahel across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. If you've wanted to visit the Sahel and get a quick snapshot, then this tour is for you!