Domes de Fabedougou, Banfora, Burkina FasoPhoto: Wegmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso, made clear: the land of upright people, honestly explained
Burkina Faso is a country of music, film, mud-brick mosques, painted villages and some of the warmest hospitality in West Africa. It is also a country where security is serious, and most governments advise against travel to large areas. This guide gives you the straight facts on safety, entry, money and getting around, so family visits and carefully planned trips feel calmer.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyTravel advice, visa, yellow fever and cash, answered
- LandingOuagadougou's airport and your first hours, explained
- Your days in BurkinaMarkets, music, crafts and family time, planned with care
- Home againDeparture tips so the last day is calm too
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions visitors actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain what costs more and what costs less, so your budget holds.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
We will never pretend Burkina Faso is simple right now. We explain the real situation, point you to official advice and help you plan only what makes sense, so any trip you take starts from knowledge rather than worry.
Most visitors today are Burkinabè families coming home, aid and business travellers, and returning friends of the country. This guide was written with all of you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that is as safe and smooth as it can be.
- Read the travel adviceStart with your own government's current advice for Burkina Faso and check your insurance still covers you.
- Sort the essentialsVisa, yellow fever certificate, cash in CFA francs and the right season, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for food, markets, culture and stays in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.
- Plan your daysUse the free trip planner to shape a realistic plan around family, rest and safe movement.
Everything your Burkina Faso trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, Banfora and Tiébélé, each explained with honest safety context.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred maquis, markets, museums, music spots and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Ouagadougou and stays in each city.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and reasons for travel and build a plan that fits.
Plan your trip
Why people love Burkina
Film, music, crafts and welcome
Burkina Faso punches far above its size in culture. Ouagadougou hosts FESPACO, Africa's best-known film festival, and the SIAO crafts fair, while Bobo-Dioulasso is the home of balafon and djembe music and a famous mud-brick mosque. Bronze casting, Faso Dan Fani cloth and the painted Kassena houses of Tiébélé show a deep craft tradition.
- FESPACO film festival in Ouagadougou
- Bobo-Dioulasso's Grand Mosque and old Kibidwé quarter
- Faso Dan Fani woven cloth and bronze casting
- Painted Kassena houses of Tiébélé
Start with the destinations
See what each city and region offers, and what the travel advice says.
Burkina Faso destinationsPlan with care
A realistic plan, not a wish list
Security varies sharply across the country and changes quickly. Our free planner helps you build a plan around where you actually need to be, with sensible movement, daylight travel and room to adjust if advice changes.
- Check official advice first
- Fly or travel by day only
- Keep plans flexible
Where to go in Burkina Faso
The capital, the cultural second city and the green southwest, with honest notes on each.
Centre region
Ouagadougou
The capital of film, crafts and maquis culture, and the base for nearly every visit.
Read the guidePhoto: Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hauts-Bassins region
Bobo-Dioulasso
A greener, slower second city with a famous mud-brick mosque and a deep musical heritage.
Read the guidePhoto: Jurgen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cascades region
Banfora and the Cascades
Waterfalls, rock domes, a hippo lake and sandstone peaks in the country's lush southwest.
Read the guidePhoto: Jurgen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Centre-Sud region
Tiébélé
A royal compound of earthen houses painted in bold geometric designs by Kassena women.
Read the guidePhoto: Alexander Leisser, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Burkina Faso safe to visit?
Security is the biggest question for any trip. Armed groups are active across much of the country, and governments such as the US, UK, Canada and Australia advise against all travel to most or all of Burkina Faso. Read your own government's current advice before booking, and check whether your travel insurance is valid.
Do I need a visa for Burkina Faso?
Most visitors need a visa, usually applied for online through Burkina Faso's official eVisa portal, while citizens of some African countries can enter without one. Rules have changed several times recently and vary by passport, so check the official site before you book.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccination?
Yes. Burkina Faso requires proof of yellow fever vaccination for arriving travellers, so carry your certificate with your passport. Malaria is present all year, so speak to a travel clinic about tablets too.
When is the best time to go?
The cooler dry season from November to February is the most comfortable. March to May is very hot, and the rains fall roughly June to September.
What language is spoken in Burkina Faso?
French is widely used in government, business and hotels, and Mooré, Dioula and Fulfulde are spoken every day. English is limited, so a few French phrases go a long way.
How do I get help planning?
Use our free trip planner to shape your days, or send a question through our contact page.
Planning a trip to Burkina Faso?
Use the free trip planner to turn your dates and reasons for travel into a calm, realistic plan.