🇧🇫 Burkina Faso

10 best places in Ouagadougou

Ouagadougou is the cultural capital of the Sahel, where the age-old court of the Moro-Naba sits alongside West Africa's biggest film festival and bustling craft markets.

Museum

National Museum of Burkina Faso

Masks, textiles and everyday objects from across the country, displayed in a compound of traditional huts.

Sight

Moro-Naba Palace

The residence of the traditional Mossi ruler, where a symbolic Friday ceremony re-enacts a refusal to go to war.

Sight

Grand Mosque of Ouagadougou

One of West Africa's largest mosques, with twin minarets in a striking green-and-white scheme.

Park

Bangr-Weoogo Urban Park

A sizeable nature park within the city, with lakes and a patch of untouched savanna.

Market

Grand Market and Village Artisanal

The central market and craft village selling Faso Dan Fani textiles, masks and bronze work.

Market

Marina Market

A lively street-food market where visitors can try the same dishes locals eat every day.

Café

Jardin de l'Amitié

A shady café near Rond Point des Nations Unies favoured by local artists.

Restaurant

Maquis Aboussouan

A classic open-air maquis serving cold beer and Burkinabé-style grilled fish.

Restaurant

Le Coq Bleu

A downtown French restaurant for travelers craving a taste of Europe.

Café

Le Monde

One of the city's oldest bar-cafés on Avenue de la Liberté, a meeting spot for generations of Ouagalais.

FAQ

Is Ouagadougou safe?

Ouagadougou is calmer than the north and east, but Burkina Faso is in an armed conflict and most governments advise against all travel. In the capital the risks are attacks on crowded places, kidnapping and street crime. Most people who go now travel for work through a local host organisation.

Best time to visit Ouagadougou?

November to February is the least difficult period, cooler though dusty with the harmattan. March to May is the peak of the heat, with temperatures regularly past 40C. June to September brings the rains, which wash out the roads outside the city.

What is there to see in Ouagadougou?

The heart of the city is the Grand Marché and the Village Artisanal, with bronze casting, textiles and masks. The Moro-Naba Palace ties to the traditional Mossi authority, and the Grand Mosque and national museum are nearby. Every two years the city hosts FESPACO, Africa's biggest film festival, though the dates are worth checking separately.

Do you need a visa for Burkina Faso?

Practically all foreign nationals need one, arranged in advance through an embassy or consular service; the online system has been unreliable. Expect to show accommodation, a return ticket and yellow fever vaccination. Requirements shift with the political situation, so confirm them right before travel.