Plan your trip to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso gained independence from France in 1960. Formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta, it was renamed in 1984 to Burkina Faso: “the land of upright people.” A landlocked nation in western Africa, between Mali and Ghana, the country is one of the poorest in the world with many residents surviving on subsistence farming or as seasonal farm workers in neighboring countries. The Mossi people dominated the region until the end of the 19th century when the French claimed the area. Today, the Voltaic Mossi comprises roughly half the population, while the Mande make up most the other half. Both share the common language of Dioula.

A developing country, tourist accommodations are limited in most of Burkina Faso. However, the capital of Ouagadougou does offer a selection of hotels, restaurants and street markets. South of the capital, the Nazinga Game Reserve has established protection policies which have helped make the country home to one of the largest elephant populations in West Africa. In the Banfora region to the southwest, a path through a large orchard of mango trees leads to the Karfiguela Waterfalls, another opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of the country, though heavy rain can make the dirt track leading to the falls impassable.