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"Burkina Faso -- The Charm is in its... " a Burkina Faso Travel Page by atufft

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"Burkina Faso -- The Charm is in its... " a Burkina Faso Travel Page by atufft

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atufft    
California is on the edge of the planet, not the center of the universe


Real Name: Alan
Lives In: Stockton, US
Member Since: Jul 29, 2003
VT Rank: 69

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Bobo-Dioulasso, BF  16  70
Gaoua, BF  13  52
Banfora, BF  4  23
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Page Views: 1,588            Last Visit to Burkina Faso: July, 2004      

Burkina Faso -- The Charm is in its Villages

by atufft - last update: Jul 17, 2007

Hangs out in Bobo Dioulasso

Mamoudou Cisse Best Bobo-Dioulasso Area Guide

Meet my friend Mamoudou Cisse at Bobo Art (see contact). He is charming, always helpful, and as reasonably priced a guide you'll ever get. He will take you around Bobo-Dioulasso and to villages, such as Koro and Koumi using local transport or his motobike. An easy thing to do is to rent a motor bike near the Market, but he'll do that for you at no charge. His uncle's shop is excellent, but the market at Bobo is another great place to bargain for masks and art from the entire West African region. Bobo itself is safe and shaded by trees in its center. At night, clubs feature live traditional music. Take care of my best West African guide (and argueably best I've ever had) as you enjoy the area.

Friendly Village Charm

Mamoudou took me out to some villages off the beaten path. There, I pulled out the camera and entertained some families who had nothing else to do but talk to an American like me. I loved the simple charm of these people. Koro and Koumi are must see activities in Burkina Faso. A day of simply visiting among the families here will entertain European and American visitors forever, despite the fact that these families have neither television, telephone, nor any other kind of electronic gadgetry whatsoever. Further south, near the junction of Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, is the Lobi country. The town center is Gaoua, and there's a good hotel in which to stay the night. A day or two visiting the Lobi people is quite interesting.
Bobo Village Sisters and Baby
Hippos at Banfora

Hippos at Banfora

We took the local bus for an hour or so from Bobo to Banfora. Then, rented a couple motor scooters for the trip into the park. The paths are sandy and flat, and the ride past all the folks walking to market was fun. The lake there has Hippos, and unlike our previous attempts along the Volta River, we found it easy to find them. The boatman knows exactly where to find them. See the Banfora tip for more details.

> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]

Pros:"Burkina Faso is full of friendly villages and places to see wildlife"
Cons:"Without a guide, it's hard to find one's way around"
In A Nutshell:"Burkina Faso is an easy and safe place for adventure tourists to visit"
atufft's Burkina Faso Travel Tips

OverviewThings to Do
Tips: 3 - Photos: 14
 
Restaurants
Tips: 1
Hotels & Accommodations
 
Nightlife
Tips: 1
Off The Beaten Path
Tips: 1 - Photos: 5
 
Tourist TrapsWarnings Or Dangers
 
Transportation
Tips: 3 - Photos: 11
Local Customs
 
Packing ListsShopping
 
Sports TravelGeneral Tips
Tips: 1 - Photos: 2

Comments for atufft about Burkina Faso
hopang Wed Jun 3, 2009 16:17 UTC
 Interesting overview on Burkina Faso complete with fabulous photographs! Burkina villages sound interesting. Thanks for sharing. ~ho & pang
jumpingnorman Wed Feb 11, 2009 20:39 UTC
 wow, look at how green the grass is! Everything seems so much more ALIVE in Africa, in my opinion. I think it's where life really started....Norman :)
hunterV Sun Jul 6, 2008 08:09 UTC
 Oh, yes, great experience! Thanks for your exciting stories!
sayville Mon Aug 20, 2007 04:45 UTC
 Great information. My daughter is going there Oct 2007 for Peace Corp. As a mom I am nervous but your pages make me feel a bit better about her going there. You confirmed that the people there are friendly and it is safe. Thanks
See More Comments

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