Hello Ouagadougou.

So off we were and Ouagadougo greeted us with mellow and dry 28° Celsius. We found a great little place to stay at called Pension Micha in the outskirts of the city. The owner was very helpful and a great source for any information. On top she even spoke German, English and French. She had been living in Burkina Faso for many years as an NGO-representative and therefore knew every corner of the country.

Off To Bobo Dioulasso & Banfora.

Since we just had two weeks, we quickly had to decide where to go; we opted for the South West and didn’t regret it for a second. Buses from Ouagadougou run frequently and one could even travel by train to Banfora (twice a week) and further down to the Ivory Coast. We went with the bus to Bobo Dioulasso. Here we settled into Villa Rose, a very nice and comfortable B&B run by a Dutch/Burkina couple.

Our trip continued further South West and after a few bush taxi rides, we arrived in Banfora. This town is the stepping off point to some very extraordinary natural sights like the Karfiguela Waterfalls and Sindou Rock formations. But Banfora especially caught our attention due to its market…

Voodoo, Witches And Fetish.

We always begin our exploration with a visit to the local market. And markets in Burkina Faso will definitely not disappoint you! A lot is on display and people are eager but not super persistent to sell you something.

The most interesting market section was a bit further away from the main section. Here men and women advertise their service in the field of home-made remedies. We could smell the Voodoo fetish market before we actually saw it: a stench of decomposition and an alley of mud-brick houses. The goods on sale here were desiccated heads, feed, insides of monkeys, buffaloes, cheetahs, chameleons, birds and crocodiles as well as varieties of snake skins and bat wings. It was indeed a gruesome gallery of lifeless faces staring at you.

We approached one vendor and pointed to his sign and his offers. He told us he was a traditional healer and could mix us a formula for any condition we might have. We kindly refused his offer, yet his is very original advertising banner caught our attention (see photo below). Instead of buying herbs, spices for our sexual desire, we just bought his banner.

As a matter of fact, these witch doctors are common in Burkina Faso and people still believe very strongly in their healing powers – or rather what we call Voodoo. Western Africa is where Voodoo originated, and where it still plays a significant part in everyday life. But forget zombies, black magic and sticking pins in dolls; real-life Voodoo is an animist belief system and on top also the official religion of Benin (which is based on respect and peace).

The entire experience is essentially benign, though not if you’re a wuss.

Once you’ve consulted a voodoo priest with your sickness, he’ll send you off to market with a shopping list…

In its original meaning, witch doctors were emphatically not witches themselves, but rather people who had remedies to protect others against witchcraft.

Desiccated heads, feed, insides, skin, hair & feathers can be found at the fetish markets in Burkina Faso.

Not only animal parts, but also herbs & spices are an essential part for any witch doctor in Western Africa.

The knowledge of traditional healing methods in Burkina is declining…Some specialists still know much about herbs, roots, and barks and the traditional bonesetters are still consulted in rural areas. Psychological problems are treated through possession rituals.

Traditional healers in Burkina Faso are well respected in the community.

The fetish market experience is essentially benign … unless you’re a chicken.

The French cherish their former colony, while for the rest of the world this country is rather unknown. We actually didn’t plan on visiting Burkina Faso, rather Mauritania or Mali were on our list. But Mali was out of question with all the troubles at the moment and Mauritania didn’t have a consulate in Austria. This was when Burkina Faso showed up on our map. And well, we were definitely not disappointed to have made this decision.

Some things we recommend on doing/seeing:

Ouagadougou.

Ouagadougou greeted us with friendly welcoming people but it was still an adventure itself. We stayed there for a couple of days (at Maison Micha – a beautiful, tidy, quiet, affordable and safe place, run by a German woman) before we continued to Bobo Dioulasso. Public transport is easily available and buses run accurately, so there was no hassle at all.

Bobo Dioulasso.

Bobo Dioulasso has lots of interesting things to see: The Grande Mosque, a unique Sudanese mud architecture which was built in 1880, a sacred fish pond, beautiful villages in the vicinity and a huge market.

The amazing Grand Mosque in Bobo Dioulasso is an impressive representative of the traditional Sudano-Sahelian architecture and the largest building of this style in Burkina Faso. It was built in the end of the 19th century as a result of political deal between local king and Islamic religious leader.

Koro (10km East of Bobo Dioulasso) is an ancient local village built in & around rock formations.

Nowadays the ancient village of Koro is almost completely abandoned, only few locals stick around.

Banfora.

Further south-west, you’ll arrived in Banfora, the stepping off point to the Pics of Sindou, which is a bizarre looking area where you can hike for hours on tracks between high grass surrounded by moon like mountain formations (a guide is compulsory). Another great point of interest are the “Karfiguela Waterfalls”, an array of permanent waterfalls with fantastic swimming ponds. At the starting point, where you leave the car or your motorbike, you walk through an alley of huge trees, which is simply breathtaking to look at. You can continue to Hippo Lake, for a bit of wildlife experience.

Rock formations “Pics de Sindou” just 50km Southwest of Banfora, Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso isn’t full of natural wonders, but the rock formation “Pics de Sindou” is a must visit when in the area around Banfora.

Walking around the rock formations “Pics de Sindou”near Banfora really gives you the impression of an “out of this world” location.

The Karfiguela Waterfalls the falls are actually a set of smaller and bigger falls, pools, rocks that are all easily discovered by foot.

Before getting to Karfiguela Waterfalls near Banfora, you will pass a lane of huge mango trees.

Hairdresser, Healers & Tailors.

In larger towns, look at the interesting signs that advertise hairdressers and barbers … some will really make you smile. Also, be sure to check out the traditional healers; you’ll find a section of these guys at every market. Of course, markets are interesting too, as they are in every country. After finishing up, maybe you’re ready for a traditional African dress; a tailor will measure you and sew it in a few hours. They do a really great job and it works like a charm on a fancy dress party.

A traditions healer in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Market life in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

A typical Coiffure sign in Burkina Faso.

Bush Taxi.

For the ones of you who really want to spice up their holiday with an easy adventure, simply take a bush taxi instead of your rented 4×4 truck. Expect some blown up tyres and engine failures,  so bring plenty of water in case you really have to spend some hours on a dirt track near the broken down vehicle. Be assured, even the locals want to arrive at their desired destination, so the spare-parts or another vehicle will come, sooner or later. You’ll remember this trip for many years and have some great stories for your grand kids.

A bush taxi ride in Burkina Faso will leave you with lots of memorable conversation material.

If you get to your desired destination without a maintenance stop in between, you’re definitely one of the lucky ones.

Our 2 weeks in Burkina Faso were not long enough, because there’s still the train trip that needs to be done, Tiebele with its painted villages, Nazinga Game Reserve, Parc du W and a lot more, so we’ll be back next year for sure.