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Gaoua lying in south west from Ouaga is the capital of Lobi Country, full of local traditions. Though non touristy, its compact scale makes an excellent ocassion to walk and soak up the local atmosphere. The must to see sight is the small but lovelt Musee de PoniFor more details on Gaoua, visit my Gaoua page
Burkina is a landlocked country in West Africa. The main tourist regions are:North with Gorom-Gorm and the Sahel (for Saharan taste)South around Po with Tiebele (Gourounsi architecture) and Nazinga RanchSouth West with numerous sites like Lobi tradition in Gaoua, natural sights around Banfora and charming Bobo Dioulasso
See my Gaoua pages for this adventure, which is not without it's challenges logistically and culturally. The town is tucked down in a corner near the Ivory Coast and Ghana borders. The villages require a guide to be found and seen, as the Lobi people are more reclusive and reluctant to pose for the camera. The Lobi cultural practices are alive and well in Gaoua. Basically, plan to go there and find a guide in town near the marketplace. If a young kid rushes up to become your guide, be very cautious. We made a mistake in choosing an apparently energetic but found to be wreckless Lobi guide. It's quite possible to rent motor scooters to get around if your group is few in number. The roads are sandy, with some uphill areas, but otherwise quite easy to negotiate, and the scooters are much cheaper and more fun than a 4x4.
I actually found Bobo-Dioulasso more interesting than Ouaga, the capital. It's large enough for continuous entertainment, but not a constant traffic jam. Bobo-Dioulasso has lots of trees in the city center, Ouaga doesn't. If you travel to Burkina Faso, you'll probably visit both cities. When in Bobo-Dioulasso, walk around the city center shopping for handicrafts from all over West Africa. The nightclubs in Bobo-Dioulasso are relaxed but filled with music, and there are plenty of places to eat. Equally important, Bobo-Dioulasso is quite near important side trips outside the city. Be sure to check out my pages devoted to this city for other tips on Burkina Faso.
Outside Bobo is a lake with hippos and an rocky outcrop with a small river and waterfall. Motorscooters are easy to rent and ride out to the protected lake. At that point one must hire a boat for seeing the hippos. I recommend having a guide for a day trip from Bobo, but it's not absolutely necessary. Check out my Banfora page for more images and details.
This was one of those things that make a trip special and that without a guide to help with the language, it just won't happen. Whilst passing the village of Sideradougou I noticed on my right a green field. This being so unusual in these parched surroundings I asked my guide to stop. The field in fact was an allotment run by the womens cooperative from the village for the benefit of everyone. Onions, leeks, cabbage, eggplant and other all sorts abounded. But the highlight was when the women realised that a "Toubab" had actually stopped for a chat and a photocall was magic!!!These women, with a bit of help, had created their own piece of paradise insomuch as they were completely independant money wise and also intellectually from the menfolk. If you pass this way, do not hesitate to stop. It will make their day. And if you do take photos make sure, by some method to get them back to the...
Inside you can see nothing. How they find their way around beats me. The only natural light is from a hole above the cooking area for the smoke to rise. Here as in the Lobi country, the more jars and calebasses that a woman has denotes her relative fortune.
Although this is probably one of the most visited places in Burkina Faso, I was a little bit disappointed. Not with the place itself, but this is about the only place in Africa that I have felt like the proverbial cow waiting to be milked. Fortunately my guide/driver knows the place quite well and had warned me beforehand. I know full well that people need to make a living but with the type of agression(not physical) I felt, pretty soon there will be nobody visiting the village. The local Tourist office is trying to get things right and setting up official guides with cards, but they must do something abut all the pseudo-guides.The visit of the royal compound is an eye-opener and a great insight into the way of life of the Kassena: part of the Gourountsi tribe of peoples. The guide I finally had was very good and showed me around in about an hour, including a visit inside one of the...
About 14 kms. from Gaoua is a small village called Doudou. Every 5 days there is a market where the speciality is gold. In Lobi country it is only the women who are allowed to mine for the gold, but on the other hand are not allowed to wear it. The money made goes to buy the pots; jars and vases that make the earthly fortune of the women. You have to ask in Gaoua(Marie-Claire will know) which day is the market. Even apart from the gold this is an interesting one, really a village market as opposed to a town one. Not far from the village are the holes that the women dig to extract the gold. You can also spot the large ovens where the women bake the pottery.A last tip : Always ask permission to take photos at the gold market as the buyers are very susceptible people.
Even if you are only passing through here, you must visit the museum. A little bit expensive at 2000 cfa each but when Marie-Claire explains all about the Lobi people: their rituals, the way of life, the way the houses are done on the inside, the polygamy, the sacrifices. This added to the wonderful photos inside gives you ,perhaps only a small insight into the culture, but one you will not forget. In the grounds is a facsimily of a Lobi house and I had the privilege (dubious at first) to witness the sacrifice to the new fetishes outside.In the grounds there is also a small maquis where you can eat. Better to order before visiting the museum. Then they just give you a shout when it's ready, otherwise quite a long wait. This is about the only decent restaurant in Gaoua. Gaoua, for reastaurants, as for hotels, is not very well served.
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Reviews and photos of Burkina Faso attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Burkina Faso sightseeing.
Q: Could someone please tell me if Mastercard can be used in Burkina Faso? I have conflicting reports on this. thank you.
A: I haven´t tried Mastercard there, but in general it is rather difficult to pay with Mastercard in most African countries. If hotels etc accept a credit card at all, they...
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