Burkina Faso or simply Burkina is a landlocked nation in West Africa. She has a size of 274,000 km sq. with an estimated population of 13 million people. Burkina Faso's capital city is Ouagadougou and the official language is French. This landlocked country remains poor even by West African standards. However, the government is investing in tourism and measures have been taken to increase the accommodation available in the country and to make tourist destinations more attractive. Wildlife is a key element of this objective in the eastern part of the country while the central part around Ouagadougou concentrates on business tourism. The west focuses on cultural tourism and the north on the discovery of nomadic populations and traditions. Visitors could check in from neighbouring countries or far off countries via air, rail or road.

Within, you have to live with primarily a tropical climate which is in two distinctive seasons; the rainy and the dry season in which the harmattan, a hot dry wind, blows. Available are some wonderful accommodation places to counter this natural state of affairs. There are hotels with some air conditioned rooms and additional facilities that will make your stay comfortable. Elsewhere, there are small lodges and also a group of tourist class bungalows at Arly National Park. If you are into camping or caravanning, access may be allowed into certain areas usually only as part of group excursions.

It's quite entertaining going out despite the few hotels and restaurants available in Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso. Enjoy the staple foods which include sorghum, millet, rice, maize, nuts, potatoes and yams. Rice with sauce, chicken dishes, beef and aubergine with sauce are some of the national specialities which will leave you asking for more while beer is the drink of choice and is fairly cheap. Nightlife is particularly good in Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso. There are several nightclubs, some with live music, several cinemas both open air and indoors. Get lively street caf? scenes, good open air bars and restaurants and air conditioned discos. The Wassa Club and Les Bambous are popular venues.

Do you like shopping for souvenir items? Why not do your shopping in the good markets where bargaining is the recommended traditional market practice? Purchase wooden artefacts, bronze models, masks, worked skins, jewellery, fabrics, leather goods, hand woven blankets and many more. Visit the Ethnography Museum, the National museum or Snake Museum. Alternatively, go watch Nabayius Gou traditional dramas on Fridays 0600 at Moro Naba Palace. Traditional music and dancing can also be seen on festivals, especially in the southwest region which is rich in folklore. Discover the attractive streets and the bustling market, the Grand Marche. The town of Banfora offers an impressive view of the Karfiguela Waterfalls, Banfora Escarpment and the best areas for hiking that will leave feeling light.

Getting around Burkina has been conveniently enabled by a principal domestic airport and railway serving Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso. Road could be the most convenient though the bad roads are almost impassable during the rainy season. You can employ the services of buses, taxis, or car hire. Severe flooding could be a disaster to reckon with hence seek and follow advice from the local authorities. Be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks and ensure you carry some form of identification all the time.