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Meridiela.

Banfora

A southwestern town among sugarcane, the base for waterfalls, rock peaks and a hippo lake.

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Typetown
WhereCascades
Nearest cityBanfora
Best seasonNovember to February
Time to allowTwo to three days
Getting thereOn the road and railway southwest of Bobo-Dioulasso
EntryFree; site fees apply

Banfora sits in the greenest corner of Burkina Faso, surrounded by sugarcane and mango, and it is the base for the country's best-known cluster of natural sites: the Karfiguéla falls where the Comoé drops in stages over rock ledges, the Sindou peaks, a ridge eroded into a forest of thin sandstone pinnacles, and Lake Tengréla, where hippos live within sight of the village.

What you actually see

  • The KarfiguĂ©la falls - the ComoĂ© dropping in stages over rock ledges.
  • The Sindou peaks - a ridge eroded into thin sandstone pinnacles.
  • Lake TengrĂ©la - the shallow lake with its resident hippos.
  • The sugarcane country - the plantations that fill the plain around the town.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season and the most comfortable. The falls run strongest just after the rains, around September and October. March to May is extremely hot.

Honest expectations

The falls drop to very little by late in the dry season. Hippo sightings at Tengréla are not guaranteed and boats keep their distance. Site fees and guide charges are collected separately at each place.

Nearby

Niansogoni is west, and Bobo-Dioulasso is northeast.

What to pack for Banfora

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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