Deux Balés National Park

Deux Balés lies along the Mouhoun, the Black Volta, near Boromo on the main road between Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, and it protects wooded savanna and gallery forest holding one of the more reliable elephant populations in the country, along with baboon, warthog, antelope and a long bird list. The elephants use the river through the dry season and are watched from vehicles on the park tracks.

History

The area was protected in 1937 as the Deux Balés classified forests, 610 square kilometres of what was then French West Africa, and in 1967 it was named a national park, though no law has ever formally made it one. By 2001 Deux Balés, together with the Baporo forest, held some 400 elephants (Wikipedia, Deux Balés National Park).

What you'll find

• The elephants - one of the country's more reliable populations, along the Mouhoun.
• The gallery forest - the wooded strip along the river.
• The savanna - the woodland the park's tracks run through.
• The bird list - the species using the river and the surrounding bush.

When to go

December to April is the dry season when elephants concentrate on the river. The rains from June close the tracks. Early morning and late afternoon are best.

Practical notes

Elephant sightings depend on the season and are not guaranteed. Facilities are a gate and basic camping. Guides are required and vehicles must be suitable for rough tracks.

Nearby

Boromo is beside it, and Bobo-Dioulasso is southwest.

Key facts