The Sindou Peaks

The Sindou Peaks, near the town of Sindou in the far southwest of Burkina Faso, are one of the country's most spectacular natural sights, a long chain of narrow, jagged sandstone cones, ridges and fins sculpted over millions of years by wind and rain. Rising dramatically from the surrounding savanna, this labyrinth of pinnacles and hidden passages, in warm tones of ochre and grey, resembles a great natural sculpture park or a petrified forest of stone. Sacred to the local Senoufo people, the peaks can be explored on foot with guides along winding paths that thread between the towering formations, rewarding walkers with striking views and an otherworldly, almost dreamlike landscape.

What you actually see

• The sandstone cones - the chain of narrow wind-carved pinnacles.
• The hidden passages - the winding paths between the fins.
• The savanna setting - the peaks rising from open grassland.
• The viewpoints - the striking vistas across the formations.

When to go

November to February, the cool dry season, is the best time for walking among the peaks, avoiding the intense heat and summer rains; the warm ochre stone is especially beautiful in the low light of early morning and late afternoon. The mild dry months make exploring on foot a pleasure.

Honest expectations

The Sindou Peaks lie in a remote corner of the southwest and are explored on foot with local guides, so reaching and walking them takes some effort and sun protection. As a spectacular and otherworldly chain of wind-carved sandstone pinnacles rising from the savanna, though, the Sindou Peaks are a genuinely dramatic and rewarding natural wonder.

Nearby

The town of Sindou and the city of Banfora with its cascades lie in the region.