The Bouar Megaliths

Across the plateau around Bouar stand the tazunu - clusters of granite megaliths, some raised in alignments and mounds dated back several millennia, scattered by the dozen across farmland and bush in one of Central Africa's least-known archaeological landscapes. The stones' builders and purposes keep scholarly debate alive (burial monuments lead the arguments); their presence turns walks around Bouar into quiet Stonehenge country, standing stones against mango trees and red-earth tracks. Visits run with local guides within the country's standing arranged-travel frame - the megaliths' obscurity being both their condition and their charm.

What to look for

• The tazunu clusters - granite alignments across the plateau.
• The mound sites - the monuments' earthwork settings.
• The farmland settings - stones among mangoes and millet.
• The archaeological mystery - millennia-old questions still open.

When to go

November to February, the dry season, keeps the plateau tracks walkable. Arrange the trip through specialist local operators.

Practical notes

At the stones: sites are unfenced farmland heritage - local guides' introductions are both courtesy and necessity, and the megaliths deserve the no-climbing respect their age commands.

Nearby

Bouar town and the western plateau villages.

Key facts