Bankoualé

Bankoualé sits in a valley in the Goda mountains where a permanent stream runs through a wadi full of doum palms, and the villagers have terraced the slopes above into gardens growing coffee, mango, papaya and vegetables. A community camp takes visitors. The palm the village is known for, Livistona carinensis, is a rare species with only a handful of populations left anywhere. The palm takes its name from the village, and the population here is one of only three known anywhere in the world. Coffee has been grown on the terraces since the nineteenth century.

What you actually see

• The palm wadi - the doum and Bankoualé palms along the permanent stream.
• The terraced gardens - coffee, mango and vegetables on the slopes.
• The rare palm - Livistona carinensis, with few populations left anywhere.
• The community camp - the simple accommodation run by the village.

When to go

November to March is the cool season. The stream runs year round. The track in is difficult after rare rain.

Honest expectations

The track in needs four wheel drive and local knowledge. Accommodation is basic with no power. The rare palm population has declined and is not abundant.

Nearby

Randa is northeast, and Dittilou is north.