Ahouakro Rock Formations

At Ahouakro, near Tiassalé, granite has weathered into a field of enormous rounded boulders, some balanced on others in arrangements that look deliberate and are not, with shelters and passages between them. Excavation under the overhangs has produced stone tools and pottery showing long occupation, and the site is protected as an archaeological park. It sits on Côte d'Ivoire's tentative list for future World Heritage nomination rather than being inscribed.

What's there

• The balanced boulders - granite masses resting on one another across the site.
• The rock shelters - overhangs with archaeological deposits beneath them.
• The passages - gaps and corridors between the boulder groups.
• The forest - vegetation growing among and over the rock.

When to go

November to March is the dry season and the best for walking the site. The rains from June to October make the tracks and rock slippery. Mornings are coolest.

What to expect

It is on the tentative list, not inscribed, whatever some sources say. There is no interpretation on the ground and a guide is needed to find the shelters. The track in is rough.

Nearby

Tiassale is nearby, and Abidjan is south.