Bondoukou
An old northeastern trading town on the Ghanaian border, with earthen mosques and a long Muslim history.
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Bondoukou was a significant town on the kola and gold routes from at least the seventeenth century, a centre of Muslim scholarship with a large number of mosques for its size, several of them in the Sudanese earthen style. The old quarters keep courtyard houses and narrow lanes, and the town's Koumbala mosque and others are still in use. It is a working provincial centre in a quiet corner of the country near the Ghanaian frontier.
What you actually see
- The earthen mosques - Sudanese-style buildings through the old quarters.
- The old town - courtyard houses and lanes from the trading period.
- The scholarly tradition - the town's long history as a centre of Islamic learning.
- The border trade - the routes east into Ghana that the town grew on.
When to go
November to February is the dry season and the most comfortable; the harmattan brings cool nights and haze. The rains from June to October make the roads difficult. Friday changes the rhythm of the town.
Honest expectations
Non-Muslims may not be admitted inside the mosques and this varies. The drive from Abidjan is long, most of a day. Accommodation is basic and limited.
Nearby
Soko is nearby, and Abengourou is southwest.
What to pack for Bondoukou
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.