Niofoin

Niofoin is a Senufo village whose centre holds a group of round mud houses with tall conical thatched roofs, taller and steeper than the domestic buildings around them, used to hold sacred objects and for ritual purposes rather than as dwellings. They are maintained by the community and rethatched on a cycle. Access to the interiors is restricted and the village asks visitors to come with a guide and to ask before photographing.

What you actually see

• The conical houses - tall thatched sacred buildings at the centre of the village.
• The mud construction - round walls built and maintained in the traditional way.
• The rethatching - the periodic maintenance the roofs depend on.
• The village layout - the sacred group set among ordinary dwellings.

When to go

November to February is the dry season and the most comfortable; the harmattan brings haze. The rains from June to October make the roads difficult. Mornings are best.

Honest expectations

The buildings are sacred and interiors are generally closed to visitors. Photography needs permission and payment is often expected. A guide is effectively required and turning up alone is not welcome.

Nearby

Korhogo is southeast, and Waraniene is nearby.