Nok and Mamproug Cave Dwellings

In the cliffs near Dapaong are the remains of dwellings built into the rock at Nok and Mamproug, mud structures and granaries fitted into overhangs and ledges above the plain, made by people taking refuge from slave raiding and from stronger neighbours. Reaching them means a climb up the rock. The Moba and Gourma people of the area tell the history and guide visitors up. The dwellings are thought to date from the period of the slave raids and to have been used into the nineteenth century.

What's there

• The cliff dwellings - mud structures fitted into the rock overhangs.
• The granaries - the storage built into the ledges alongside.
• The defensive logic - dwellings placed out of reach of raiders.
• The climb - the scramble up the rock to the ledges.

When to go

November to March is the dry season and the climb is safest. The rains make the rock slippery. Mornings are cooler.

Good to know

The climb is steep and exposed in places and not for everyone. A guide from the villages is required and fees apply. The structures are fragile and should not be entered.

Nearby

Dapaong is nearby, and the Burkinabé border is north.