Burkina Faso
The information below is provided by Lonely Planet readers and is not verified by Lonely Planet. For the official lowdown, contact your nearest embassy or check out our Travel Links.
Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
If you're a citizen of the European Community you can apply for a tourist visa when arriving at Ouagadougou airport. The procedure is very easy; you just need to fill in the forms (three pages) given to you by an officer, take one photo and pay CFA10,000 in local currency (there is an exchange bureau in the same airport). The officers won't issue the visa until the next day, so you should leave the passport and pick it up the next morning at the same airport. Don't worry about being without ID because the police will issue an authorisation instead.
Judith Ripoll, Spain (Jun 03)
Make sure you organise your visa for Burkina Faso for your entire stay before you leave home. Burkina doesn't have an embassy in the Netherlands. The embassy in Brussels requires you to come and pick it up yourself, so we only got a 10-day visa from the French consulate for Burkina. Getting a new visa in Ouaga was slow and inefficient. We had to come back the next working day at 7am and could pick it up after 2pm in the afternoon. The attitude was very lazy and tourist unfriendly.
Michiel Hillenius & Sonja Munnix, Netherlands (Feb 03)
Burkina Faso visa: obtained in the French Embassy in Lomè, Togo. I got a transit visa for 5 days for US$10. It was ready in 2 days. The cost of a one month visa is US$26.
Patrizio Luntini, Italy (Feb 03)
Travel Tips
In Burkina Faso, ALWAYS take your letters to the Ouagadougou Airport Post Office, especially if speed is a concern. Village (and small town) post offices operate on a "once the basket gets full enough, we'll send it to Ouagadougou for sorting" method of efficiency. If you drop off your letter or postcard at the airport post office, it gets sorted on site, then put on one of the next planes out. Through much testing, it seems to make a difference of at least a week or two to Canada. Be warned, however, that the post office always seems to be missing small change. Buy your stamps in advance and avoid waiting in line the next time.
Nobody ever has any change. As such NEVER ACCEPT CFA10,000 bills from the bank when changing traveller's cheques. Try to stick to CFA5000 and CFA1000 bills. If you're buying expensive things at upmarket places, it's not that much of a problem. But if you're buying a cold Coke by the road, don't expect the kid at the stand to have change for a 5000. If you plan on visiting smaller towns and villages, don't bother with anything over CFA1000. If you're somehow stuck with a CFA10,000 bill, go to a service station and buy a box of cookies or something of the sort. They're usually about the only place in town that'll give you change for large bills.
Iain Ilich, Canada (Feb 03)
GO TO BURKINA. After 10 years of travelling in Africa I think I've found the friendliest country on the continent. And contrary to what the guide books suggest, with a little imagination, there's loads to do here.
Adrian Carr, UK (Feb 03)
Internet cafes are everywhere in Ouagadougou, just ask. Prices are CFA1200-1500 per hour.
Phone cards of 50 units cost CFA4250 now, lower than before.
Chrystal Dreisbach, USA (Oct 02)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
Visiting the many gardens in Ouagadougou is a must. City gardens usually have a bunch of tables, chairs and shelters, and most serve at least some form of food. Brochettes are usually available for a reasonable price, and almost every garden has a selection of ice cold drinks.
The botanical garden on the north side of the main dam/reservoir is an excellent way to wander around for an afternoon of plant-loving fun. And, if you're young at heart, there's an amusement park close by, complete with a carousel, bumper cars (and bumper boats), and even cotton candy.
Iain Ilich, Canada (Feb 03)
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