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Travel and Tourism in Burkina Faso
Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Burkina Faso.
Practical Information
Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 4: Do Not Travel
- Time Difference
- UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Currency
- 605.7
- Climate
- Burkina Faso's climate is sunny, hot, dry, and dusty. The hot season is from mid-February to June, when maximum temperatures exceed 104°F in the shade. The rainy season typically lasts from June to September. The first rains, called the mango rains, usually begin in May/June and provide some relief from the heat and dust. Annual rainfall ranges from about 10 inches in the extreme north to nearly 40 inches in the south. Temperatures begin to moderate in late September/early October as the rainy season winds down. Mid-November to mid-February is the cool season with high temperatures in the 80s and lows in the 60s. The Harmattan, a hot, dust-laden wind from the Sahara, often blows in January and February, leading to reduced visibility and temporarily unpleasant living conditions.
- Ethnic Groups
- Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
- National Holiday
- Republic Day, 11 December (1958); note - commemorates the day that Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community
- Geographic Coordinates
- 13 00 N, 2 00 W
- Location
- Western Africa, north of Ghana
- Airports
- 33
Health and Safety
Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.
Medical facilities and emergency hospital care are very limited and of poor quality, particularly in areas outside of Ouagadougou. Emergency response services, such as ambulances, are in very short supply, poorly equipped, and in many regions simply nonexistent. Some medicines are available through local pharmacies, though supplies can be limited and quality is inconsistent. Travelers requiring specific medicines should bring an adequate supply for the duration of their stay in Burkina Faso.