How to Find Hotels in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Ouagadougou is both Burkina Faso's capital and largest city. Known to be a friendly city, it is flanked by several national parks. Ouagadougou is also home to many gardens, so pack a camera to capture the abundant foliage.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A visa
• A valid passport
• Computer with Internet access for making reservations

Know Your Destination

1. Pack a French phrasebook, as this is the official language in Ouagadougou.

2. Convert your money once you've arrived. Ouagadougou's currency is the Communaute Financiere Africaine Franc, or CFA.

3. Head to the local consulate to acquire the required visa for Burkina Faso.

4. Pack appropriately. A hot, tropical climate prevails most of the year, with a rainy season during December and January.

Organize Transportation

5. Travel around town as a group. Taxis cost about 1,000 CFA but cater more to groups than to single travelers.

6. Rent a car at the airport in Ouagadougou when you travel during the rainy months of December and January. Taxis and buses become overcrowded during the frequent rains.

7. Ride around town like the locals do, on bicycles and motorcycles.

Choose Your Lodging

8. Book hotel accommodations in the business district if you want to be close to the convention center.

9. Stay near the airport for 4- and 5-star accommodations and within easy proximity to transportation.

10. Reserve your accommodations near the city center to get the most out of local festivals. This area is where most of the action is.

Be Familiar With Local Information

11. Attend the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, or FESPACO. It's the largest film festival in Africa.

12. Take advantage of the international cuisine by eating out. Restaurants are abundant and feature everything from French standards to good Chinese fare.

13. Come in conjunction with a festival. SIAO (The International Art and Craft Fair), FESPAM (The Pan-African Music Festival), FESTIVO and FITMO (The International Theatre and Marionnette Festival) are all popular local celebrations.

Tips & Warnings

• Yellow fever vaccination certificates are mandatory for all visitors to Burkina Faso who are 1 year of age or older. Recommended vaccinations include meningococcal meningitis, hepatitis A and tetanus.
• To book accommodations in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, call Avenue de la Résistance du 17 Mai at 011 ([phone]/30 63 99 or visit the link for the Burkina Faso Embassy below.
• All phone numbers include the international prefix "011." When calling internationally but not from the United States or Canada, substitute that "011" with "00." All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• If you are arriving in late February, during FESPACO (The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou), it is advisable to book your accommodations weeks or months in advance.
• The H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed in Burkina Faso.