Holiday in Ouagadougou

What makes Ouagadougou special as a destination?

Ouagadougou — affectionately called "Ouaga" by locals — is the capital of Burkina Faso and the cultural heart of West Africa. The 2.4 million city in the Sahel region hosts FESPACO (Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision de Ouagadougou), the largest and most important film festival in Africa, which brings filmmakers from across the continent together every two years, making Ouagadougou the African Cannes. The city was shaped by Thomas Sankara — the charismatic revolutionary leader who gave Burkina Faso its current name in 1984 (Burkina Faso = "Land of Upright People") and is revered as "Africa's Che Guevara." His monument and legacy are omnipresent in a city that, despite its poverty, radiates a dignity and hospitality that deeply touches visitors. The Grand Marché Rood Woko (rebuilt after the fire in 2003) is the heartbeat of Ouaga: spices, fabrics (Faso Dan Fani — handwoven cotton), bronze figures, and leather goods from across the Sahel region. The Grande Mosquée, an elegant building in Sudanese style, and the Cathédrale de l'Immaculée Conception showcase Ouaga's religious diversity. On the outskirts lies the Parc Bangr-Weogo, a surprisingly green nature park in the middle of the Sahel with crocodiles, monkeys, and the Musée de Manego, which tells the history of the Mossi kingdoms — the dominant culture of Burkina Faso since the 15th century.