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'''Burkina Faso''', formerly '''Upper Volta''', is a landlocked country in [[Western Africa|West Africa]]. It is surrounded by six countries: [[Mali]] to the north, [[Niger]] to the east, [[Benin]] to the south east, [[Togo]] and [[Ghana]] to the south, and [[Côte d'Ivoire]] to the south west. Many experienced travellers consider Burkina Faso to be one of the most friendly and inviting countries in Africa. However Burkina Faso is also a very poor country. The official language is French but other languages are spoken more widely, knowledge of [[Africa phrasebook#Bambara|Bambara]] can be useful.
== Hospitality ==
While hitching in Burkina, hitchwiki user [[User:jim_e99|jim_e99]] did not receive any offers of a place to stay, in about 6 lifts. It is probably worth asking people, because hospitality is pretty engrained in Burkinabe culture. Alternatively, several great couchsurfers Couchsurfers exist in Ouagadougou and a handful in Bobo. On the other hand, during one month of moving through various parts of the country, [[User:alyssahcanada|Alyssa]] was often offered a place to sleep, both by drivers of hitched rides and while walking through villages. In all cases the people were well intentioned and happy to help out a foreigner.
{{IsIn|West Africa}}
[[de:Burkina Faso]]
== Visas ==
In 2010 the price for buying the Burkinabe visa at the border went from 10,000 CFA to 100,000 CFA, so best to get it before hand - it is a straightforward 24-hour process at the embassy in Bamako, and they will likely grant you three months for the price of one.
If you plan on traveling to other West African countries, Ouagadougou is a good place to pick up the 5-country Visa Touristique Entente, good for a single entry into each of Burkina, Cote D'Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Niger. The visa starts on the day you use it and lasts two months, for a price of 25,000 CFA (a one-month visa to Cote D'Ivoire is a bureaucratic pain to get and costs 8,000 CFA more). You must go to the Direction du Controle de la Migration, as most embassies will deny its existence (for example the Ivorienne embassy claims it no longer works). This information is from late 2010, play around on Google to get the latest.
== Safety ==
Similar situation for most West African countries. Rides come quickly and most people are well intentioned. Single women, keep your wits about you, but definitely possible to hitch without problem. The only potential issue is the recent activity of Al Qaeda in Islamic Magreb in the north-eastern parts of the country, notably near the Mali and Burkina borders. Stay informed about the situation.
== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==
{{nomadwiki}}