Downtown Banfora is a bustling hive of inactivity - two main streets with a petrol station, a bank and two dogs deciding which tree to sleep under. But the surrounding countryside is some of the best in Burkina Faso, and it's a great jumping off point for any number of hiking and biking possibilities.Karfiguéla waterfalls are interesting year-round, but really hit their straps in the rainy season. After the unrelenting dryness of much of the rest of Burkina Faso, the waterfalls are a welcome change. There is a bit of a bilharzia problem, so swimming in the pools below the waterfalls can be risky, and you'll need to bring your own water during the dry season because the water gets too dirty to drink. The Dômes de Karfiguéla, an escarpment-type formation, not far from the waterfall, is good hiking grounds. Ten kilometres (6mi) beyond the waterfalls is Lake Tengréla, a pleasant spot to stop and stretch your legs. The fishermen from the nearby village will be more than willing to take you out in their pirogues, for a couple of dollars (and some hard-nosed bargaining), to get a closer look at the bird life. A little further on from the lake are the seriously weird Sindou rock formations. They're like playdough sculptures - towering, tipsy, and stuck to the floor with lopsided ingenuity.Getting from Ouagadougou is a matter of catching the built-for-comfort train straight through to Banfora (if it's not the express to Abidjan), or catching the train to Bobo and then getting a bus or bush taxi the extra 80km (50mi). The best way of getting around the outlying district of Banfora is by mobylette, bicycle, or motorcycle, which can be hired for the day.

Bobo-Dioulasso, home to the Bobo people, is another laid-back, friendly city. It's even smaller and easier to negotiate than Ouagadougou but has the same airy boulevards, tree-lined streets and thriving market places.The Musée Provincial du Houët, housed in a Sudanese-style building, has two sets of exhibitions; one showcasing modern African art, batik, and sculpture, and the other exhibiting traditional art of the region. For a touch of French class, check out the Centre Culturel Français Henri Matisse. It's got shady trees, magazines, and comfy chairs; everything you need for a time-out from travelling. The most impressive of Bobo's buildings is the Grande Mosquée. It's built out of mud in traditional Sudanese style, and for an exhorbitant price the caretaker will take you on a guided tour; less if you just want to see the inside which is the most interesting section anyway. The old Kibidwé district is full of artisans artisaning (mostly potters and blacksmiths) and is well worth exploring.Bobo is about 300km (186mi) to the south of Ouagadougou and is easily accessible; flights leave Ouagadougou four times a week, trains leave three times a week, and buses leave daily. Bush taxis and minibuses also travel down to Bobo from Ouagadougou, but are slightly more expensive than the buses.

Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou (or Ouaga), lies smack bang in the middle of the country, standing at the crossroads of several ancient trade routes. It's more a large country town than a megalopolis; the core central area is easily covered on foot. There's not a hell of a lot to see, or visit, in Ouagadougou but what it lacks in epic monuments and grand buildings it makes up for in wide, shady boulevards, a relaxed atmosphere and friendly smiles. Burkinabés are gregarious people, always ready for a laugh and a chat over coffee, and hospitality is one of the city's trademarks. Unlike many other Sahelian cities, Ouagadougou is not predominantly Muslim so it's also got a lively nightclub scene. A number of reasonably cheap internet cafes are popping up in Ouaga making it a pretty good place to get online.Aimless ambling is a pleasant pastime in Ouagadougou. The cathedral, near the Moro-Naba Palace, is the largest church in the interior of West Africa. Ouagadougou's Grande Marché is always worth a visit. It's in the centre of town and has a number of great stalls upstairs.The main trading centre is inside a triangle, with the train station at the northern point, the Presidential Palace at the eastern point and the cathedral at the southern point. Nelson Mandela Avenue bisects the top half of the triangle before terminating at a large roundabout, the Place des Nations Unies. Most of the major streets branch off from the roundabout like spokes on a wheel. Places to stay and eat are scattered evenly throughout the triangle.

The Parc National d'Arli, in the southwest corner of Burkina Faso, was created in the 1950s in an attempt to stem the environmental effects of desertification and deforestation. Although Arli Park itself is rather small, it actually runs into two other reserves, Singou and Pama, creating a vast expanse of savanna crisscrossed by the impressive cliffs of Tambarga and Gobnangou. There's a smorgasbord of fauna to choose from - antelopes, baboons, gazelles, monkeys, warthogs, hippopotamus - but the real stars of the show are the elephants and lions. The lions are free-range, though, so nix the idea of a stroll around the park at dusk.The park's main accommodation is an attractive lodge but they've got you over a bit of a barrel, money-wise. A room and a meal will cost in the vicinity of US$50. Alternatively, you can camp near the hotel or stay at the less expensive Chez Madame Bonazza in nearby Pama. This French-named, Italian-owned, West African location offers reasonable accomodation and a good nosh up.If you're getting there under your own steam, take the Ouaga-Niamey highway 389 km (241mi) east to Kantchari, turn south toward Diapaga, and then southwest to the entrance to Arli Park. The leg from Daipaga to Arli is about a 130km (80mi) drive. Alternatively, you can catch the bus from Ouagadougou to Diapaga or Namounou, and then hitch to Arli.