Banfora

About Banfora

Green is the first thing travellers notice in Banfora. In the far south-west of Burkina Faso, the capital of Comoé province is surrounded by sugar cane, mango orchards and rice fields, with waterfalls, sandstone formations and a hippo lake within easy reach. With about 117,000 people, it is the country's sixth-largest city and the last major town before the border with Côte d'Ivoire.

The Karaboro were the first settlers, and together with the Gouin and Turka peoples they still make up most of the city. The French set up a military post here in 1903, a road to Bobo-Dioulasso followed in 1905, and the railway arrived in 1931. Today the sugar industry drives the local economy, and Dioula and French are the everyday languages of the market.

The Karfiguéla Falls, the Domes of Fabédougou and Lake Tengrela are all short trips from town, and the Sindou Peaks lie further west. Security conditions in Burkina Faso have been serious in recent years, so check current travel advice carefully before planning a visit.