• In the capital, Ouagadougou, visit the Ethnography Museum, which contains a substantial collection of Mossi artefacts, the town being the centre of one of the many ancient Mossi kingdoms. Other museums include the National Museum in the Lycée Bogodogo and the Snake Museum in the Collège de la Salle. Witness the Moro-Naba ceremony, with traditional costumes and drums, which takes place outside the Moro-Naba Palace every Friday morning around 0600.

• At around 0600 on Fridays, Nabayius Gou (‘the Emperor goes to war’) is a traditional ‘drama’ performed at the Moro-Naba Palace in Ouagadougou depicting the magnificently bedecked emperor being restrained by his wife and subjects as he sets off to make war with his brother. Traditional music and dancing can also be seen on festivals and holidays, especially in the southwest region which is rich in folklore.

• In October-November, go bargain hunting at the International Arts and Crafts Fair in Ouagadougou.

• Discover the attractive streets and the bustling market, the Grand Marché, of Bobo Dioulasso, the largest town inhabited by the Bobo people. Other city attractions are the Musée Provincial du Houët with regional relics, arts and crafts, and the Grande Mosquée in the Kibidwé district. Excursions outside the city include the scenic sacred fish pond of La Mare aux Poissons Sacrés de Dafra, 8km (5 miles) southeast of the city; the excellent bathing pond of La Guinguette, located in La Fôret de Kou, 18km (11 miles) from the city; and the Mare aux Hippopotames, 66km (41 miles) northeast of the city, where visitors may be taken out in a pirogue to view the hippos for a small fee.

• Southwest of Bobo Dioulasso is the town of Banfora, from where the impressive Karfiguéla Waterfalls can be seen, located 12km (3 miles) northwest of the town. Approximately 50km (31 miles) west of Banfora is the town of Sindou, the area where the extraordinary Sindou Rock Formations can be seen.

• From Ouagadougou, excursions include a wildlife-viewing trip to a small artificial lake 18km (11 miles) to the north. Pabre, an ancient Mossi village, is a short distance from another large reservoir north of the city. At Sabou, crocodiles can be seen at close quarters. The national parks and reserves are the best places to view wildlife. Tour operators in Ouagadougou can organise trips of varying duration. Entrance fees are payable to all reserves. The three national parks (at Kabore Tembi, at ‘W’ near the Benin and Niger border, and at Arli) are the most important. South of Ougadougou, near Po, the Ranch de Nazinga is a game reserve with a large population of elephants, antelopes, monkeys, baboons and warthogs.

• The best areas for hiking are in the southwest of the country near Banfora. Excellent views of the whole region can be had from the top of the Banfora Escarpment. The Sénoufo region west of Banfora is also very pleasant, as is the Lobi region around Gaoua, southeast of Bobo Dioulasso. Mountain bike trips can be arranged in the areas around Bobo Dioulasso and Banfora, in the Lobi region and in the Nazinga Ranch south of Ouagadougou.