Kadiogo · Burkina Faso
Where to stay in Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is a city in Kadiogo, Burkina Faso, home to about 2,453,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- OUA2 km · Ouagadougou Thomas Sankara International Airport
- Currency
- XOFWest African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Ouagadougou
- Language
- Bissa, Dioula, Mooré
About
About Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou or Wagadugu is the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso, and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic centre of the nation. It had a population of 2,415,266 in 2019.
The dominant ethnicity is Mossi (60%), but many other tribes are also represented (Samo, Gourounsi, Lobi, etc). Languages spoken: French, Moore, some Jula (derivative of Bambara). The primary language spoken by the general population is Moore. However, many merchants, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, and restaurant and hotel staff will speak at least some French. In the nicer parts of town, most people speak excellent French. Some people speak English. Its climate is classified as hot semi-arid (BSh) with the rainy season from June to September.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Ouagadougou
See
- Grand Mosque of Ouagadougou
- Ouagadougou Cathedral
- National Museum
- Museum of Music
- Bangr Weogo park
- L'Unité Pédagogique
- Garden of Ouaga-Loudun Friendship
- Naba Koom
- La Place du Grand Lyon
- Musée de Manega
- Laongo
Do
- FESPACO
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Ouagadougou
10 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| B & B Le Nomade | 4.9 km | |
| Bravia Hotel Ouagadougou | 1.6 km | |
| Hotel de la Liberte | 1.9 km | |
| Hotel Kavana | 1.0 km | |
| Hotel Palm Beach | 1.3 km | |
| Le Karite Bleu | 4.5 km | |
| Maison d'hôtes Chez Giuliana | 3.6 km | |
| Palace Hotel | 6.9 km | |
| Residence le Cailcedrat | 6.0 km | |
| Sopatel Silmandé | 3.7 km |
All 10 hotels in Ouagadougou, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 40 °C; August is the wettest, with about 257 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Ouagadougou: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Ouagadougou Thomas Sankara International Airport (OUA), about 2.4 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
Ouagadougou International Airport is the main gateway and is located to the immediate south of city centre, distance from the airport to the United Nations roundabout is less than two kilometres. The airport is quite small and, like many African airports, somewhat disorganized. National carrier Air Burkina has flights most West African capitals as well as Paris, from where Air France also offers daily service. The other European capital with scheduled flights is Brussels via Brussels Airlines. Other popular connections includes East African cities of Nairobi and Addis Ababa.
Getting around
Ougadougou is a very orderly and clean city, and the traffic is very civilized. The city has a grid-based street system. There are traffic lights everywhere and motorists actually obey them. The people here are proud of their country and create a good impression. Ouagadougou is serviced by two types of taxi: white and green. White taxis are rarer, more expensive, and exclusive. Green taxis are ubiquitous and of much lower quality, but are much cheaper to use.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
OUA · Ouagadougou Thomas Sankara International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Ouagadougou
Stay safe
Loads of touts, purse snatchers and faux types at the Grand Marche. Don't go without local assistance. If you are a foreign woman, don't tell anyone (except trusted friends) where you are staying unless you want everyone you meet to show up at your hotel or home. When travelling, take the STMB buses: they drive slowly, but safely. SOGEBAF has the most crashes.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Ouagadougou: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Ouagadougou?
Ouagadougou has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 40 °C; August is the wettest, with about 257 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Ouagadougou?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Ouagadougou Thomas Sankara International Airport (OUA), about 2.4 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Ouagadougou?
West African CFA franc (XOF).
Nearby
Destinations near Ouagadougou
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.