Things to Do in Banfora

A modest but striking mud-brick mosque built in the Sudano-Sahelian style, with wooden beams protruding from its walls and a single minaret. It's an active place of worship.

🕐 Open to visitors 9am–12pm, 3pm–5pm (closed during prayer)

💡 Ask permission at the small shop opposite before entering. Women should cover their head and arms. Best light for photos is late afternoon. Respect prayer times – avoid noon on Friday.

A series of tiered waterfalls on the Comoé River, with pools for swimming and rocky cliffs for jumping. The main drop is about 20 metres high, surrounded by lush vegetation.

🕐 Daylight hours (best visited 8am–11am)

💡 Go early on a weekday to avoid local school groups. Take sturdy sandals – the rocks are slippery and sharp. Local guides charge about 2000 CFA (£2.50), but you can negotiate.

A dramatic ridge of sandstone pinnacles and rock formations, shaped by wind and water over millennia. A trail leads to the top with views across the valley.

🕐 Daylight hours

💡 A motorbike taxi from town costs about 3000 CFA (£3.70) return. The walk is steep and takes about 45 minutes – bring water and a hat. No entry fee, but a local guide may ask for 1000–2000 CFA.

A shallow lake known for its protected population of hippos, considered sacred by the community. You can watch them from the shore or hire a pirogue (dugout canoe) with a local guide.

🕐 6am–6pm (best early morning or late afternoon)

💡 Stay quiet and still at the water's edge – hippos are easily spooked. The boat ride is around 5000 CFA (£6) for up to two people. Bring binoculars; the animals surface unpredictably.

A community-run eco-park with a small botanical garden, a viewpoint over the Comoé River, and trails through secondary forest. Good for birdwatching and a quiet picnic.

🕐 8am–5pm

💡 Entry is 1000 CFA (£1.20). The caretaker can point out the weaver bird nests. Bring your own food – there's no café. Best visit between November and March when the vegetation is less dense.