Nope.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Burkina Faso
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Nope.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Overpriced goods
Foreigners frequently attract attention from locals attempting to sell tourist items or goods at inflated prices.
Taxi theft
Cheap green taxis in big cities can host thieves. Keep your money tucked away and hold onto your purse.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Polio
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Meningococcal disease, Polio, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Burkina Faso must obtain a visa from one of the Burkina Faso diplomatic missions or online, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or a country whose citizens may obtain a visa on arrival.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Burkina Faso. Several terrorist groups operate in Burkina Faso, including Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State. There is a high threat from terrorism throughout the country, including increasingly in the capital, Ouagadougou. Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by foreign nationals, such as: diplomatic premises conference centres tourist sites sporting and cultural events including music festivals shopping centres major roads and transport hubs religious sites and places of worship, particularly churches national parks and nature reserves foreign, national or local government buildings large crowds There may be a heightened risk of attack during festivals, and religious and public holiday periods. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of the local authorities. There are frequent attacks across Burkina Faso, particularly close to the borders with Mali, Niger and Côte d’Ivoire and in the eastern region. See also road safety Examples of significant attacks include: in August 2024, at least 400 people were killed in a village attack in Barsalogho, Sanmatenga in July 2024, the office of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) was attacked by gunfire in Djibo, Sahel in February 2024, at least 15 people were killed in an attack on a church in Essakane, Oudalan in February 2024, at least 12 people were killed in an a
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same sex sexual activity and the ‘promotion’ of same-sex relationships is a criminal offence in Burkina Faso. If convicted, such charges could lead to prison sentences of up to 5 years. There is little to no public acceptance of LGBT+ people or identities in Burkina Faso. There is an increased risk of harassment or violence against anyone thought to be part of the LGBT+ community, or perceived to be supporting their rights. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •See the warning at the top of this page about civil unrest and extremist activity.
- •Before the unrest, female visitors rarely experienced any problems.
Staying healthy
- •Yellow fever vaccination is required in order to enter the country.
- •Malaria is a serious problem, so be sure to begin taking prophylaxis prior to leaving for Burkina and continue taking it while there and, depending on the drug chosen, for some time after returning home.
- •Cholera vaccination may be required in the event of an outbreak.
- •Meningitis is also a problem, and vaccination is also highly recommended.
- •Typhoid is common, as are other water and food-borne diseases such as E coli. Typhoid vaccination is recommended but it is not fully effective so it is still important to take precautions.
- •Lassa fever and Dengue are concerns, but not more so than in other West African countries.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / E · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 17 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 18
Cash vs. Card
The currency of the country is the West African CFA franc, denoted CFA (ISO currency code: XOF). It's also used by seven other West African countries. It is interchangeable at par with the Central African CFA franc (XAF), which is used by six countries. Both currencies are fixed at a rate of 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- gdelt-sentiment — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09