On a Friday morning in Ouagadougou, a line of horsemen in red and white crosses the city centre and stops in front of a palace courtyard. The Moro-Naba Ceremony lasts about fifteen minutes, and it is one of the few fixed appointments in a city whose pleasures are otherwise spread across markets, parks and music halls.
Ouagadougou suits travellers who are comfortable improvising, who care about craft, film and live music, and who are willing to move between the centre and the edges of town. The city is hot for much of the year, with a cool season from October to February and a rainy season from May to September, so the timing of your visit shapes what is pleasant to do outdoors.
1. Moro-Naba Ceremony
This ceremony is performed every Friday by the Moro-Naba and his court, and it begins at 07:15 in the morning. It is a short ceremony, about fifteen minutes, symbolising a Mossi historical event: the preparation for battle against a rival king who had stolen the Moro-Naba's amulets, and the persuasion that followed to keep the peace.
The historical palace of the Moro-Naba is located in the middle of the city, which makes the ceremony easy to combine with a morning in the centre. Arrive before the start, since the whole event is over quickly.
2. Village Artisanal of Ouagadougou (VAO)
This outdoor market for local arts and crafts gathers a large selection of work in one place. Buying here involves far less hassle than buying on the street, which makes it a practical first stop if you want to understand what is made locally before bargaining elsewhere.
There is a shady café in the courtyard, so you can break up browsing with a rest. Combine it with the Central Market and Gounghin Market if you are shopping for textiles and fabric.
3. Central Market
The Central Market is a major attraction in the city. It burned in 2003 and was reconstructed in a modern style, and new stands have opened up all around it.
It remains worth a visit, especially if you are buying textiles. Because the surrounding stands are part of the experience, allow time to walk the streets around the building rather than only the interior.
4. Bangr Weogo park
This urban park in Zone du Bois, also called 'La Foret', has many trails for walking and running. It is a natural preservation area and a sacred forest dating from the pre-colonial era.
There is a small zoo inside, with entrance of CFA 100-200. Bring binoculars to help you spot the crocodiles in the marsh near the bridge.
5. National Museum (Musee National)
The National Museum on Avenue du Musée national is a museum complex devoted to the many local cultures. It is on the east end of the city and is open seven days a week.
Note that most of the buildings are empty, so set your expectations accordingly and treat it as a broad introduction rather than a dense collection.
6. Museum of Music (Musée de la Musique de Ouagadougou)
This museum exhibits all the musical instruments of Burkina Faso. It is a focused visit, and a useful counterpart to the city's live music scene.
Pair it with an evening of live bands at Café Zaka, which has live bands every night, so you can connect what you have seen to what you hear.
7. Ouagadougou Cathedral
The cathedral was built by the French in the 1930s and is one of the largest in western Africa. The architecture is reminiscent of a European romanesque basilica, but it intentionally evokes the impression of incompleteness through its two steeples of different height.
Look at the two steeples together rather than separately, since the contrast is the point of the design.
8. Grand Mosque of Ouagadougou
The Grand Mosque is one of the principal religious sights in the city centre. It is a straightforward stop to work into a walk through the middle of town.
Combine it with the nearby Naba Koom and the Garden of Ouaga-Loudun Friendship, both of which sit in the central area.
9. Naba Koom
Naba Koom is a small garden in front of the railway station, with a statue depicting a woman handling a calabash to pour water. The statue is 6 m (20 ft) high and faces the railway station, welcoming travellers into Ouaga. The place bears the name of an important chief in Burkina Faso's history.
It is a quick stop, best folded into a walk that starts or ends at the station.
10. Garden of Ouaga-Loudun Friendship (Jardin de l'amitié Ouaga-Loudun)
This green space was renovated in 1996 and is a symbol of the twin-city relationship between Ouagadougou and Loudun in France. It is situated in the centre of the city, near the "Nation Unies' crossroads".
Use it as a shaded pause between the Grand Mosque and the cathedral.
11. L'Unité Pédagogique
This park shelters animals in a semi-free state. It is a botanic garden and biosphere system stretching over 8 ha (20 acres), and it also serves as a museum for the country's history.
Because it combines animals, plants and history, it rewards a slower visit than the smaller central gardens.
12. Laongo
Laongo lies 30 km (19 mi) east of the city and features enormous granite slabs designed by various sculptors. The exhibit displays works of art from five continents.
This is a half-day trip out of the centre, so plan transport in advance and treat it as the main activity of that part of the day.
13. Musée de Manega
This museum also exhibits musical instruments of Burkina Faso, along with Mossi rifles and other cultural items. It is located 55 km (34 mi) northwest of the city.
It is the furthest of the out-of-town options, so it suits a dedicated excursion rather than a stop squeezed between city sights.
14. French Cultural Centre
The centre proposes both local and imported concerts, dance pieces and theatre. The bar and restaurant there is a popular meeting spot, and it also features an air-conditioned library where you can read newspapers and magazines.
It is located on the same road as the main post office, which makes it easy to find. Check what is on during your stay, since the programme changes.
15. FESPACO (Festival panafricain du cinéma et de la télévision de Ouagadougou)
This Panafrican Film and Television Festival celebrates films by African filmmakers, chiefly produced in Africa. It is scheduled in March every second year, in odd-numbered years.
If your visit coincides with it, build your days around screenings. If it does not, the city's cinemas, Cineburkina and Cine Reale, are described as more comfortable and safer movie theatres.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start with the Moro-Naba Ceremony at 07:15, which runs about fifteen minutes and takes place at the historical palace in the middle of the city. From there, walk to Naba Koom in front of the railway station and continue to the Grand Mosque of Ouagadougou, the Garden of Ouaga-Loudun Friendship and Ouagadougou Cathedral.
Afternoon. Head to the Village Artisanal of Ouagadougou (VAO) to see local arts and crafts in one place, with far less hassle than on the street, and take a break at the shady café in the courtyard. Move on to the Central Market, especially if you are buying textiles, and then to Gounghin Market for fabric and fruit.
Evening. Finish at Café Zaka, which has live bands every night. If you would rather sit down for a film, Cineburkina and Cine Reale are the more comfortable and safer movie theatres.
When is the Moro-Naba Ceremony held?
It is performed every Friday by the Moro-Naba and his court, starting at 07:15, and it lasts about fifteen minutes.
When is the best time of year to visit Ouagadougou?
The cool season runs from October to February, with a minimum average temperature of 16 °C (60.8 °F). The hot season runs from March to April, when the maximum temperature can reach 43 °C (109.4 °F), and the rainy season stretches from May to September.
Which festivals should I plan around?
FESPACO is scheduled in March every second year, in odd-numbered years. SIAO, the International Art and Craft Festival, is held for 10 days in every even-numbered year.
Which sights lie outside the city centre?
Laongo is 30 km (19 mi) east of the city, and Musée de Manega is 55 km (34 mi) northwest. Both are best treated as separate excursions.
Decide whether your dates fall in the cool season or around FESPACO or SIAO, then build your days around the Friday morning ceremony and the markets.