Photo Credit: Eric Montfort

While not exactly a shopping haven, Burkina Faso is home to plenty of good markets. Of particular interest are those in Bobo-Dioulasso, Gorom Gorom, Dori, Ouahigouya, and the capital, Ouagadougou. Local artisans sell beautiful wooden statuettes, masks, fabrics, hand-woven blankets, and jewelry. Other good buys include worked skins, leather and bronze models, all of which can be bought at reasonable prices from grand markets and souks throughout the country. Haggling is acceptable, but prices are usually already low.

Artisan centers where locals (mostly women) showcase their handicrafts and other works in cities like Gorom Gorom and Ouagadougou and are a great place to buy quality crafts and souvenirs cheaply. Colorful markets can be found in almost every town and city of Burkina Faso, but two are especially popular with tourists – Gorom Gorom’s Thursday market, said to be the best in West Africa, and Grande Marche in Bobo-Dioulasso. Hundreds of traders line the stalls with clothes, jewelry and trinkets. You will find leatherwork, crafts, beads, and even goats and camels being sold here, sourced from different villages and towns in the nearby regions. Bobo-Dioulasso’s Grand Marche is also teeming with affordable crafts, African textiles and sculptures.

In Ouagadougou, the Central Market is known for its quality textiles, local produce and crafts. Fabrics and fruits are very cheap in Gounghin Market, which is also one of the most colorful markets in the city.

Artwork and crafts are the most popular collectibles Burkina Faso. Being a farm land, the country also produces excellent agricultural products. Be sure to taste local mangoes and strawberries, especially when visiting during the harvest seasons.

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