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Voykit pocket guide · Burkina Faso
Bani
Half a day is enough: see the seven clay mosques on the hill, then move on. No reason to stay overnight unless you are on a slow overland trip through North Burkina Faso.
Bani is a small town in North Burkina Faso known for seven clay mosques built from 1978 under the Prophet of Bani, Mohamed el-Hajj. Six sit on a hill facing the grand mosque in the centre. The mosques have a weathered look from lack of maintenance. The town can feel like a tourist trap with children asking for gifts. Most travellers stop for a couple of hours on the way between Ouagadougou and Gorom-Gorom.
- Country
- Burkina Faso
- Best months
- Nov–Feb (cool and dry)
- Avoid
- Mar–Jun (extreme heat), Jul–Sep (rainy season, roads may be bad)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- XOF
- Money
- Cash in CFA francs or euros carries most payments: see Insurance & payments above.
- Daily spend
- Budget XOF 10,000–15,000 · Mid XOF 20,000–30,000 (estimate; check)
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bottled water (1.5 L) | XOF 300–500 |
| Simple meal (rice and sauce) | XOF 1,000–2,000 |
| Shared taxi from Ouagadougou, one way | XOF 4,000–6,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- OUA · Ouagadougou International Airport
- About 4–5 hours by road via RN3; the main entry point for international flights
Typical fares
- Shared taxi Ouagadougou → Bani
- about XOF 4,000–6,000, 4–5 h (check)
- Taxi Bani → Gorom-Gorom
- about XOF 2,000–3,000, 1–1.5 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable: the mosques are on a hill and in the centre. No public transport within town.
See and do
Known for
- Seven clay mosques built from 1978
- Hilltop mosque cluster facing the grand mosque
- Stop on the Ouagadougou–Gorom-Gorom route
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gorom-Gorom | Road via RN3, about 1–1.5 h | About 1.5 h |
| Ouahigouya | Road via RN3, about 2–2.5 h | About 2.5 h |
| Dori | Road via RN3, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
Sleep
- Bani town centre
- Only one hotel confirmed: Hotel OASIS du Sahel (+226 24 46 06 00). Basic, no online booking found.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjour (French) / A ni ce (Mooré)ah nee chay |
| Thank you | Merci (French) / Barka (Mooré)bar-kah |
| How much? | C'est combien ? (French)say kom-byen |
| I don't want | Je ne veux pas (French)zhuh nuh vuh pah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Scams and watch-outs
- Children may ask for money or gifts; carry small change or pens if you want to give.
- Mosques are unstaffed and have no set opening hours; visit during daylight.
- Check your government travel advice for Burkina Faso before planning any trip.
Burkina Faso has a volatile security situation. Read your government travel advice. In Bani itself, petty crime and begging are the main concerns; keep valuables out of sight and avoid walking alone after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bani yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Seven clay mosques built from 1978
- Hilltop mosque cluster facing the grand mosque
- Stop on the Ouagadougou–Gorom-Gorom route
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Bani, revision 5263915 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5263915
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/bani). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.