Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso named itself - the land of upright people - and that self-description has never quite been shaken. Ouagadougou is one of West Africa's most underrated capitals: flat, hot, full of motos, and possessed of a cultural life that punches well above its infrastructure. FESPACO, the continent's largest film festival, happens here every two years for reasons rooted in decades of genuine cinematic tradition. The Sahel landscape is an acquired taste, all termite mounds and baobabs and a light that is either brutal or beautiful depending on the hour.

Travel advisory Significant insecurity has been reported in recent years, particularly outside the capital. Check current conditions before planning travel.

Our guide is being written from the ground up, with the time this place deserves.

We are still gathering the notes that make a guide worth keeping: Ouagadougou's maquis, Sahel village routes, FESPACO's rhythms and the crafts markets where the country's artistic confidence is most plainly on display.