National Parks in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso, known in the local language as the "Land of Upright People", is located in West Africa. Most of the population lives off agriculture, so the few fertile areas have been cultivated.
To protect the native flora and fauna, the country has designated a series of nature reserves. Three large national parks in the country are particularly noteworthy. Every year, tourists explore and marvel at the plant world and discover the diverse animal species in their natural habitat.
The Arly National Park
With an area of 760 km², the Arly National Park is the largest national park in the country, located in the southeast of Burkina Faso. It is known for its varied flora. While the southeast of the park features expansive grasslands and bush landscapes offering views across the wide horizon, other parts of the park are dense forests. The Arly National Park is home to various monkey species that feel at home in the gallery forests. Along the vital waterways of the park, you can encounter elephants, antelopes, or lions. The park has been made accessible to visitors, with qualified rangers guiding them through the vast area.
The W National Park
On the border with the neighboring countries Niger and Benin, lies the W National Park, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park was named after the Niger River. When flying over the area, you can recognize the shape of a W. No other national park in Burkina Faso has such a high animal density. Often, you can observe herds of animals moving across borders. The varied vegetation ensures a rich animal and plant landscape. In addition to a variety of mammals, visitors to the park can observe a large number of bird species. More than 350 different bird species are native to the W National Park.
The Deux Balés National Park
Near the small town of Boromo lies the Deux Balés National Park, which was declared a protected park in 1967. With a total area of 560 km², it is the second largest national park in the African country and officially bears the designation Forêt Classée des deux Balés. This park is the water-richest protected area in West Africa. Animals accustomed to life in the water shape the landscape. Visitors here can encounter hippopotamuses and crocodiles, which watch for prey by the water. As in other nature reserves in Burkina Faso, large elephant herds live along the shore. They share the precious water sources with various antelope species and zebras.
