Africa

[Visited: May 2013]

When I was on my way down from the Karfiguela falls, there was a fork in the trails: one going straight. I wondered if that would lead me right to the Domes of Fabedougou, but since there were no signs, and no one to ask to, and since there were many trails in various directions, I decided to just hike down and ask. Indeed, the trail straight would have led me to the domes, but I was advised to cycle to the entrance. So, I was on my way again, skirting the sugar cane fields, and even though I did not see a sign or a person to ask to, even when there was a crossroads, I could see a small mountain range on my left, so that was where I steered my bike.
I arrived at a small booth where I paid the uniform 1000F entrance fee, I put the bike at the back of the booth, and walked up a steep hill, leading me around the base of a chain of rock formations. Yes, they were different from the Sindou Peaks where I had spent a pleasant two days just before, but I could not help see similarities, too. I looked for paths through the landscape of curiously dome-shaped, and often layered, rocks, making some look like a stack of pancakes. Of course, it had been wind and rain to sculpt these rocks like they appeared now over the course of many centuries. Shrubberies and trees were everywhere, and I found several rocks apparently leaning on just two small holds, forming big natural windows. In another sturdy rock formation, I found a hole as well, big enough to sit in, with a breeze coming through the window, it turned out to be a pleasant place to cool off, with views on both sides.
It was less than an hour before sunset, so I walked on, through a narrow natural alley between several domes. A big owl flew away, and I saw a thin snake slide over a rock on the ground. After walking a sandy trail, I reached an open area, with views of the chain of domes ahead of me, and the sugar cane fields below. In the distance, I saw several small villages, I could not discern Banfora. Suddenly, I felt weak; I had been drinking a lot, but had not eaten much. Of the 3 litres of water I had carried with me, most of it had gone already. I sat down to see the sun set over the domes, but also to gain some strength for cycling back to Banfora. Once I started out, I felt stronger than I expected. It was getting dark, and the animals were on the move. While cycling uphill, I had to swerve around cows and bulls, and to my dismay, my back tyre got stuck. Fortunately, someone was willing to help me out, and I cycled as fast as I could, but arrived in Banfora after dark, where I had a tasty dinner as a reward.

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Domes of Fabedougou (Burkina Faso)

Domes of Fabedougou > Burkina Faso > Africa

[Visited: May 2013]

Around the World in 80 Clicks