Attractions of Dori and its surroundings
Located in the extreme north of Burkina Faso, the Sahel region covers an area of 36,166 km² or 13.3% of the national territory. It is bordered to the north by the Republic of Mali, to the north-east by the Republic of Niger, to the south by the Centre-North and East regions and to the west by the Northern region. The Sahel region has 4 provinces: Oudalan, Séno, Soum and Yagha, 4 urban communes: Gorom Gorom, Dori, Djibo, Sébba, 23 rural communes, 26 departments and 650 villages. The Sahel region is mainly inhabited by the Fulani, but also by Tuareg, Sonrhaï, Mossi, Bella, Gourmantché and other peoples from other regions and neighboring countries. The climate is arid of the Sahelian type characterized by the alternation of two seasons: a long dry season generally from October to May and a short rainy season from June to September. It is marked by low, irregular rainfall and the average annual rainfall is 400 mm.
Gorom Women's Handicraft Centre
Located in Gorom Gorom, the women’s handicraft centre is a cooperative group that was created in 1984 with the aim of diversifying economic resources which had previously been based solely on agriculture and to valorize women’s know-how. This initiative encourages the development of women in society through training and paid work, and promotes self-help and solidarity. The centre operates as a cooperative on the basis of a charter and a common fund. The fund is made up of a levy on the selling price of each object manufactured by the women according to a fixed percentage, this levy
allows the purchase of common equipment. The cooperative is made up of about 22 women who work full time and manufacture products such as baskets, bags, jewelry, decorative products, leather goods and household goods.
Ornithological pond of Oursi
Archaeological Museum of Pobé Mengao
Situated in the town of Pobé-Mengao, the archaeological museum is a must in terms of history, culture and tourism. The collections include stone objects such as polished axes, knurls, percussion stones, grinding stones, wooden objects such as statuettes, tool handles, arrowhead handles, traditional door locks, ceramic objects such as whole or fragmented pottery, jars, skin objects such as quivers, hats, musical instruments, metal objects made of iron, copper, bronze and many other objects.
The Mosques of Bani
Built in 1979, the mosques of Bani are one of the most important cultural and tourist heritage of the Sahel region. Riding between Kaya and Dori, one can admire the seven mosques that have surrounded the Bani village for hundreds of kilometres. These monuments are the work of El Hadj Mohamed who is considered by the local population as someone both mystical and holy. These mosques are built on the surrounding hills, all facing in the direction of the Great Mosque which is located at a lower level.
Rock carvings of Pobé Mengao
The rock engraving site of Pobé Mengao presents an association of several types of remains. The most spectacular are the rock engravings, which are associated with anthropic mounds, metallurgical remains, necropolises, dormant and mobile millstones, walé games and the lithic industry. The area offers a landscape of granite domes which served as a support for the engravings. Among these domes, the main rock is 7.20 m long and 2.70 m high, with the most spectacular engravings. Several other rocks are also present on this site.
The Gorom-Gorom market
Situated at the gateway to the desert in the north-eastern part of Burkina Faso, Gorom-Gorom is the Sahel city par excellence. The market of Gorom-Gorom is undoubtedly one of the most important in Burkina Faso. Colorful and picturesque, the market practically marks the limit of civilization. Beyond the market begins the world of dunes swept by the winds of the desert and silence. The population is essentially nomadic and consists of Tuaregs, Fulani, Moors and Songhai. The different ethnic groups of the Sahel come together and mingle in an astonishing shimmer of color and accommodation is in
traditional Sudanese houses. The indigo tunics of Tuareg shepherds rub shoulders with the red and yellow turbans of Fulani shepherds and Songhai peasants, while Fulani women, dressed in colorful boubous, wear headdresses richly decorated with jewelry and large gold or silver earrings. A spectacle of incomparable beauty to be experienced absolutely.
The site of kindibo
Located in the Northern Region, this site of ancient iron metallurgy at Kindibo includes three direct induction furnaces with truncated cone shape up to 2.30 metres high. They consist of successive circles made with obliquely arranged earth rods. These furnaces were built between the 10th and 11th centuries AD. Close to the site, a family of blacksmiths continued to develop the know-how linked to the use of these types of furnaces. They have been registered on the World Heritage List since 2019.
Djibo cattle market
The Djibo cattle market is held once a week, every Wednesday between 7am and 2pm. The afternoons are generally reserved for the drawing up of administrative documents enabling livestock traders to move around without major difficulties. Commercial transactions are carried out in a fenced area of about seven hectares comprising a sales area for large and small ruminants, three waiting pens, a vaccination park, ten boxes for large ruminants, forty-three boxes for small ruminants, a water supply system, two loading docks for large and small ruminants, two cattle weighers for large and
small ruminants, a veterinary post and an office. Demand varies according to the market and the species, the market is managed by a committee that is one of the major players in the livestock sector.
Sand dunes of Oursi
The village of Oursi is a rural commune located 41 km northwest of the town of Gorom Gorom. The high and beautiful sand dunes of Oursi are one of the main tourist attractions of the Sahel Region. They stretch as far as the eye can see and offer breathtaking scenery to visitors. Obviously, the dry season is the best time to enjoy the splendour of the dunes and to make unforgettable memories.
Blast furnaces of Djemdolé
More than six centuries ago, these furnaces, which are about 2.30 metres high, were used to make iron. They were filled with laterite ore and coal, and it took more than ten hours at high temperatures before an iron burner could be obtained. In the furnace, where the mercury exceeded 1,000 °C, a chemical reaction then released the iron particles from the rock. A multitude of black slag and residues from the smelting process still lurk on the floor of the furnaces. This is proof of the intense metallurgical activity that took place here hundreds of years ago. The construction of these furnaces
dates back to between the 10th and 11th centuries AD.
