Sindou peaks

At the edge of the small town of Sindou in south-western Burkina Faso, the savanna suddenly gives way to a crowd of stone spires. The Pics de Sindou – also called the Aiguilles, or needles, of Sindou – are a narrow chain of sandstone towers, domes and crests with sheer, deeply eroded walls, rising abruptly from the surrounding farmland. Their highest point reaches about 415 metres above sea level.

The towers are what remains of a layered sandstone plateau that rain and running water have cut apart over a very long time, separating it into individual blocks and leaving horizontal banding visible on many of the walls. The resulting outline, part ruined fortress and part forest of stone needles, is unlike anything else in the region. The wide range of habitats among the rocks makes the area important for local biodiversity, and the peaks are protected as a nature reserve bearing their name.

For the Senufo people who live around Sindou, the peaks are far more than scenery. In Senufo tradition they are a mystical place, regarded as offering protection against danger. Today they are also one of Burkina Faso's best-known natural landmarks. Footpaths lead from the southern side up onto the rocks, where several lookout points open views over the stone needles and across the plain. Sindou itself is the chief town of Léraba Province and the usual starting point for trips to Mount Ténakourou, the highest summit in the country.

Getting there

The peaks rise a few hundred metres east of Sindou town, about 40 km west of Banfora. The nearest larger town in a straight line is Orodara, about 44 km away, and the nearest airport is Bobo-Dioulasso Airport (BOY), about 106 km away. Access to the site is from a car park on the south side of the peaks, reached by the regional road south-east of Sindou.