Ouahigouya is the capital of the Yatenga province in northern Burkina Faso, and the third-largest city in the country. It was once the seat of a powerful Mossi kingdom, and the Yatenga Naaba (chief) still holds court and performs traditional ceremonies. The city sits in the dry Sahel zone, flat and dusty, with a large market that draws traders from the surrounding villages and from across the border in Mali.
Ouahigouya is not on most tourist itineraries, but for travellers exploring Burkina Faso beyond Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, it offers a glimpse of Sahel town life and Mossi culture. The market is lively and colourful, the people are welcoming, and the surrounding countryside — eroded laterite hills dotted with baobabs — has a stark beauty. The Grande Mosquée is the city's most distinctive building.