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Peaks of Sindou

 
Author Xeres
Partaker
#1 | Posted: 18 Apr 2009 07:18 
Full name of site: Peaks of Sindou
Country: Burkina Faso
Short description of site (also include multiple locations if applicable): These unique rock formations rise directly out of the african plain. They are a superlative of natural beauty and are considered sacred by the local people.
Criteria (cultural, natural, mixed): VII, VIII
Outstanding universal value / comparative analysis: Though geologicaly similar to the Bungle Bungles of australia, the Peaks of sindou have an entirely different ecosystem and can even be said t osurpass the Bungle Bungles in beauty.

Author Solivagant
Partaker
#2 | Posted: 19 Apr 2009 07:17 | Edited by: Solivagant 
Hi Xeres - we were in Burkina a couple of years ago and didn't see Sindou unfortunately - have you been there? Having read your proposal I did a bit of Googling to see what we had missed! You might be interested in this site which claims it to be already "Classified by the UN as a world treasure" (scroll down about half way - http://africatraveldestinations.net/page/4/ ) I don't know what they can be referring to - it isn't on Burkina's T List and isn't even associated with a Masterpeice of Intangible Heritage as far as I can see.

However I also came across this UNESCO report about tourism development in West Africa - page 16 refers to Sindou but the report isn't about future WHS - only tourism potential.

http://portal.unesco.org/culture/es/files/28991/11289394133AfrSynthseSept04Ang_(3).pd f/AfrSynthseSept04Ang+(3).pdf

My view? An Interesting area but whether it is "top 50 missing" material is another matter. Perhaps as a cultural landscape - but how many of these can West Africa claim with their (at least on first viewing) very similar round huts and "cult locations"? Perhaps as many as there are Christian sites in Europe/Latin America? However Burkina deserves/needs one/some WHS - we visited a 10th century archaeological site at Oursi in NE Burkina which appeared to have received a significant (or relatively so for W Africa!) amount of money and effort for a very nice little museum and a protective building which could help it fast track a nomination/inscription. See
http://www.oursi-hubeero.com/index.htm
but this is also missing from Burkina's T List. The Bradt guide quotes the main archaeologist (Christoph Peltzer) as claiming it to be "One of the most important arachaeological sites in West Africa"
Perhaps Loropeni which IS on Burkina's T List remains the best hope ? Have you seen it?

Author Jarek Pokr
Partaker
#3 | Posted: 26 Sep 2015 09:19 
Visited the site on March, 2014. It is easy to organise a day tour (by taxi or motorbike) from Banfora. Official ticket costs 1500 CFA but most often the ticket booth will be closed and the driver will take money from you.
Sindou Peaks covers relatively big area, rock formations are interesting, I wouldn't be surprised if one day that area will be listed as WHS.

Top 50 Missing forum.worldheritagesite.org Forum / Top 50 Missing /
 Peaks of Sindou

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