In the southeastern region of Burkina Faso, Arly is an amazing place - a national park covering 760 square kilometers and towering hundreds of meters above sea level. The forests, savannas, rivers and hills of Arly are part of a set of conservation zones that include the territories of Benin and Burkina Faso, and all this is part of the Airlie-Singuou ecosystem. The entire Arly ecosystem contains several river basins. These include the never-ending rivers of the Panjari, attracting a great many animals of the grassy and forest savannah.
Flora National Park
On the territory of Arly (national park) , an amazing, unfortunately, endangered tugai forest has been preserved. Along the banks of never-ending rivers, it is spread a couple of tens of meters on both sides. A more extensive and dense tugai forest grows in river deltas and turns into impenetrable jungle. The flora there consists of numerous shrubs, willows growing at the very edge of the water, and prickly blackberries - a favorite but inaccessible delicacy of all herbivores and pheasants.
Wildlife arly
Currently, Arly National Park attracts many tourists. Attractions that will surprise any traveler are available here. These are significant forests along the river banks and many mammals and birds living in the national park. It’s best to watch Arly’s wildlife early in the morning. It was at this time that one could see hippos doing water procedures, and even lions and leopards wandering along the coast in search of prey. Arly fauna (national park) is represented by baboons, red and green monkeys. In addition, it is one of the few places where the buffalo population has survived and flourishes.
Two hundred elephants also live and live, and the main prey of the cat family is Western Bubals and horse antelopes.
Pools of rivers and ponds are an excellent home for crocodiles, Nile monitor lizards are often found in these places, representing the largest population of lizards in Africa. The Nile monitor lizard is strong in its paws, powerful reptiles, armed with sharp claws and strong, well-developed jaws. In addition, it is perfectly adapted to movement in water, has a tail flattened from the sides and high-set nostrils, like a crocodile. Incredibly long pythons live here, capable of swallowing a small antelope whole, and therefore dangerous for humans.
Not so long ago, the Arly savannah was a habitat for wild dogs, the disappearance of which is associated with a lack of protection at the national level and an increase in the number of people living in nearby territories.
How to get there?
Arriving in Burkina Faso, to get to the national park, you need to go to the city of Deepag and there, following the N19, you can find yourself in Arly. You can go on a trip through the park by renting a car or by making a reservation in a sightseeing car. It is best to visit Arly National Park, whose interesting places are easily accessible, just in the dry season. During the rainy season, the roads are either too slippery and dangerous for movement, or they are completely blurred. And in the dry season, you can see almost all representatives of the fauna gathered at a watering place on the banks of the rivers.
Where to stay?
Where to stay in Arly? The National Park boasts the three-star Hotel de la Tapoa. The area in which it is located is very close to the grassy savannah, and you can see antelopes freely walking around the territory. The rooms are separate clay bungalows surrounded by shrubs - representatives of the local flora. There is a pool, restaurant and bar.