Burundi

The Republic of Burundi is a small, landlocked country within the Great Rift Valley, on the north-eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika. Positioned more or less in the centre of Africa, it’s often fondly referred to as ‘the heart of Africa’.

The landscape ranges from towering mountains in the central plateau to tranquil villages in the shimmering tropical climate of Rusizi Plain which borders Lake Tanganyika in the west, to a narrow strip of savanna plains in the east stretching across the border into neighbouring Tanzania.

Initially a German colony, Burundi was ceded to Belgium after WW1 but gained its independence in 1962. This was followed by a succession of civil wars and genocides with the country only finding stability in the early 2000s. A period of political unrest after the 2015 elections ended in 2018; over 400 000 refugees fled the country during this time.

National elections were held in May 2020, with the ruling party, the CNDD–FDD (National Council for the Defence of Democracy – Forces for the Defence of Democracy) winning 79% of the vote. At the time of writing, the CNL (National Congress for Liberty), has challenged the election in the Constitutional Court of Burundi, even though the election was given a clean bill of health by the East African Community (EAC).

With little attention paid to the economy during its turbulent times, Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world today. Its economy is centred on coffee and tea production exported largely to Switzerland and Pakistan. Most Burundians live in rural areas where they’re employed on coffee or tea plantations, or they make their living subsistence farming; this results in a high degree of deforestation and erosion. Various protected areas, including four Ramsar Wetlands sites, three national parks and several nature reserves, were established to preserve ecologically-sensitive parts of the country.

With a relatively undeveloped infrastructure and generally only the main roads being tarred, most parks and attractions are only accessible by gravel roads and 4x4 tracks. Campsites are rare but many lodges will allow you to camp in the garden or parking area, while using the bathroom facilities of one of their rooms. With possible political unrest, bush camping is not recommended.

CURRENCY:
Burundian franc (Fbu).

DRIVING IN BURUNDI:
Drive on the right side of the road. Main roads are tarred and in fairly good condition while most secondary roads are gravel.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Kirundi, French & English. Kirundi is recognised as the national language.

POPULATION:
11 million.

TIME ZONE:
GMT+2 Central Africa Time.

VISA REQUIREMENTS:
The only people who don’t need a visa to travel to Burundi are citizens of the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. A visa is required for all other nations and this is no longer obtainable at the borders, though this may change in future. Get your visa from your local Burundi Diplomatic Commission before you travel but note that this may require confirmed accommodation reservations and proof of a return ticket if you’re travelling by air.

Some travellers have reported obtaining a visa from the Burundi Diplomatic Commission in Kigali, Rwanda, when already en route, while others claim to have obtained a visa on Arrival by presenting a letter of invitation to visit, from a travel agent in Burundi.

“07/2024 - Burundi is beautiful country to visit, unfortunately poor fuel quality and fuel shortages is quite common. Legally fuel stations are not allowed to fill Jerry cans or fuel containers, only the vehicle fuel tank. So be prepared and you will have a good experience.” - Ian Edmonds, 2024/07/31

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TOP ATTRACTION: Kigwena Forest Nature Reserve
TOP ATTRACTION: Rwihinda Nature Reserve
TOP ATTRACTION: Saga Plage (Saga Beach)
TOP ATTRACTION: Kibira National Park
TOP ATTRACTION: Bujumbura Market
TOP ATTRACTION: Ruvubu National Park
TOP ATTRACTION: Karera Falls