Burundi Bucket List: Places to Visit in Burundi (Attractions)

Burundi Bucket List: Places to Visit in Burundi (Attractions) – these are Our travel recommendations are based on our personal experiences and research, written by locals and travel experts with deep familiarity with the destination.

Despite being one of the smallest countries in Africa, Burundi is home to a wide variety of breathtaking ecosystems. The total land area of the country’s 16 provinces is just more than 28,000 square kilometers, or about the same size as the state of Maryland in the United States.

Burundi is known for its diverse ecosystems, which include a wide variety of plant and animal life. Burundi may not have a coastline, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any beautiful beaches. In fact, there are plenty of fantastic inland beaches where you can cool off in one of the country’s many lakes.

Even though Burundi is a relatively tiny country, it has a rich cultural history that includes the contributions of both colonial settlers and indigenous people.

However, as of this writing, it is not recommended that you travel there due to the unstable political situation and recent events including a military coup. I pray that the political events won’t have too much of an impact on the people, culture, and nature of the country. The top tourist destinations in Burundi are listed below.

Places to Visit in Burundi (Attractions)

Bujumbura

Years of warfare in the region have prevented this small city from expanding in recent decades. The city, known locally as Buji, has preserved many features from its time as a French colony, including its fantastic cuisine, beverages, and nightlife.

Numerous restaurants in the city offer French cuisine, ranging widely in price and quality. The city is home to Burundi’s sole university and a monument commemorating the country’s liberation from the colonial authority of France, Belgium, and Germany.

Also in Bujumbura is the Living Museum, which is widely considered to be the finest institution of its sort in all of Africa. It showcases traditional and contemporary arts and crafts from Burundi.

Rusizi National Park

Rusizi National Park

Rusizi National Park is an amazing destination not far from Bujumbura. The annual flooding of the plains along the river draws hundreds of animals seeking the river’s critical lifesource.

Tourists come to see the hippos, but there are many other animals to see as well. The park’s pristine skies make it an ideal location for bird watching.

Migratory birds, such as sand pipers and plovers, bring a variety of uncommon and attractive species from Asia and Europe to the park every year.

Ruvubu National Park

Over 500 square kilometers in size, Ruvubu National Park is the largest in Burundi. Hippos, buffalo, and crocodiles are just a few examples of the spectacular and majestic animals that call this park, established in 1980, home.

The park is particularly well-known for the numerous migratory birds and unique flora and fauna that may be found there at any time of the year.

Humans have been forced to leave the park since its protection is a national priority. The park has good facilities for camping and is conveniently located near major roads.

Lake Rwihinda Natural Reserve

Another ideal location for seeing Burundi’s incredible array of flora and fauna.

More over 8,000 acres of shrubland, forest, and grassland make up the reserve. Birdwatchers will also find the lake to be a wonderful destination. There are just too many beautiful and unusual birds to list that come to this lake.

Despite conservation efforts, the reserve is being negatively impacted by agriculture and declining water levels. However, visitors to Burundi should not miss the reserve for the time being.

The Kibira National Park

Kibira National Park

Between 1,500 and 2,600 meters in altitude is where you’ll find Kibira National Park. Primitive rainforest dominates the park, which was long revered as a sacred hunting zone for the country’s monarchs.

However, today it serves as another of Burundi’s wildlife sanctuaries, providing a safe haven for a wide range of species. Baboons, chimpanzees, and over 200 species of birds are all sustained by the forest and its abundant water sources.

Tourists sometimes stop by the park on their way to or from the larger-than-life tea plantations that give Teza its name.

Kigwena Natural Forest

Located on Burundi’s National Route no.3 in the Rumonge commune, the Kigwena Natural Forest is around 3,000 hectares in size. Just setting foot in this forest is an exciting journey in itself. Numerous baboons, monkeys, and avian and butterfly species call the woodland home.

The Environmental & Conservation Institute of the country offers guided woodland tours.

During colonial rule, the city that is today Burundi’s second largest served as the country’s capital.

Gitega National Museum

The Gitega National Museum, which houses an impressive array of relics and antiquities from Burundi’s past, is just one of the city’s many noteworthy attractions.

Gitega caters to visitors and offers a wide variety of hotels to suit a variety of price points. The city is a standard overnight stop on safari vacations.

Gishora

Located 7 kilometers from Gitega, King Gisabo strategically placed Gishora atop a hill.

The drum sanctuary is the primary attraction of Gishora and a regular pit break on safaris. Throughout Burundi’s history, the drums have played a significant role, typically being crafted for and performed during royal festivities.

The sanctuary is a wonderful place to learn about this facet of Burundian culture and to see the replica of a royal palace’s construction.

Mount Heha

The highest mountain in Burundi, Mount Heha is part of the Burundi Highlands mountain range. The mountain is popular for trekking and at 2,864m it makes a good challenge for anyone looking to summit. The mountain is located fairly close to Bujumbura and this is the most convenient location to use as a base before setting out to climb the mountain.

Saga Beach

Saga (pronounced sagga) Beach in Burundi disproves the notion that a country needs a coastline to have beautiful beaches.

This stretch of Lake Tanganyika’s shoreline may not look like a picture-perfect Mediterranean beach, but it’s a fantastic spot to cool off in the lake’s balmy waters. The beach is conveniently positioned within a short distance from the nation’s capital. The weekend is the greatest time to go to the beach because that’s when all the locals go.

Chutes De La Kerera

KARERA FALLS | Les Chutes de KARERA – RUTANA, BURUNDI

The Chutes De la Kerera are four spectacular waterfalls located in this area. You can take a stroll in the midst of the cascading streams. People visiting this area should use caution due to the varying heights of the four waterfalls.

Bururi National Reserve

Wet woodlands are home to a variety of species and a huge number of migrating birds in the Bururi National reserve. People seek refuge in the reserve during the summer months because of its higher elevation and consequent cooler temperatures.