Burundi Safaris, Tours & Holidays

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Burundi Safaris, Tours & Holidays

Burundi is a small country within East Africa with beautiful tourist attractions ranging from the landscapes, mountains, tropical forests, huge lakes, plateau, rich African culture, wildlife and primates viewing that you shouldn’t miss out while on an African tour.

Burundi tours and safaris can be arranged any time of the year for travellers as the country is open to tourism all year round, most Burundi tours and safaris are more prefered on the private arrangement as group tours are not popular in the country with few people travelling there right now compared to its East African neighbours, Burundi borders of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania ad Zambia.

Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura lies at the north-eastern end of Lake Tanganyika the old section of the city comprises buildings from the German and Belgian colonial periods, as well as a central market filled with hundreds of vendors’ booths. The country’s second city, Gitega, is also its cultural capital, containing the national museum and several schools. Gitega lies near the southernmost source of the Nile River and a spectacular waterfall, Chutes de la Kagera.

How to get to Burundi

Travelling to Burundi can be done by flying into Bujumbura international airport or access via bordering countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo or by water via Tanzania or Zambia.

By Air

Burundi operates a national carrier Air Burundi but travellers can also travel using Rwanda Air direct flights, Kenya Airways via Kigali, Uganda Airline direct flight and Ethiopian airline via Nairobi

By Road

The most convenient and easiest way to travel to Burundi is via Rwanda which is a 4-hour drive from the main capital Kigali to the Akanyaru border before crossing into Burundi

Passport, Visa and Entry requirements for Burundi

All visitors to Burundi unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries mentioned below, must obtain a Visa from one of the Burundian diplomatic missions before entering the country. Until 30 April 2015 citizens of all countries entering Burundi through Bujumbura international airport were able to apply for a visa upon arrival. However, they were then required to obtain a visa in advance In October 2015 it was announced that the visa on arrival for 3 months at Bujumbura airport would again be available to foreign visitors. An Entry Authorisation letter issued by the authorities of Burundi is now required to obtain a visa on arrival.

The health sector of Burundi

Burundi’s health system suffers from a lack of adequate infrastructure and human resources to meet urgent community health needs however private hospitals are available in the main capital Bujumbura but travellers travelling to Rwanda are advised to purchase health insurance from their home country before travelling to Burundi for Burundi tours and safaris or Contact Wilderness Explorers for Local arrangements.

Malaria and Yellow fever vaccination for Burundi

There is a risk of Yellow Fever in Burundi.

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age.

There is no vaccination for Malaria; you will need to take Antimalarial tablets as it is a high-risk area. We recommend you have a consultation with our expert Travel Nurses to talk through your Antimalarial medication options.

See our popular safaris to Burundi

Currency of Burundi

The Burundi franc (BFr) is a paper currency. There are coins of 1, 5, and 10 francs, and notes of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, and 5,000 francs but in major tourist attractions foreign currencies like Euros, American dollars can be used and also Credit cards can be used but it’s better to have foreign cash that you can easily convert in the forex bureaus in the city.

Official Language of Burundi

The main language is Kirundi, a Bantu language, Both Kirundi and French are official languages. Swahili is used as a Lingua Franco along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area.

Best time to travel to Burundi

Burundi is a land of Africa situated between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a tropical climate hot and humid. Temperatures are, at any time between 20 ° C and 30 ° C. The nights are cooler in some areas such as Gwegara or Nujumbura. Periods of rain are from September to November and February to May. Periods of heat, however, between June and August and from December to January. June is ideal to visit Burundi.

What to wear in Burundi

There are no traditional dressing restrictions for Burundi but we still advise clients to dress in decent and light clothes while visiting tourist attractions as the temperatures in the day can be hot and humid.

See our longer Burundi Holidays

What to bring while travelling to Burundi

Travellers are advised to travel with brand new US dollars as the old ones may be rejected and for safaris binoculars and cameras are always important and insect repellents are very important to bring along and some anti-malarial tablets are helpful.

Car hire and driving

It’s not advisable to self-drive in Burundi, however, clients can still do so and it’s important to note that in Burundi they keep the right side of the road.

Accommodation in Burundi

Except for Bujumbura and Gitega there are limited high-end lodges in the countryside but there will be basic places to stay in most of the major towns that are comfortable enough to spend the night.

 Local food of Burundi

Typical Burundian meals would contain Plantains, sweet potatoes, cassava, peas and maize. Stewed beans are traditionally eaten at least once a day, while meat (mainly chicken and goat) is only rarely consumed. Close to the shores of Lake Tanganyika, fish is popular and prepared in similar ways to meat.

Tipping while Travelling in Burundi

During safaris sites, guides are usually tipped after the activity but the main safari guide can be tipped at the end of the tour please inquire from Wilderness Explorers Africa on how much to tip the guide on a daily rate.

For hotels and restaurants, 95% of the people in Burundi’s average tipping percentage in restaurants is between 10% to 20%. The actual tipping percentage is determined according to the level of service given in the restaurant and the tipping percentage can go above 10% if service was a suburb or go under 20% if the service was bad).

Further information for Burundi

Before travelling to Burundi ensure you buy a travel guidebook and a Map for the country that can be important during your travel

Safety of Burundi

Burundi isn’t considered a safe destination for travellers. You should know that many governments advise their citizens not to travel to the country as it is considered a very high-risk country due to the endless political unrest. Be very aware of your surroundings at all times. Both petty and violent crimes are normal here.

Please before travelling to Burundi contact Wilderness Explorers Africa for the current state of security.

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