3 Days
Rusizi, Burundi
3-Day Rusizi National Park
This compact itinerary offers a perfect blend of wildlife encounters, scenic landscapes and local culture.
7-Day Best of Burundi Safari
7 Days - 6 Nights | Bujumbura - Kibira National Park - Gishora Drum Sanctuary - Karera Waterfalls - Rumonge Nature Reserve
Overview
A week in Burundi offers a rewarding change of pace after a wildlife focused trip through Rwanda or Uganda. Rather than centering on game drives, this itinerary leans into culture, history, and scenery, taking travelers through the capital, Bujumbura, into the highlands around Gitega, and south along Lake Tanganyika toward one of the contested source points of the Nile River. Expect royal heritage sites, traditional drumming, waterfalls, hot springs, and lakeside relaxation, all woven into a private, guided journey.
Itinerary
1
Day 1: Arrival in Bujumbura
On arrival at Bujumbura’s international airport, a driver guide meets you and transfers you to your hotel, marking the official start of the trip. The rest of the day is spent touring the capital: the Independence Heroes Mausoleum and Unity Monument, Belvedere Hill for panoramic views over Lake Tanganyika, and the Explorers Memorial, a large rock marking the historic meeting point of explorers Livingstone and Stanley. The tour also takes in the crocodile enclosure at Saga Beach and the Islamic Cultural Centre before returning to the hotel for the night.
- Accommodation: Hotel Botanika.
- Meal Plan: Lunch and Dinner.
2
Day 2: Kibira National Park and the Kiganda Royal Grounds
After breakfast, head to Kibira National Park to walk through the Teza tea plantations. From there, continue to the Kiganda royal grounds, a historically significant site linked to the treaty signed between German colonial authorities and King Mwezi Gisabo. Nearby, the royal inauguration grounds once hosted ceremonies for rulers such as Mutaga Mbikije and Mwezi Gisabo, and the site remains remarkably well preserved for visitors to explore on foot. In the afternoon, travel onward to Gitega, Burundi’s political and cultural heartland, for an overnight stay.
- Accommodation: Tropitel Hotel Gitega.
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
3
Day 3: Gishora Drum Sanctuary and Gitega
Spend the day exploring Gitega’s key cultural landmarks: the Gishora Drum Sanctuary, home to Burundi’s famous royal drummers; the Gitega National Museum, which houses artifacts tracing the country’s precolonial and colonial history; the Catholic mission village of Mushasha; a cluster of colonial era administrative buildings; and the BUDECA coffee factory, offering insight into Burundi’s coffee industry.
- Accommodation: Tropitel Hotel Gitega.
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
4
Day 4: Karera Waterfalls
After breakfast, drive to Rutana province to visit the Karera Waterfalls, a series of cascades set in lush, hilly terrain. Continue to Makamba to watch a performance of the Agasimbo dance, a traditional style native to southern Burundi, before arriving in the lakeside town of Nyanza Lac for the overnight stop.
- Accommodation: Hotel or guesthouse in Nyanza Lac.
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
5
Day 5: Rumonge Nature Reserve and Muhweza Hot Springs
Begin the morning exploring the fishing village of Nyanza Lac and the Burton Speke Memorial, which commemorates the nineteenth century explorers’ expedition along Lake Tanganyika. Continue to Rumonge Nature Reserve for monkey tracking and birdwatching, then visit the Muhweza hot springs and learn about the region’s palm oil production.
- Accommodation: Tanganyika Blue Bay Resort.
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
6
Day 6: Source of the Nile and Return to Bujumbura
Travel to Rutovu to visit one of the sites recognized, including by BBC backed research, as a source of the Nile, Africa’s longest river, set within a modest patch of forest with a small stream fed by a spring. On the return drive to Bujumbura, stop at a Mugamba family homestead for a glimpse of everyday rural life in the highlands.
- Accommodation: Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika or Safari Gate Hotel, Bujumbura.
- Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
7
Day 7: Departure
Transfer to Bujumbura International Airport in time for your departing flight, concluding the seven day tour.
- Accommodation: Not applicable, departure day.
- Meal Plan: Breakfast only.
Included/Excluded
Cost Includes
Transportation (Car, Guide & Fuel)
Meals and Accommodation
All Burundi Activities
Bottled Drinking Water
Government Taxes
Cost Excludes
Sorvenirs
Insurance
Tips
International Flights
Drinks other than Water
BOOK THIS TOUR
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