Best Tourist Places to Visit in Bujumbura, Burundi, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Bujumbura, Burundi, Africa

Bujumbura is the capital and largest city of Burundi, located on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in the western part of the nation. It is the economy centre of the country having a port where the country’s most exportation takes place, mainly coffee, cotton and tin ore. Bujumbura experiences a tropical savanna climate with the wet season from October to April and the dry season from May to September. Bujumbura covers an area of 86.52 sq. km and its geographical coordinates are 3°23′ S 29°22′ E.

History of Bujumbura:

Originated as a small village, Bujumbura began to develop becoming a military post in German East Africa in the year1889. Bujumbura became the capital of Ruanda-Urundi, a part of the Belgian League of Nations, after the Germany’s defeat in World War I. Formerly called Usumbura, Bujumbura got its present name at the time of the Burundi’s independence from Belgium in 1962.

Getting Bujumbura:

Bujumbura hosts the major airport of the country, Bujumbura International Airport, is situated 8 km northwest of the city centre. The airport operates flights from Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Brussels, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Entebbe and Kigali.

For airport travel, minibuses and taxis are the options of which the latter is comfort and convenient.

The above options are also commonly used to get around city for which taxis cost between 2000-3000 Burundian francs.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Bujumbura:

Bujumbura is home to the University of Burundi and also houses the two private universities like Hope Africa University and Université du Lac Tanganyika.

Central Market of Bujumbura is a place where one can pick locally made clothes, craft items, jewelry and footwear. The city also houses many supermarkets of which the most famous one is Dimitri.

Here are some tourist favor restaurants in Bujumbura:

Restaurant Tanganyika
Dolce Vita Hotel Restaurant
Bora Bora beach club
Le Jardin Gourmand

Things to do in Bujumbura:

Beach exploration
Swimming at swimming pool
Day tours

Tourist Attractions in Bujumbura:

Rusizi National Park:

Located 15 kilometers away from the city of Bujumbura, the Rusizi National Park is known for rare animal species like hippopotamuses, sitatungas and Gustave, the largest Nile crocodile on the earth. A guided tour costs around 3,000 BIF to explore park. Early morning is the best time to visit.

Karera Beach:

The Karera Beach on Lake Tanganyika on Uvira Roadway is a beautiful beach famous among both locals and visitors. There is a resort, named Karera Beach Resort, close to the beach.

Parc des Reptiles:

The Parc des Reptiles or Reptile Park is a wildlife area, situated in the vicinity of Musee Vivant. It is a place where visitors can spot many interesting reptile species including alligators and snakes as well.

Geological Museum of Burundi:

The Geological Museum of Burundi is one of the best places to visit in Burundi. This science museum describes the complete and interesting features of the geography of Burundi which covers the country’s eye-catching landscapes, lake and flora species.

Saga Plage:

Situated around 30 minutes walk from the city centre, Saga Plage is a scenic beach area featured with entertainment complex, hotels, cafes and restaurants. It is on Lake Tanganyika.

List of other places of interest in Bujumbura includes:

Ciné Caméo
Université de Burundi
Entente Sportive
Hotel Club Lac du Tanganyika
Livingstone-Stanley Monument
Musee Vivant
Burundi Museum of Life

Best time to visit Bujumbura:

Throughout the year is best, especially from May to September and December to January are the ideal time to visit Bujumbura in Burundi.

Accommodation options in Bujumbura:

Being the capital and having many natural and manmade tourist attractions, Bujumbura houses around 50 standard accommodation centres to serve visitors coming to the city year round. List of some reputed hotels in Bujumbura include: