Must See

Bujumbura

A bustling town with a population of around 300,000 on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. The region was colonised by Germany towards the end of the nineteenth century, and some of the town's architecture still dates from that period; a good example is the Postmaster's House.

Other attractions include three museums (including the museé vivant, a reconstructed open-air village displaying Burundian culture), an excellent market and the Islamic Cultural Centre. The shore of the lake is lined with cafe's and restaurants, and, in safe times, watersports such as sailing, water-skiing and fishing can be enjoyed here.

Gitega

The principal sights in this area include the National Museum, which contains a fascinating collection of exhibits depicting the Burundian customs and traditions of yesterday and today.

Located at the intersection of the Muyinga-Gitega and Ngozi-Gitega, the craftwares village attracts many visitors who come to see the craftsmen producing their wares. Also in Gitega, is the Gitega Art School where paintings, ceramics and sculptures are produced.

Giheta

Giheta is an artistic center for works in leather, ceramic and wood, along with items made from wickerwork and beads. Drummery performances, unique of their kind, are also put on in Gitega.

Kirundo

200 km from Bujumbura, in the North-East of Burundi, is a region of great scenic beauty, dotted with lakes and abounding in bird life. Visitors may discover, by canoe, lakes such as Kacamirinda and Kanzigiri, along with Cohoha (the bird Lake), renowned for its ornithological reserve.

Rutovu

The commune of Rutovu, perched at the summit of Mount Kikizi, (2,145 meters) is home to the source of the Nile, discovered in 1934 by the German explorer Burckhard Waldecker. A symbolic pyramid has been build at Rutovu to mark this claim.

Forests and National Parks

• National Park of Rusizi
• National Park of Kibira
• National Park of Ruvubu
• Forests of Congo-Nile Ridge (Kibira)
• Forests of Kigwena-Rumonge
• Forest of Nyakazu and Mwishanga