Bujumbura
Founded in 1896 by the Germans, Bujumbura is the capital city, major port and commercial center of Burundi. The city has excellent French and Greek restaurants. A fun restaurant and bar on Lake Tanganyika is Circle Nautique which also offers sailing, boating, and fishing, and has an abundance of hippos for entertainment. There is a public beach called Kakaga near Club du Lac Tanganyika (beware of crocodiles and hippos). The ethnological Musee Vivant has a traditional Burun-dian village and daily traditional drum shows. The Pare du Reptiles is next door. The Musee du Geologie du Burundi has a good fossil collection. Jane Goodall has recently opened a chimpanzee orphanage which is open to the public.
Accommodation - Deluxe:
Novotel has 114 air-condiŽtioned rooms with private facilities, swimming pool, video and tennis courts.
Meridien Source du Nil has 117 air-conditioned rooms with private facilities, swimming pool and all the usual amenities of Meridien hotels.
First Class:
Club duLac Tanganyika, situated just outside of town on Lake Tanganyika, has a swimming pool and air-conditioned rooms with private facilities.
Tourist Class:
Hotel Burundi-Palace has 29 rooms with private facilities.
Related Information
Kibira National Park
Kibira National Park (Parc National De La Kibira) Kibira National Park and the Kibira Forest are the best areas in Burundi to look for chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys and crested mangabeys. This 155-square-mile (400 km2) park is situated 30 miles (48 km) or more to the north and northeast of Bujumbura and has a network of over 100 miles (160 km) of tracks (poor roads).
Lake Rwihinda Nature Reserve
Lake Rwihinda Nature Reserve (Reserve Naturelle Geree Du Lac Rwihinda) The Lake Rwihinda Nature Reserve and the other lakes in the northern part of the country, located approximately 125 miles (202 km) from Bujumbura, are called the "Lakes of the Birds" and include Lakes Cohoha, Rweru, Kanzigiri and Gacamirinda; they are a bird watcher's paradise. These lakes can be explored by canoe.
Ruvubu National Park
Ruvubu National Park (Parc National De La Ruvubu) Ruvubu National Park is 193 square miles (500 km2) in size and covers a strip of land from one to six miles (1.5-10 km) wide along both sides of the Ruvubu River in eastern Burundi. Wildlife in the Ruvubu basin and Pare National de la Ruvubu includes hippo, crocs, buffalo, leopard, antelope, monkeys and some lion. More than 425 bird species have been recorded. The closest road access to the park is 134 miles (216 km) from Bujumbura. The park has about 30 miles (50 km) of tracks. Accommodation is available in a
Inland
Inland The people outside Bujumbura seldom see tourists. Try to visit a village on market day to get a feeling of daily life in Burundi. En route to Gitega, one passes Muramvya, the ancient city of the king and royal capital, and an active market at Bu gar a ma Gitega, the former colonial capital, is situated on the central plateau in the middle of the country, and is the second largest city. Sights include the National Museum, fine arts school, and beer market. The artistic center of Giheta, seven miles (11 km) from Gitega, sells wood carvings, leather goods, baskets and ceramŽics. The
Mahale Mountains National Park
Mahale Mountains National Park Like Gombe Stream, The Main Attraction Of This Remote Park, Which Was Only Recently Gazetted In 1985, Is Being Able To Walk Among Large Populations Of Chimpanzees. The Chimps Have Been Studied By Japanese Researchers For More Than 20 Years, And Over 100 Of Them Have Been Habituated To Humans. Located About 95 Miles (150 Km) South Of Kigoma, This 609-Square-Mile (1577 Km2) Park Is Situated On The Eastern Shores Of Lake Tanganyika. The Mahale Mountains With Deep Ravines, Permanent Streams And Waterfalls Run Through The Center Of The Park, Forming The Eastern Wall Of The Great Rift