5-day private tour Burundi: 10 top sites from Bujumbura

Five days across Burundi's lakes, forests and drum sanctuaries, staying in different towns each night.

A 5-day private guided tour of Burundi starting from Bujumbura with hotel pickup and drop-off, accommodation at four hotels across the country, and visits to ten major sites including the Livingstone-Stanley Monument in Rumonge, thermal springs, Kigwena Forest Reserve, Karera Falls, Gishora Drum Sanctuary, Ruvubu National Park, Lake Rwihinda, Kibira National Park, and tea plantations. The guide speaks English or French. Children from age 1 are welcome. Gratuities and alcoholic drinks are not included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to hotel

• Transfer from airport to hotel

Day 2: Rumonge sightseeing and relaxation

• Travel to Rumonge
• Visit Livingstone-Stanley Monument
• Soak in Mugara Thermal Waters
• Explore Kigwena Forest Reserve
• Overnight at Tanganyika Blue Bay Resort

Day 3: Gitega cultural and natural sites

• Visit Source of Nile mountain stream
• Explore Karera Waterfalls
• Lunch in Gitega
• Visit National Museum of Gitega
• Discover Gishora Drum Sanctuary
• Overnight at Helena Hotel

Day 4: Ngozi wildlife and bird watching

• Visit Kanazi tourist site
• Explore Ruvubu National Park
• Visit Lake Rwihinda Bird Lake
• Overnight at Belan Hotel

Day 5: Tea plantations and historical tour

• Tour Teza Tea Plantation
• Visit Kibira National Park
• Lunch at Green Park Resort
• Coffee tasting and picnic
• Visit Traite de Kiganda historic site
• Overnight at Green Park Resort

The experience

The tour runs five days and four nights, moving through different regions of Burundi rather than returning to Bujumbura each evening. Day one is transfer and settlement. Day two takes you to Rumonge on Lake Tanganyika, where you soak in the thermal springs at Mashuha, walk through Kigwena Forest Reserve to spot hippopotamus and rare monkeys, and stay at Tanganyika Blue Bay Resort with views across the lake. Day three moves inland to Gitega Province: you visit the source of the Nile, see Karera Falls and its gallery forest, tour the National Museum of Gitega, and end at Gishora Drum Sanctuary to watch the specialized drummers whose families held royal privilege for generations.

Day four heads north to Ngozi Province. You stop at Kanazi and Bugenyuzi, then spend the afternoon at Ruvubu National Park watching hippopotamus, Nile crocodile, buffalo and five primate species, before moving to Lake Rwihinda, nicknamed Bird Lake, where migratory birds from Europe gather on Akagwa Island. Day five takes you west through tea plantations and Kibira National Park, the second-largest park in Burundi, home to chimpanzees, black colobus monkeys, baboons and golden monkeys. You taste coffee at Green Park Resort, revisit the tea plantations, then travel to the Treaty of Kiganda site where the German-Burundian war ended, marked by megaliths in a flowered park. The tour ends with your return to Bujumbura and transfer to the airport or your hotel.

All accommodation, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, and entry fees are included. The guide is live and speaks English or French. Hotel pickup and drop-off from Bujumbura are part of the package, and you'll taste local foods (mukeke fish cooked the traditional Burundian way, cassava dishes, tea and coffee) at each stop. Gratuities and alcoholic drinks are your own cost.

What’s included

• All accommodation at four hotels.
• air-conditioned vehicle transport throughout.
• entry fees to all sites and parks.
• lunch at multiple stops.
• tea and coffee tastings at plantations.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Bujumbura.
• a live guide in English or French.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 95 years) · Child (4 to 17 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 32 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Burundi Safari & Tours

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you're based in Bujumbura and prefer to stay in one hotel while visiting multiple regions: the itinerary moves you through different sites each day rather than returning to the capital each evening.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 17 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What is the Gishora Drum Sanctuary and why does it matter?

Gishora Drum Sanctuary is one of the world's most famous drum sites, located in Gitega Province. The specialized drummers' families held a huge privilege from the royal court for generations, which is why Gishora stands apart from other drum performance venues across Burundi. You watch a live drum show there on day three.

Which national parks and reserves does the tour include?

The tour visits Kigwena Forest Reserve on Lake Tanganyika (day two), Ruvubu National Park in Ngozi Province (day four), and Kibira National Park (day five). Kibira is the second-largest park in Burundi and shelters over 95 mammal species including chimpanzees, golden monkeys and baboons, plus more than 198 bird species.

Do I stay in the same hotel each night or move around?

You stay in four different hotels across the five days: City Hill Hotel in Bujumbura (night one), Tanganyika Blue Bay Resort in Rumonge (night two), Helena Hotel in Gitega (night three), Belan Hotel in Ngozi (night four), and Green Park Resort in Bugarama (night five). Each location is chosen to put you near the day's main sites.

What meals and drinks are included?

Lunch is included at several stops, and you taste local Burundian dishes including mukeke (the national fish) cooked traditionally, cassava-based foods, tea and coffee at plantations and resorts. Alcoholic drinks are not included and are available at your own cost. The minimum drinking age is 18.