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Largest city of Burundi
Photo: Dave Proffer, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bujumbura is the former capital and largest city of Burundi. It is on the north-eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world after Lake Baikal.
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Living Museum of Bujumbura
Small “zoo” and natural history museum. Exhibits include fishes from Lake Tanganyika, birds, seven species of snakes, two chimpanzees called “Kita” and “Joy”, a golden monkey, a leopard called “Jango”, three antelope, two slender-snouted crocodiles and six Nile crocodiles. There’s also a traditional Burundian village on the grounds. For about FBu 5,000 (2014) per person, a guide will show you around. The guide can even get some snakes out of the cage to let you hold them or feed them with guinea pigs. You can also feed chimpanzees with rice and Carnivores with guinea pigs or rabbits. Hold the hand of a chimpanzee, have a snake on harm and enter in cage of “Lacoste” Nile crocodile is also part of the attraction.
Sometimes, local cultural events occur on the grounds, such as performances by the Burundian drummers.
See hippos and crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks of the Rusizi River. The area is also where Gustave, the world's largest Nile crocodile, has been spotted. There are also some amazing birds to be seen. For about FBu 3,000 per person (plus tip), a guide and a guard will join you in the car and give you a tour of the park. You’ll stop at several points along the water to view hippos, crocodiles and birds.
La Pierre de Livingstone et Stanley
It's not the spot where Stanley said “Dr Livingstone, I presume?”, but it has a gorgeous view of the lake. Livingstone and Stanley passed through the area and carved their names on a large rock.
Prince Louis Rwagasore Mausoleum
Mausoleum in memory of Burundi's national and independence hero. The place where Burundian Independence Day is celebrated annually on 1 July.
A nice viewpoint on Bujumbura, 32 km east of the city. The road RN1 drive you around 1200 m higher than Bujumbura, at 2200 m. Eat some brochettes “je m’en fout” (means “I don’t care”).
Nice beach resort.
Small, European-style, funky dining. Expensive. Great outdoor eating area, inner patio, good for brunch on weekends, has wireless. Popular with business, government and expats, often full. Bring your own bottle.
Basic beer garden that serves a local speciality, beef "michopo", deliciously seasoned steamed beef served with little dough cubes.
Busy for lunch. General Burundian dishes, but also Cameroonian food.
Popular restaurant serving Burundian dishes. Busy for lunch, especially if you want a table upstairs. Menu items are not always available, so it is best to ask the server what is available. The Sangala fish topped with onions is excellent, and the stewed beef (lunch only) is very reasonably priced.
Greek restaurant and pizza on the main drag in town. Excellent Greek mezze. 15 Greek specialities & 17 types of pizzas.
Best Burundian brochettes in the city. If you are hungry have the brochette Hôtelière.
Stylish restaurant and internet café. Very good burgers, omelettes, fruit juices and coffee.
Not a café or restaurant, just a very good bakery. Worth stopping at to stock up on cakes & croissants.
Next to Hotel le Tanganika. Excellent Belgian Bistro with Belgian beers.
Good cuisine. Each week a new menu with 3 starters, 3 mains, 3 desserts. The owner is a gentle Belgian woman. They also offer breakfast. The owner opened this restaurant after closing the old Safran.
Interesting menu and cosy ambiance.
Super fancy restaurant in a large, decked-out mansion. Service can be slow and disappointing.
Very fast service (in and out in less than an hour), also open for lunch.
Good Indian food. Quiet garden.
Dining with a superb view over the city. Also open for lunch. Beef is tender, and they have Asian specialities (Japan, Thai, Vietnam). Expensive.
Traditional Greek kitchen opened in 1989. Panoramic view.
One of the most famous place according Burundians.
Cercle Nautique
Maybe the more quiet place of Bujumbura. The food is nothing to impressed with, but the views (on a clear day) on Lake Tanganyika and the mountains of Congo (DRC) are unforgettable.
Nice garden setting in deluxe hotel with rather overpriced food & swimming-pool. The garden also houses several turtles, peacocks, and has some resident Uganda Cranes. Menu features specials meats (“Jambonneau moutarde”, “Texas spare ribs”) and 14 pizzas.
Great lake views. Best pizzas in Bujumbura, owned and managed by well-known Belgian restaurateur who flies the mozzarella in from Italy.
Set in a glorious 1930s Art Deco building and run by a professional Belgian chef Restaurant Tanganyika serves up some of the best food in the city.
Nice hotel with garden/pool side restaurant serving excellent French and international cuisine. Nice wine list, but meals can be expensive (US$30-40).
Owned by a Quebecer-Burundian couple. Price range is between Havana Club and Botanika. Gourmet hamburgers, steak, ribs, etc. Beer on tap in frosted glasses. WiFi. Ask about film screenings and NHL ice hockey game nights.
Outdoor 'cabaret' features live singing on weekend nights, popular with the college-aged crowd. Probably not wise during the raining season as there is no roof. They usually run out of cold beer early in the evening, but many Burundians prefer their beer warm. Food is available from the calmer place across the street.
on the lake at US$120 upwards. The Italian-owned hotel is popular on the weekends with the expat crowd so a fee of FBu 10,000 was introduced for the usage of the pool. Located outside of the city at the beach. It also has some sporting facilities such as tennis courts.
on the lake. More of a weekend-getaway than a hotel, chalets on the beach (with kitchenette, TV, etc.) start at US$65 per night. Breakfast and other services not included.
Don't believe the prices quoted on their website, they are long out-of-date. The cheaper $60 rooms are pretty dingy and have no view - better to splash out on a $120 room.
Wifi only downstairs in the common area and restaurant.
Budget rooms are simple but solid, with Wifi in the room, small table and chair, mosquito net, private bathroom, some rooms with ventilator, solid hotel restaurant, very central location, somewhat noisy neighbourhood with bars opposite.
It is in the military area, large green area, restaurant and bar next to it.
Fan room, with own bathroom, flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi. Owner speaks English. Great place for backpackers and overland travelers.
In the center of town. Wifi, nice little restaurant, and conference rooms. The cheapest rooms have cold showers.
Nice hotel with free Wi-Fi, air conditioning in rooms, access to golf course included in price.
Vaya Hotel
From US$100 per night. In Rohero. Owned by Interbank Burundi. 28 rooms, all amenities including swimming pool and internet.
Room types: basic, single rooms - double rooms and deluxe room. Facilities: free wireless Internet connection, free swimming pool, a bar-restaurant. Laundry service, free breakfast, mosquito net, hot water in bathroom.
Room types: Single rooms/double rooms with or without air-con. Free wireless Internet connection, a restaurant. Laundry service, breakfast, mosquito net, hot water in bathroom.
Most rooms and restaurant with nice view on Bujumbura city and Lake Tanganyka, Congo visible on clean atmosphere on the opposite shore. Rooms in new building (40x and 50x) are hotter. Discount negotiable by phone with the manager.
By plane
Recording around 5 flights per day, Bujumbura International Airport essentially connects to East African hub airports, via the following companies:
Taxis are cruising all over the city; you need to negotiate the price with them.
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Bujumbura · International · BJM
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