Travel to Burundi
If you plan to travel to Burundi, there are a few things you should know. I hate to start things off on a down note, but it is what it is.
A country wracked by civil war over the last fifty years, Burundi is just now beginning to pick itself back up. While never reaching the levels of Rwanda, ethnic fighting between the Hutu and Tutsi still happens at times in Burundi. Accusations of genocide were made on both sides amid reports of children being recruited as soldiers. At the time of this writing, there is a cease fire and the UN mission has officially changed from "Peacekeeping" to "Rebuilding". That being said, there are still reports of violence happening even in the capital (but what major city doesn't have violence?) and some tourist sites outside the capital have an armed guard to protect the visitors from any mischief.
So that's the bad. The good news is that hundreds of visitors travel to Burundi every year and love the country. The people are, by all reports, friendly and most speak French though English is also fairly common.
Burundi advertises itself where Henry Morgan Stanley first found Dr. David Livingstone, uttering the famous words "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" They even have a stone monument at Mugere with the two explorer's names on it. Unfortunately, most historians disagree with this claim. The actual meeting is said to have taken place in Ujiji, Tanzania. They did indeed come to Mugere and are reportedly the first non-Africans to see the area, but that trip was made over two weeks after their initial meeting. Still, it's an interesting piece of history and not too far from the capital. It may very well be worth a visit.
Quick Info:
Capital: Bujumbura
Language(s): Kirundi, French
Religion(s): Roman Catholic
Currency: Burundi franc (BIF)
Electricity Voltage: 220V
Calling Code: 257
Popular Travel Destinations:
- Chutes de la Kagera
- Saga Beach
- Source du Nil
Official Website: http://www.visit-burundi.com/
Travel Forums:
*Note* - Some of the graphics on this page were taken from the CIA World Factbook which contains a wealth of information on every country in the world. I highly recommend it.