6 Days Burundi Wildlife and Primates Safari

Day 1: Arrival in Bujumbura, City Tour and Lake Tanganyika

Your safari begins with arrival in Bujumbura, where your Verdant Safaris guide will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. After checking in and taking some time to freshen up, you will begin a gentle exploration of Burundi’s main lakeside city. You can visit the Living Museum of Bujumbura, where displays and reconstructed traditional spaces provide an introduction to aspects of Burundian culture, crafts and natural heritage. You will then continue towards the shores of Lake Tanganyika, where you can enjoy scenic views across the lake and observe some of the activities taking place around the shoreline. There will be time for photography and relaxation before returning to your hotel. In the evening, you will enjoy dinner and prepare for the wildlife experiences planned for the following days.

Meals: (Lunch, Dinner)

Accommodation Options:

• Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
• Kiriri Garden Hotel
• Hôtel Martha

The Burundi tourism authority lists these as accommodation options in Bujumbura, with Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika situated on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Day 2: Rusizi National Park Wildlife and Birdwatching

After breakfast, you will travel to Rusizi National Park, located only a short distance from Bujumbura, for your first major wildlife experience. The park’s wetlands and riverine environment provide habitat for a variety of mammals and birds, with hippos being among its most notable animals. You will explore suitable areas of the park with your guide, keeping watch for hippos, antelopes, crocodiles and different species of wetland birds. Birdwatching will form an important part of the experience, particularly around the Rusizi delta where colourful birds occur alongside the resident wildlife. Your guide will explain the vegetation, waterways and ecological importance of this wetland ecosystem as you explore. After lunch, you will continue with nature observation and photography before returning to Bujumbura. You will spend the evening relaxing at your hotel and preparing for the journey towards Burundi’s central highlands.

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Accommodation Options:

• Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
• Kiriri Garden Hotel
• Hôtel Martha

Day 3: Bujumbura to Gitega, National Museum and Gishora Drum Experience

After breakfast, you will leave Bujumbura and travel towards Gitega, passing through Burundi’s green hills, cultivated landscapes and rural communities. The journey provides an opportunity to appreciate the changing scenery as you move from the Lake Tanganyika basin towards the central plateau. Upon arrival in Gitega, you will visit the National Museum of Gitega, also known as the Mwami National Museum, where you can explore ethnographic and archaeological collections connected with Burundi’s history and cultural heritage. After lunch, you will continue to Gishora for a cultural experience centred on Burundi’s traditional drumming heritage. The country’s tourism authority identifies the Drummers of Gishora as one of its major cultural experiences. You will enjoy the performance and learn about the cultural importance of drums before returning to your accommodation for dinner and overnight rest.

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Accommodation Options:

• Tropitel Hotel Gitega
• Helena Hotel
• Hotel New Agena

Day 4: Gitega to Kibira National Park, Tea Plantations and Primate Tracking

After breakfast, you will travel towards Kibira National Park, passing through the scenic tea-growing landscapes around Teza and Rwegura. The journey offers beautiful views of the highlands and an opportunity to see one of Burundi’s important agricultural landscapes. On reaching the Kibira area, you will meet your local ranger and begin a guided forest exploration along an appropriate trail. Kibira lies at elevations of approximately 1,500 to 2,660 metres and protects an extensive rainforest ecosystem containing numerous mammals and around a dozen primate species, including chimpanzees, baboons, tailed monkeys and black colobus monkeys. Your experience will focus on observing primates and other forest wildlife while listening for the calls of the many bird species found in the forest. You will also learn about Kibira’s importance as a watershed for the Congo and Nile river basins. After the forest excursion, you will continue to your accommodation for dinner and overnight rest.

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Accommodation Options:

• Rwegura area guesthouse or lodge
• Teza area guesthouse or lodge
• Selected local accommodation near Kibira National Park

Day 5: Kibira Forest Primates, Rwegura and Return to Bujumbura

After breakfast, you will return to Kibira National Park for another guided forest experience, giving you additional time to search for primates and forest birds. Your ranger will select a suitable trail based on current conditions and the permitted areas of the park. You will move through the rainforest while observing the vegetation and listening for animal calls, with opportunities to look for chimpanzees, monkeys and other forest species. Kibira’s forest also contains numerous streams and rivers, making it an important ecological area for Burundi and the wider Congo-Nile watershed. Later, you will travel towards Rwegura, where the hydroelectric dam provides scenic views and a suitable place for a rest or picnic. You will then begin the journey back towards Bujumbura, enjoying the changing highland scenery before arriving at your hotel for dinner and your final overnight stay.

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Accommodation Options:

• Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
• Kiriri Garden Hotel
• Hôtel Martha

Day 6: Lake Tanganyika, Final Sightseeing and Departure

After breakfast, you will enjoy a relaxed final morning in Bujumbura before your departure. Depending on your flight schedule, you may visit the shores of Lake Tanganyika for one final opportunity to enjoy the lake’s scenery and take photographs. You may also visit the Stanley and Livingstone Site near the Mugere River, approximately 14 kilometres from Bujumbura, where a monument commemorates the explorers’ 1871 journey along Lake Tanganyika. After lunch, you can have some free time for souvenir shopping or a final city experience before your guide transfers you to Melchior Ndadaye International Airport. Your departure transfer will be arranged according to your flight time to allow you to reach the airport comfortably. This marks the end of your 6 Days Burundi Wildlife and Primates Safari with Verdant Safaris, bringing together Burundi’s wetlands, rainforest, primates, birdlife, cultural heritage and spectacular highland scenery.

Meals: (Breakfast, Lunch)