Burundi

Burundi is a tiny country with a turbulent past – and sometimes a turbulent present – in the Great Lakes area of East Africa. High mountains, vast lakes and a rich culture lie in wait for travellers intrepid enough to venture here.

Burundi is bordered by Lake Tanganyika on the south west, one of the deepest lakes on the planet, and it’s possible to swim at the lake’s sandy beaches. Head to the region around Rutana for the Chutes de la Karera, a collection of four waterfalls which cascade down from rocky slopes. Many of the country’s main tourist attractions centre on its capital, the port town of Bujumbura. Still an important trading hub, Bujumbura ships goods such as cotton, tin ore, and its main export of coffee, across the waters of Lake Tanganyika. Here, you can see the Livingstone–Stanley Monument, which marks the point where these two famous explorers met, and catch a glimpse of Nile crocodiles lurking in the Ruzizi River. Adjacent to the river is Rusizi National Park, a nature reserve which is home to hippopotamuses and sitatungas. A little further north, you’ll find Kibira National Park, the country’s largest rainforest, which houses a large population of colobus monkeys, baboons, and a number of elusive chimpanzees.