Street scene in Burundi
A place most people have never even heard of. Similar to Rwanda in ethnic make-up and has had its fair share of conflict, although not on the scale of its northern neighbour. Recently it has returned to a stable political equilibrium, although tension can be just below the surface on occasions.
It is described in Lonely Planet as ‘A tiny nation of soaring mountains and languid lakeside communities’. The scenery is stunning and the welcome warm.
During our time in Burundi we hope to experience the following:-
Bujumbura
The capital Bujumbura: It is reported that the capital is fairly safe and ‘lively’. It sits at the northern end of lake Tanganyika with the areas to the north and east of the city providing an imposing backdrop of high mountains. Very few tourist have visited here in recent years due to the ethnic tensions, but latest reports are that with sensible precautions it is an experience to enjoy.
The beaches on Lake Tanganyika: Just a short distance to the south of Bujumbura the beaches of Lake Tanganyika are the best in inland Africa. White sand, turquoise water and ’surf’ make this part of Africa resemble the Caribbean.
The meeting place of Livingstone and Stanely: On the road south from Bujumbura there is a stone to mark the spot where these two victorian explorers met when Africa was being ‘discovered’ by western adventurers.
