Burundi

A small country in the heart of the continent, nestled in the mountainous and rainy Great Lakes region of the Rift Valley, close to the Equator, Burundi is crossed by the dividing line between the waters of the Congo River basin and those of the Nile, and is a point of transition between Central and East Africa, a crossroads of different peoples and cultures.

This generous strip of land leads to the discovery of the Swahili culture that dominates the East of the African continent, or accompanies you to look towards the great Congolese mosaic. Everywhere, you will encounter the human wealth and diverse influences that characterise this highly original society, a colourful crossroads of peoples.

The shores of Lake Tanganyika, Africa’s second largest and deepest lake, mark the country’s western landscape, where the capital, Bujumbura, is also located. It is characterised by evocative scenery that alternates, along its shores, between fishing villages intent on drying ndagalas (silver sardines) and modern lodges with well-equipped beaches, where hippos and crocodiles sometimes venture, and which can be seen in large numbers in the nearby Rusizi Park.

The country’s deepest hinterland, dominated by verdant hilly regions, echoes the history of the Kingdom of Burundi, which imposed its supremacy and culture on the entire region from the 16th century until German colonisation. The batimbo (drummers) of Gishora, ancient guardians of the kingdom’s secrets and rituals, still echo the splendour of times gone by.

Further south, the sources of the White Nile, more than 6,000 kilometres away from the delta of the river that flows into the Mediterranean Sea, remind us of the exploits of 20th century explorers, who crossed these remote lands in the heart of Africa in epic exploratory adventures.