Zoë Sheng

Chinese-Canadian - 18-Jan-24 -

A natural extension to Rwanda’s Nyungwe NP, boasting the same floral and fauna. That park has already got a great review so I won't bump it down with my scribblings. Instead I can focus on the Burundi side which is easier to reach than the loooong drive from Kigali.

I dropped my bag off in town and took a bus from COTEBU market to Bugarama. It's a single road so you can't do much wrong. Just ask the drivers for Bugarama and they'll advice you. My empty bus departed soon and took 90 minutes, costing me 10k francs. Can't complain at all. I first went off to do other stuff but your eventual stop will be Bugarama where I highly recommend the Kibira Park Lodge (ask for room #1) with views to the park itself, a restaurant and there should be someone who can arrange trekking for you the next day.

Next morning we took a motorcycle to the park entrance (20min) and started hiking 4h. There are other hike options but this seemed most suitable especially as it was raining a bit. Don't expect chimpanzees although we found some nests. They travel up to 80km a day and this isn't a place for seeing them regularly and even if you do they'll just wander off quickly. Instead you will see a lot of birds and plants which the guide explained as much as he can. Waterfalls are also quite common with the park supplying 18% if the areas drinking water. The hike also ascended to a mini-peak for a good place to have a rest. Other hike options will ascend another peak which will take you all day and you will get back aftet dark. I was back early afternoon and the costs for the trek are so affordable that I couldn't be happier to have spent the day in a national park for little cost and effort.

Easily the highlight of Burundi.