Why this journey is different.
The most complete Burundi itinerary we run. Kibira National Park protects a high, misty rainforest continuous with Rwanda's Nyungwe, holding chimpanzees and thirteen primate species. Gitega holds the national museum and the sacred drum sanctuary at Gishora. Rusizi and Lake Tanganyika close the loop.
Moments you will remember.
- 1★ Kibira National Park forest walks and chimpanzee tracking
- 2★ Gishora sacred drum sanctuary and the Gitega National Museum
- 3★ Rusizi National Park delta drive
- 4★ Two closing nights on Lake Tanganyika
Your itinerary.
5 chapters, each with the exact landscape you will be standing in that day.
Sign in to your guest account to print your name and travel dates on the cover and every page header. One personalisation per account, so your document stays uniquely yours.
Day 1On safari, sundowners on the plains Arrival Bujumbura
Meet-and-greet, city drive and a lakeside sunset dinner.
Day 2On safari, guided walking safari Bujumbura → Kibira
Climb into the highlands through tea estates to the forest edge, with an afternoon guided walk for L'Hoest's monkeys and forest birds.
Day 3On safari, dawn game drive Kibira → Gitega
Morning chimpanzee tracking with community trackers, then across to Gitega for the museum and the Gishora drum sanctuary performance.
Day 4Lake Naivasha, boat ride among the hippos Gitega → Rusizi → Lake Tanganyika
Return west with a Rusizi National Park delta drive for hippo and crocodile, then a beach lodge for the evening.
Day 5Nairobi and the road, dawn game drive Lake Tanganyika → departure
A slow lake morning, craft market and airport transfer.
- Kibira chimpanzee tracking fees
- Gishora drum sanctuary performance
- Private guided game drives and forest transfers in a 4x4 Land Cruiser
- All park, forest and conservancy entry fees
- Airport meet-and-greet and all ground transfers
- Full board accommodation, meals and drinking water throughout
- English-speaking licensed driver guide throughout
- 24/7 in-country concierge on WhatsApp
- International flights
- Gorilla or chimpanzee trekking permits unless stated in the itinerary
- Visas and the East Africa Tourist Visa (we help you apply)
- Personal travel insurance
- Gratuities for guides, trackers and lodge staff
- Optional helicopter transfers and spa treatments
Scenes from this journey.
Photographs from our own guests and guides on this exact route. Tap any image to view full-screen, swipe to browse.
Safari Packing Essentials
What to carry on the 5-Day Burundi Explorer, Kibira, Gitega & Rusizi
The same preparation brief we send every confirmed guest, written from fifteen years of running these parks ourselves. Read it now and you already know exactly what your safari asks of you.
Packed for 5-Day Burundi Explorer, Kibira, Gitega & Rusizi: Lake Naivasha and Nairobi and the road
Equator sun is unforgiving
We also keep a pair per vehicle
200mm or longer for big cats
Charging points onboard too
Hell's Gate, Crescent Island
Keeps the cabin uncluttered
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What to wear on safari
Neutral, breathable fabrics photograph better and keep wildlife relaxed. Skip bright white, neon and anything camouflage, camouflage is restricted in Kenya and Tanzania.
- Long trousers2 to 3
One zip-off pair is ideal for long game drives
- Shorts2
Knee-length, for warm midday hours
- Long-sleeve shirts3
Your best defence against sun and insects
- T-shirts2
Quick-dry fabric, our laundry turnaround is same-day at most lodges
- Fleece or light jacket1
Mara and Amboseli mornings start cold in an open roof 4x4
- Windbreaker1
Waterproof if you travel April, May or November
- Hat, beanie or scarf1 each
Beanie for dawn, wide-brim hat for the equator sun
- Walking shoes1 pair
Closed and comfortable for Hell's Gate and Crescent Island walks
- Sandals1 pair
For camp, lodge decks and pool time
The small pouch that saves the whole trip
Pack it once, forget about it, and let your guide handle everything else on the road.
Stay well, so nothing interrupts the wildlife
Our vehicles carry a stocked first-aid kit and every guide is first-aid certified, but personal medication is yours to bring.
- Repellent with DEET or picaridin
- Long sleeves for evenings around the fire
- Calamine or hydrocortisone cream
- Anti-malarial tablets, started before you fly
- Prescription medication for the full trip, in original packaging
- Painkillers, allergy tablets, plasters, antiseptic
- Rehydration sachets, the equator sun is deceptive
- Motion sickness tablets for murram park roads
- Eye drops, sanitiser, tweezers
Paperwork we double-check before you board
Once your dates are confirmed we send a personal checklist and verify your visa and park-entry requirements ourselves.
- Passport valid 6+ months beyond travel
- Kenya or Tanzania e-visa, we send the exact link
- Vaccination certificate where required
- Travel insurance including medical evacuation
- Emergency contact list, ours included
- Photocopies plus a cloud backup
- USD notes printed after 2009, small bills for tips
- Split your cash across two secure places
- Leave heavy jewellery at home, travel quietly
- M-Pesa and card work in Nairobi, carry cash for the parks
- Save your insurer's 24/7 line in your phone and on paper. We keep a copy in the vehicle file too.
We plan around the youngest and the eldest guest
Tell us who is travelling and we adjust drive lengths, seating and meal timing before you arrive, not on the road.
- Daypack with snacks, wipes, sunscreen and games
- Offline films and music, lodge Wi-Fi is limited
- Child-safe insect repellent
- Enough nappies and formula, stock up in Nairobi
- Tell us allergies early, we brief the lodge kitchens
- Extra prescriptions and a spare pair of glasses
- Tell your guide about mobility needs, we reseat and shorten drives
- A portable cushion or cane travels well
- Hydrate often, we pause in shade through midday
We supply the rest: refrigerated drinking water on every drive, binoculars in each vehicle, charging points, a stocked first-aid kit, and a guide who has driven these parks for over a decade. You bring the list above, we bring everything else.
Read us where it counts.
Good to know.
How do I secure my booking?+
A 30% deposit confirms your dates and your gorilla permits. The balance is due on arrival, before your safari begins. Permits are limited and released in date order, so early booking matters more here than anywhere else in East Africa.
Are gorilla permits included?+
We reserve them for you and show the exact permit cost separately so you always see what you are paying for. Permits are non-refundable once issued by the wildlife authority.
How fit do I need to be for gorilla trekking?+
Reasonably fit. Treks run from one to six hours over steep, muddy forest terrain. Porters are available at every trailhead and we book one for you on request.
Can we combine countries on one trip?+
Yes. The East Africa Tourist Visa covers Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda on one document, and we handle border crossings, charters and vehicle changes so you keep one point of contact.
Can the itinerary be tailored?+
Every trip is designed one to one. Extend nights, upgrade lodges, add Zanzibar or the Kenyan coast, or split into two vehicles for a larger family.
