THE BEATING HEARTOF AFRICA. 1

Transcription

1 B E A U T I F U L THE BEATING HEARTOF AFRICA 1

2 13, Avnu du Commrc, Tl (+257) /

3 Th tourism sctor is on of th fastst dvloping sctors of our conomy. In th last fw yars, Burundi has witnssd a trmndous amount of dvlopmnt in th sctor that continus to show growth projctions wll into th futur. Rising from a vry difficult past, Burundi has ovr th last fw yars gratly bnfitd from th dlibrat govrnmnt fforts that has sn a total rvamp of its conomic policis with a viw to bolstring conomic dvlopmnt in th country. Kaz Wlcom This has sn massiv invstmnts by th govrnmnt to upgrad xisting infrastructur, spcially th road ntwork within th country. This has, in turn, cratd a conduciv invstmnt climat that continus to attract nw invstmnts in th hospitality sctor. Various conomic policis that th Govrnmnt of Burundi (GoB) has implmntd ovr th last fw yars mak it incrasingly asir to st up businsss in th country. W offr a on-stop shop for rgistring a businss and issuing th rquird licnss within 24 hours. This has ld to an incrasd intrst by both local and rgional invstors in stting up oprations in Burundi. Th hospitality sctor in Burundi no doubt rmains on of th largst mployrs in th country and continus to show signs of strong growth. Th hospitality sctor in Burundi no doubt rmains on of th largst mployrs in th country and continus to show signs of strong growth. Whil catring to mainly businss travlrs, Burundi is activly dvloping its tourism attractions to attract mor visitors. W ar nhancing our consrvation fforts in various national parks to nsur that th flora and fauna of our country is prsrvd for futur gnrations. I hav th plasur to wlcom you. Wlcom to Burundi your scond hom, Wlcom to our Bautiful Burundi. Victoir Ndikumana, Ministr of Commrc, Industry, Posts and Tourism, Burundi. 3

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5 Birds tak to flight at Lak Rwihinda. 5

6 CONTENTS A Tourism Guid for Burundi is Publishd by: Safari Communications Ltd. P.O. BOX 13510, Wstlands 00800, Nairobi, Knya. publishing@safari-communications.com Wbsit: On Bhalf of: National Tourism Offic of Burundi, B.P 902, Bujumbura, Burundi. Tl: Fax: ontbur@cbinf.com Wbsit: 3. MINISTER S FOREWORD Kaz / Wlcom 9. PUBLISHER S FOREWORD Dawn Braks for Burundi 10. EXCLUSIVE: On on on with th Ministr of Tourism for Burundi 16. TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR BURUNDI 20. BURUNDI OPEN FOR BUSINESS Nw Economic Rforms powr Burundian Economy 25. BURUNDI SHINES AT ITB Tourism in Burundi on a trajctory Photographs by Dnis Gathanju, Arnaud Mugisha, National Tourism Offic of Burundi and Shuttrstock. DISCLAIMER: Th contnts and opinions xprssd in this publication ar not ncssarily thos of th ditor, th publishr or any othr organization associatd with this publication. Whil vry caution has bn takn in th prparation and production of this magazin, th publishr will not accpt any liability whatsovr for any inaccuracis and/or omissions.

7 29. DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY Sampl Bujumbura s vibrant night lif 31. EATING OUT On a culinry journy in th hart of Bujumbura 34. HOTEL CLUB DU LAC TANGANYIKA An icon of hospitality in Bujumbura 36. THE ALBERTINE RIFT On of th world s most divrs co-rgions 40. HOTEL BELAIR RESIDENCE A touch of luxury in th hart of Bujumbura 44. KIBIRA NATIONAL PARK Whr chimps roam fr 48. ATTRACTIONS Exprinc th sights and sounds of Burundi 54. BIRDING IN BURUNDI A bird spctacl in Burundi 7

8 EAST AFRICA UNVEILED Grat Laks Expditions is your discovry partnr in East Africa. W provid customizd tours across East Africa and now in Ethiopia. Com s th wild gam in Knya s Maasai Mara, laz on th bach in Watamu and scal th hights of th Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. W will tak you out to th jungls of northrn Rwanda and southrn Uganda and show you th mountain gorillas and tak you to th forsts of Burundi to show you th chimpanzs. And if you nd mor, w will throw in th bautiful bachs of Zanzibar, th Historic Rout in Ethiopia and th birds in East Africa. markting@gratlaksxpditions.nt Wbsit:

9 PUBLISHER S FOREWORD DAWN BREAKS FOR BURUNDI Th tourism industry is on of th conomic sctors that has rally caught th wind thanks to th nw rforms. Th sctor has ovr th last fw yars witnssd a rnwd intrst from Burundians as wll as from rgional and intrnational hospitality playrs. Africa is on th ris. And Burundi is dfinitly rising with th rst of th continnt. I am xtrmly plasd to introduc Bautiful Burundi, th first tourism guid for Burundi that sks to crat awarnss locally, rgionally and intrnationally on th dvlopmnts in Burundi. Many would hav writtn off this country, but I promis you that th signs ar crystal clar that Burundi is on a path to a rnaissanc.a rvival that offrs bttr and brightr prospcts for this East African nation. Th rcnt conomic rforms hav rally turnd around this country. It is now many tims asir to stablish a businss in Burundi. Furthrmor, th Govrnmnt of Burundi (GoB) is committd to nsur businsss thriv in a saf and scur nvironmnt. This has cratd a wondrful invstmnt climat for both rturning Burundians as wll as forign nationals and companis. Th tourism industry is on of th conomic sctors that has rally caught th wind thanks to th nw rforms. Th sctor has ovr th last fw yars witnssd a rnwd intrst from Burundians as wll as from rgional and intrnational hospitality playrs. This has sn th locals plough massiv invstmnts, spcially into th hospitality industry in th country. And rgional and intrnational hospitality brands hav bn lining up to opn shop in Burundi to tak advantag of th country s rising status as a businss and lisur dstination. And what s mor, th popl of this country ar incrdibly frindly. Thy carry with thm infctious smils. I hav bn touchd by thir smils, thir warmth and hospitality and I invit you to visit Burundi and discovr its hiddn magic. Dnis Gathanju, Publishr. 9

10 W ar also looking at dvloping cruis tourism on Lak Tanganyika to facilitat connction srvics btwn Bujumbura and othr nighbouring citis that hav ports such as th Dmocratic Rpublic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia. 10

11 EXPERIENCE THE BEAT FROM THE HEART OF AFRICA Burundi is rising and growing and making a dtrmind progrssion looking forward to a bttr and brightr futur. This East African nation continus to show a lot of promis in almost all sphrs of its conomy and has ovr th last fw yars continud to attract both rgional and intrnational invstors many of whom ar attractd by th country s nw conomic policis and a stabl political climat. Th tourism industry is on of th sctors that has rgistrd trmndous growth ovr th last fw yars. Fuld by th growing businsss in th country and an qually xpanding lisur industry, Burundi is a growing East African tigr. 11

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13 To put mattrs into prspctiv, Burundi s Ministr for Commrc, Industry, Posts and Tourism Honourabl Victoir Ndikumana spok xclusivly to Bautiful Burundi s Managing Editor Dnis Gathanju. Excrpts: DG VN Th tourism industry in Burundi is on a growth trajctory. What maks Burundi such a uniqu dstination? Burundi is uniqu in many ways. It prsnts a wid varity of tourism typs: laksids across th country, natural rsrvs, cultural tourism, spctacular landscaps, and varid configuration of th rlif, a favourabl climat, art and most importantly our lgndary hospitality combind with our outstanding drummrs. Aftr bing absnt on th intrnational tourism scn for mor than 20 yars, Burundi was rintroducd on th markt as a nw dstination at WTF China, ITM Russia, WTM London and ITB Brlin in 2011 and Th prizs w won (Bst African xhibitor in 2011and 2012 and Th Bst of th Bst xhibitor in 2012 at ITB Brlin) not only ncouragd us but also drw considrabl attntion to us from th world. W ar xcitd to continu improving our tourism to rciv many visitors from around th world. DG of our nation. W hav nactd nw lgislation that ncourags and fostrs nw invstmnts. This has furthr bn bolstrd by asy and straightforward conomic policis that hav mad it far much asir to rgistr and opn a businss in Burundi. W now hav a on-stop-shop whr businsss ar rgistrd and th rquird licnss issud within 24 hours. Furthrmor, an nabling businss nvironmnt in Burundi is obvious. W ar invsting havily in upgrading and building our infrastructur, spcially all th roads that lad to th 17 provincs of Burundi and som touristic attraction sits. W ar also invsting havily in information communications tchnology (ICT) by rolling out a fibr optic cabl across th country. This will mak intrnt connction fast and affordabl for vryon. Asid from th points you hav laboratd on. What ls would mak an invstor want to plough thir mony into th Burundian hospitality industry? DG VN DG VN Why do you rfr to Burundi as th bating hart of Africa? First of all, if you look at th map, you will s that Burundi is shapd roughly lik a human hart! Scondly, Burundi drummrs ar known all ovr th world by th way thy skillfully bat th drums and danc. This part of our hritag idntifis wll with th rhythm of Africa! As you know, music and danc ar an intgral part of th African cultur and that is why w clbrat our drummrs as such. Ovr th last fw yars, w hav witnssd massiv invstmnts in th tourism and hospitality sctor in Burundi. What would you attribut that to? Although Burundi wnt through som tough tims, w hav turnd th pag and startd a nw chaptr in th history VN DG VN Good qustion. W offr othr incntivs such as tax waivrs for nw businsss as wll as duty fr on quipmnt importd by ths nw businsss to hlp thm st up wll in Burundi. I lov what I am haring. Howvr, looking back at what Burundi has bn through, a long and bloody past; an almost dysfunctional systm and what hav you; what maks th nw invstor want to stak thir invstmnts on Burundi, spcially sinc you ar going to lctions in 2015? Lik I mntiond arlir, Burundi has turnd that pag and w hav larnt bittr lssons from our past. W ar now on a growth path. W hav opnd up dmocratic spac in Burundi and w hav frdom of spch. 13

14 All th diffrnt social groups hav bn intgratd back into th socity and th thnic divisions ar roding. Th Govrnmnt of Burundi is invsting in social projcts, social infrastructur and continus to do vrything in its powr to nsur th safty and scurity of all popl and thir proprtis- locals and forignrs. DG Joining th East African Community has bn a wondrful opportunity for Burundi. W hav gratly bnfitd from th xprtis and xprinc of our partnr stats. Burundi as a dstination complmnts wll th othr four EAC stakholdrs. Visitors who hav xtndd thir trips to Burundi njoyd it and so did our tourism industry. How ls can Burundi bnfit from bing a partnr stat of th EAC? DG Burundi has bn a surpris packag at th last two ditions of th Intrnational Tourism Bours (ITB) in Brlin, Grmany. What can w xpct from Burundi in trms of product dvlopmnt going forward? VN W hav bn working at dvloping a common East African tourism approach that sks to markt th ntir rgion as on dstination. This givs th visitors a bttr divrsification of things to s and do making thir visit vn mor worthwhil. VN Product dvlopmnt is a ky componnt that will hlp improv lisur and businss tourism in Burundi. W ar sking to advanc on th gains mad thus far first by ncouraging bach tourism. W ar sking nw invstors who ar willing to st up nw bachfront hotls and rsorts as wll as a safront confrnc and xhibition cntr. W ar also looking for invstors who can st up an co-frindly marina on th Lak Tanganyika and dvlop a nw watr sports cntr. W ar also looking at dvloping cruis tourism on Lak Tanganyika to facilitat connction srvics btwn Bujumbura and othr nighbouring citis that hav ports such as th Dmocratic Rpublic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia. In addition to that, w ar also looking at rstocking our national parks and rsrvs with wildlif in ordr to mak ths parks attractiv for gam safaris and cotourism vnturs. Halth tourism (Wll-bing and Spa - thraputic) is anothr componnt to b dvlopd. W hav numrous natural hot springs in Burundi that can b dvlopd into halth and wllnss spots. DG DG VN Also, th singl East African tourist visa can attract tourists who had visitd an EAC stakholdr in th past can now rvisit th rgion and com to th nwly-joind countris lik Burundi That is vry intrsting, but th East African visa has bn much-talkd about. What is your tak on this? A singl East African tourist visa is a wondrful proposition as it rducs th travl tim and xpnss for tourists. It givs tourists an opportunity to xprinc a wid divrsity in on dstination- th EAC. Burundi mbracs it wholly and hops that it ll b implmntd soon. But w sm to b talking about having a singl East African tourist visa for an trnity and not walking th talk. In your opinion, what sms to b th stumbling block? All partnr stats of th EAC hav agrd on th importanc of th singl East African tourist visa. Howvr, it is th tchnical dtails, spcially th on on rvnu sharing that sms to b th hindranc of ralizing this. But w rmain optimistic about it. DG Burundi is on of th constitunt mmbrs of th East African Community. How has this bnfitd tourism in Burundi? 14

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16 Travl Information for Burundi Travlling to forign lands can somtims b a major challng, spcially if you ar not armd with th corrct information bfor you st off on your journys. Of cours thr ar so many things that you should b concrnd about whil planning a trip, whthr that trip is a businss or lisur trip. Bautiful Burundi givs you som basic, but critical information that will no doubt as your travl to Burundi. Burundi Visa Finding accurat information on th Intrnt rgarding Burundi Visa formalitis and rats is still vry difficult th Burundi Immigration Authority dos not hav a wbsit. Th wbsit, is currntly undr construction and will b availabl soonr. Howvr, Bautiful Burundi sought th rquird information for ntry visas to Burundi. Most travlrs, oftn first tim visitors to Burundi, will b askd by most airlins and travl agncis gt an ntry visa prior to thir travl to Burundi. Howvr, th Burundi Immigration Authority which is also known as Polic d l Air t ds Frontièrs (PAFE) in Frnch will provid ntry visas to all travlrs that rquir an ntry visa into Burundi on arrival at th Bujumbura Intrnational Airport or at any official bordr post. Th procss of acquiring th ntry visa is prtty much straight forward. All th travlr nds to do is fill in th visa form and pay th rquird amount, gt an official rcipt and gt issud th ntry visa. Thr ar a numbr of diffrnt visas with diffrnt rats and validity as blow: Visa rats: Typ of Visa Rat / Cost Validity Entry / Transit Visa 40 USD 3 Days Singl Entry Tourist Visa 70 USD 1 Month Multipl Entry Tourist Visa 90 USD 1 Month Visa Rquirmnts: For furthr information kindly contact : Passport with at last a 6 months validity - Burundi Immigration Authority / Polic d l Air t ds Frontièrs 2 rcnt passport photos - Commissionr of Forignrs/ Commissair ds Etrangrs A valid Yllow Fvr Vaccination Card - Addrss : 105, Avnu ds Etats- Unis, Kigob Nord, Bujumbura Amrican Dollars to pay for th VISA - Tl: (257) , sylvrnizigama@yahoo.fr 16

17 SN Brussls Airlins 19, Avnu d Industri, Tl (+257) sals.burundi@brusslsairlins.com Halth rquirmnts Travllrs ar also rmindd to carry with thm thir Yllow Fvr inoculation crtificats. It is also advisabl to gt an anti-malaria and Hpatitis B jab bfor travlling to not only Burundi, but also in othr East African countris. Flights to Burundi Thr ar a numbr of intrnational airlin companis that offr flights into Burundi from Europ and othr parts of Africa. Knya Airways, Ethiopian Airlins and South African Airways offr flights into Bujumbura through thir rspctiv hubs in Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Johannsburg. SN Brussls offr dirct flights into Bujumbura. Othr rgional airlins such as RwandAir and Air Uganda provid flights into Bujumbura from Kigali. Air Burundi, th country s national carrir is st to tak to th skis and will offr mor dirct connctions to th rgion and byond. As Burundi is now fast dvloping into a tourist and businss dstination, thanks to th linkags it now njoys undr th East African Community, mor intrnational airlins such as Turkish Airlins, Qatar Airways and Emirats Airlins hav indicatd an intrst in opning flights to Bujumbura and will offr businss and lisur tourists mor options to fly thir favourit airlin into Bujumbura. Bujumbura Had Offic Contacts: Air Burundi 13, Avnu du Commrc, Tl (+257) / markting@flyairburundi.com South African Airways 3, Boulvard d l Uprona, Tl (+257) DorinMuyubira@flysaa.com Knya Airways Avnu Patric Lumumba, Tl (+257) burundigroup@knya-airways.com Ethiopian Airlins 9, Avnu d la Victoir, Tl (+257) glorian@thiopianairlins.com Air Uganda 5, Avnu du Commrc, Galri La Prl Tl (+257) nknzabahizi@air-uganda.com RwandAir 40, Avnu du Commrc, Tl (+257) Wbsit: Gtting around Gtting around Bujumbura and Burundi is asy. In Bujumbura, th taxis ar clarly markd. Th taxis ar not mtrd and it is always advisabl to ngotiat with th drivrs fars bfor gtting on board. Th motorcycl taxis ar chapr, but ar known to hav a bad accidnt rat and ar not allowd within th city cntr. Public buss ar th chapst mod of transport, spcially within Bujumbura and if you ar travlling to othr towns in Burundi or visiting th nighbouring countris of Rwanda, Tanzania or th Dmocratic Rpublic of th Congo. 17

18 Lac Rwihinda KIRUNDO NGOZI GITEGA Gasnyi Kobro MUYINGA Kanyaru Gatumba Monumnts Historiqus d Kiriri/Vugizo BUJUMBURA MURAMVYA KAYANZA BUBANZA KARUZI BUGARAMA CANKUZO R W A A CIBITOKE Lac Rwru Lac Cohoha Musé National d Gitéga Lac aux oisaux migraturs Parc National d Kibira Liu d rncontr Stanly t Livingston Parc National d la Ruvubu Rsrv Naturll d la Rusizi Sanctuairs ds tambours sacrés Dans ds gurrirs, Intor d Kirundo Musé vivant d Bujumbura Sit d intronisation ds Rois, Rubumba Sit d signatur du Traité d colonisation RWANDA Théir d Tza RUYIGI TANZANIA Burundi Location Map MWARO 18 Ruhwa Eaux thrmals O C R A T I Q U E D U C O N G O TIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

19 Lac Tanganyika Grott d Kayov La Sourc Méridional du Nil Eau thrmal d Munini RUMONGE DEMOCRA Chuts d Karra R E P U B L I E Q U E D E M BURURI RUTANA Fort d Bururi Lak Tanganyika Faills ds Allmands Eaux thrmals Uganda Knya Fort d Rukmong Rwanda Dans acrobatiqu, Agasimbo d Makamba Rsrv Naturll d Kigwna BURUNDI MAKAMBA Activités nautiqus sur l Lac Tanganyika Tanzania T A N Z A N IE EAST AFRICA Mugina B U R U N D I T O U R I S T M A P Ls 20 millurs attractions touristiqus Lgnd Paysags uniqus Parcs t Résrvs Naturlls Tourism culturl Monumnts Musés 19. Lac aux oisaux migraturs Provincs 1. Lac Tanganyika 7. Parc National d Kibira 9. Sit d signatur du Traité d colonisation 14. La Sourc Méridional du Nil 17. Musé National d Gitéga 20. Activités nautiqus sur l Lac Tanganyika Rout nationals 2. Chuts d Karra 8. Parc National d la Ruvubu 10. Sanctuairs ds tambours sacrés 15. Liu d rncontr Stanly t Livingston 18. Musé vivant d Bujumbura Routs provincials 3. Faills ds Allmands 11. Sit d intronisation ds Rois, Rubumba 16. Monumnts Historiqus d Kiriri/Vugizo Lacs 12. Dans ds gurrirs, Intor d Kirundo 4. Grott d Kayov 5. Théir d Tza 13. Dans acrobatiqu, Agasimbo d Makamba Arodrom 6. Eau thrmal d Munini Eaux thrmals 19

20 Th Burundi Invstmnt Promotion Agncy has cratd a on-stop-shop businss activation cntr that has bn oprational sinc March 6, 2012 aftr th consolidation of at last thr othr businss rgistration cntrs into on. Antoin KABURA Chif Excutiv Officr (CEO), Burundi Invstmnt Promotion Authority BURUNDI IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS Burundi Invstmnt Promotion Agncy (API), through th implmntation of bold conomic rforms, has shown to th world that Burundi is a privilgd dstination for invstmnts and, at th sam tim, w ar mbarking on boosting th conomy. Th 2013 World Bank Doing Businss Rport confirmd Burundi as th Africa s most improving nation in asing doing businss by ranking Burundi 5 th worldwid out of 185 conomis. This has bn facilitatd by th talntd and ddicatd API staff who hav continually providd daily support and assistanc to invstors by providing accurat information and updats on businss cration, incntivs offrd by th Invstmnt Cod, practical clus to st up a businss plan, and, of cours, availing rlvant statistical data. KCB supports fforts to grow invstmnts in Burundi 20

21 On-stop-shop businss activation cntr Th Burundi Invstmnt Promotion Agncy has cratd a onstop-shop businss activation cntr that has bn oprational sinc March 6, 2012 aftr th consolidation of at last thr othr businss rgistration cntrs into on. This has gratly rducd th tim ndd to rgistr and start a businss in Burundi from th initial lvn procdurs that would normally tak at last 32 days and cost invstors US$ 300 to undr 24 hours and pay only US$ 30. Th on-stop-shop in Burundi is govrnd by a govrnmnt dcr N 120/VP2/027 of January 31, 2013 on th cration, organization and th functioning of on-stop-shop for businss cration in Burundi. Sinc its cration, 1291 companis hav bn cratd with an avrag of 120 companis pr month. Honourabl T.A. MANIRAKIZA, Ministr of Financ and Economic Dvlopmnt Planning and API Chif Excutiv Officr, Mr. Antoin KABURA introducing th On-Stop-Shop offic to th World Bank Group & Intrnational Financ Corporation dlgation Statistics from 2012 indicat that th invstmnt climat in Burundi is rally vibrant. Th agncy rgistrd a total of 69 companis with a plannd total invstmnt of Burundi Francs (BIF) 436,579,282,083 (US$ 278,210,007 million) which includd a forign dirct invstmnt (FDI) that amountd to BIF 375,656,541,666 (US$ 239,386,126 million) and a local invstmnt of BIF 60,922,740,417 (US$ 38,820,578 million). This ld to th cration of 1,366 nw jobs in Burundi. Invstmnt cod Bsid th on-stop-shop, th Govrnmnt of Burundi (GoB) has gon furthr by nacting an invstmnt cod that is usd not only as a guid to invsting in Burundi, but also as a strong assuranc of total govrnmnt support and non-intrfrnc with businsss in Burundi. This has gratly rducd th tim ndd to rgistr and start a businss in Burundi from th initial lvn procdurs that would normally tak at last 32 days and cost invstors US$ 300 to undr 24 hours and pay only US$ 30 Undr th cod, th GoB guarants any prson or company an invstmnt climat that allows thm to invst frly anywhr in th country. Th govrnmnt also allows local and forign ownd companis to buy or rnt land anywhr in Burundi for purposs of dvloping it or stting up businsss. Undr Articl 11 of th invstmnt cod, th govrnmnt also allows forign companis to transfr capital and incoms to countris of thir choic, aftr paying taxs. Articl 13 of th invstmnt cod rfrains Th Rpublic of Burundi from any nationalization and/or xpropriation of invstmnts mad on its trritory. Othr masurs and indicators such as insolvncy and incntivs cod ar bing rviwd. 21

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23 Clbrat Burundian Cultur 23

24 ThGrand Hotlof Bujumbura Imagin Imagin a location placd on th high and saf grounds of Bujumbura, Kiriri. Imagin a hotl that mts high standards and xclusiv comfort: 24h full srvic, fin cuisin, gym and spa, a frsh brz on your privat balcony, acclimatizd and spacious rooms, furniturd in a modrn and luxurious styl, wifi and full businss srvic - all that toppd with a spctacular viw of th city and th lak Tanganyika. Imagin diffrnt, with Hotl Blair Rsidnc.

25 Burundi has bn a surpris packag at th last two ditions of th Intrnational Tourism Bors (ITB) in Brlin, Grmany. Last yar, Burundi bat strong tourism dstinations such as Knya, Tunisia and Morocco to clinch th Bst Exhibitor s Award. Talb Rifai, th Scrtary Gnral of th Unitd Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) prsntd th prstigious award to Ambassador Patricia Rwimo who was th had of th Burundi dlgation at th ITB 2012 vnt. Whil giving out th priz, Rifai mntiond that Burundi clinchd th covtd award du to a numbr of things, ky amongst thm bing th ovrall display of its products and th passion with which th Burundi dlgation prsntd. H also mntiond that th Govrnmnt of Burundi (GoB) had also shown a lot of commitmnt towards dvloping tourism in th country. BURUNDI Shins at ITB Ambassador Rwimo who hadd th Burundian dlgation and works as th Prmannt Scrtary in th Ministry of Tourism mntiond that th award prsntd Burundi a prfct opportunity to furthr consolidat th gains mad by th cntral African nation that has mrgd from th ashs of a dvastating dcad-long civil conflict. Ambassador Rwimo also mntiond that th award in a strong statmnt to Burundians and th intrnational community that its tourism industry had at last st off and that th award would gratly contribut to prsnting a positiv imag of th country and thrby attract mor tourists into th country. Th dynamism of global tourism is gradually changing with most tourists now looking for spcific xprincs. Thy ar wisr and just undrstand what thy want. Burundi capturd this dynamism prfctly by majoring in cultural tourism, which has bcom a growing tourism trnd across th world. This addd marks for Burundi to finally clinch th Bst Exhibitors Award. Th award puts Burundi on a favourabl path to advancing its tourism products to attract both businss and lisur tourists who ar looking at discovring nw placs. It also prsnts invstors with a nw invstmnt frontir within th East African rgion. This has bn vidncd ovr th last fw months with Srna Hotls and Rsorts, arguably th largst hotl group in East and Cntral Africa, giving strong indications of opning a nw city hotl in Burundi s capital city Bujumbura. Th Doubl Tr by th Hilton is yt anothr major hotl group that will b stting up shop in Bujumbura. 25

26 A NEW DAWN IN CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Safari Communications is a custom publishing company spcializing in corporat magazins, catalogus, brochurs and corporat branding. W ar activ in Knya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia and growing. publishing@safari-communications.com

27 Buoyd not only by its ntry into th East African Community, but also by a nw conomic policy, th invstmnt climat in Burundi is has in th rcnt past rcivd a boost thanks to th announcmnt of th stablishmnt of two top quality hotls in th nation s capital Bujumbura. Doubl Tr by th Hilton, Dar s salaam Doubl Tr by th Hilton, Bujumbura Th hospitality industry in Bujumbura is coming to lif aftr Hilton Hotls announcd thir acquisition of Bujumbura s Watrfront Hotl which is also popularly known as Novotl. Th hotl which will b known as Doubl Tr by th Hilton Bujumbura is a wlcom addition to th tourism industry in Burundi. Hilton plans a major rfurbishmnt of th 130 room hotl bfor it is finally opnd in Doubl Tr by th Hilton, Dar s salaam 27

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29 Y A W A HT T G I N HE nds ba v i l ll f th lnt xcl public o r a du v m n R fro hn r is hing mocratic s. t t th pcially w y a r h t v ub s aid th D d jazz cl th ays s jumbura, m w l o o of r a o f n s g u o B o r a. It i t by fa ujumbur nt in to night. ongo onal s i i C m g, o r b B m s a nd rns in a Clu t clubs in f at th a a u n h t a y y v d da Ha ow tlif p nc nigh Th nigh ild, r tim it ular an ntra ys will k of p w s o a r g p ock ay bin th sam d vry mbu ur most to p nt disc j mixt Buju ion for n t t a a a c h l d b il ks tat si wit Exp its. rpu f fun wh d, njoya hallmar Th r hir ft. y r t t lub h o s h x c n t t o t a l l f o a n m l o r n a h as atio rs o lso b ymn in som of t rvl d intrn G h can a Ths ar city on pot with t an t is r. Th. th ts local join tmosph y and t scur v mad tainmn. i r u da avo ha tr nt a ion that hr f n xcll s gym by ht fall. r n rican rg t ft o o a n t t f A h ns as a ad t nig tis soug ir East A hat l busy ich h ually a fit ht club a t ar h s t w d n g t at p s. ni ac roa v ar a i s th i r s o p h t b s t c clu d, d in zs nd vin nc vrt o organi l as wk pro th provi ng kn n h w t o c y l s s i b al s w Evr bura from ing from ighbouri o an clu kdays a d m m n n o Th a u s als j c i s r a is b h Bu w i t u l n g Cl om anza trav h plac n durin ach B with ll as fr anda, T lic of t o Th ora w ub visit. ngs and ub ra B o o t as w is of R tic Rp action. B i l Th tr plac day vn o at th c o ocra c of th g m n coun c i i ls s xcit ight rn D tch a pi n Fr n air di ou can a n o t s o a t d p a y in pack ays. Th o aturday s o to c turns ura com S Cong d r m b Satu. On dayti f Bujum ing lights astic llyball. t n o hn h a s c f w i s a o t s is And h str olours, fl th mu ach v b y t c s t st, n pla tim ith brigh And wh bura boa s. w m s r aliv on light m. Buju at fatu ti th n arty n and p c s s i t f,i li plays rs night v a di 29

30 In th hart of Africa Hotl Club du Lac Tanganyika is in a wid park that nds up on a marvllous bach on th banks of th Lak Tanganyika. It offrs to th gusts a luxurious and rlaxing accommodation in an intimat nvironmnt. This is a 4 star Hotl with 83 comfortabl rooms, including standards and suits rooms. In 2013, th hotl will launch 24 nw apartmnts and studios quippd with kitchn for xtndd stays. Th rntal cost includs hotl srvics (claning, intrnt, scurity, watr and lctricity, fr accss to hotl facilitis tc...) from only 2.200USD pr moth. 30

31 EatingOut Bujumbura is a vibrant city that coms to lif in th arly vnings. Th city is famous for its xciting and vibrant night lif. Th city has numrous rstaurants catring to a wid rang of tasts. Th city hosts a larg xpatriat community drawn from all parts of Africa and lswhr in th world, spcially Europ. Burundians ar known to b quit advnturous and thy lov thir food. Bautiful Burundi wnt to chck out som of ths rstaurants and maks its rcommndations. Tanganyika Good for a nic mal out and on of th bst rstaurants in town. It is locatd nar th port. Th rstaurant is housd in an old colonial styl building with xcllnt srvic toppd with a cool brz from th lak. Probably has th bst chocolat mouss in town but also xcllnt fish carpaccio, othr fish and mat dishs such as sangala with blu chs, grilld lamb chops. Khana Khazana This is th Bujumbura branch of th rstaurants which ar also found in Kigali and Kampala. Popl call this th bst rstaurant in town. Th rstaurant is locatd in th lafy Kiriri suburb of Bujumbura, off Avnu d Blvdr. Bautiful pavilion sating, luxuriously dcoratd. Grat Indian food with numrous vgtarian options. Can accommodat big groups. Closd on Mondays. 31

32 Blvdr Situatd up on a hill in Kiriri with a spctacular viw of th town, lak and th mountains of th Dmocratic Rpublic of th Congo. Grat plac to grab a sunst cocktail. Thr is a bar countr whr you can sip a cold br, at som potato curls and look at th bautiful viw. Srvs a wid rang of Europan cuisin, rathr xpnsiv and fancy for th pric but th viw is grat. Srvic is good hr. Prics hovr around BIF 12,000-16,000 pr main cours. Bora Bora Situatd on th lak, about 10 minuts out of town, nxt to th Hotl Club du Lac Tanganyika. Fabulous atmosphr. Evryon ordrs thir pizzas, bcaus thy ar grat and whatvr you can t finish, you can bring hom with you. Pizzas run from BIF 9,000-11,000. Thy also hav salads and fish. Good plac for drinks on th wknd, whil lounging nxt to th pool. Thr is also fr wirlss intrnt. Chz Andr On Ru Rwagasor, on th right as you go up th hill. Bautiful rstaurant. Grk-thmd, usually mpty, but is known for amazing food. Prics ar around BIF 12,000-18,000, and thy hav various kinds of fish, stak, and pasta. EatingOut 32

33 Botanika A family-run boutiqu hotl/rstaurant with wirlss connction so you can do -mails whil ating or having a drink in th trrac or gardn. Thir salads ar grat as is th fish stamd with vgtabls, hamburgrs and othr trats availabl. Food is srvd rlativly quickly and is always good sinc th quality of th food is always constant, thr ar no nasty surpriss! Aroma Nic coffshop in town, vry tranquil, with wirlss intrnt and placs whr you can plug in. Thy srv ral Burundian coff (and fancy coff drinks), not Nscaf, and offr som food itms as wll. Thy also hav fruit smoothis and ic cram. Vry swt, attntiv staff. Ubuntu EatingOut On th lak with nic gardn and plasant atmosphr. Somtims, you can s hippopotamuss whil you at. Thy hav good pizzas som say th bst in town--and standard mat, fish and vgtabl dishs. Pizzas ar half pric on Tusday and Thursday nights. 33

34 Hotl Club du Lac Tanganyika is in a wid park that nds up on a marvllous bach on th banks of th Lak Tanganyika, offrs gust a luxurious and rlaxing accommodation in an intimat nvironmnt, only 5 km from th city cntr and th airport. Notd as th most bautiful rsort of Lak Tanganyika shors, it is a 4 star hotl, that offrs a wid varitis of good quality srvics Hotl accomodations & srvics Confrnc rooms: Th hotl offrs th opportunity to organiz intrnational congrsss. Confrnc rooms ar fully quippd with a systm sound systm, LCD projctor and translation quipmnt for a capacity ranging from 20 to 200 popl. Th Tnso Structurr a covrd outdoor spac can accommodat up to 500 popl. In addition, th hotl organizs diffrnt typs of vnts (wdding, dinnr, cocktail,...) in opn spacs or on th bach for a numbr of up to 1000 prsons. Bars: In a rlaxd atmosphr, th hotl has svral bars whr you can discuss calmly? Do you lik Italian win, Frnch win or Chil? Mt at th Grillad Rstaurant, At Pizza t caffé for Fruits juic, or sit quitly in loung bar for a plasant vning listning music. Rlaxation cntr: Two swimming pools includs a sparat pool for childrn and an olympic larg siz swimming pool, sauna, a fully quippd Fitnss room, a tnnis court, Bach vollyball fild, a playground for childrn and opn accss to a clan bach. 34

35 Hotl shuttl: Always listning to its customrs, th hotl has a rang of facilitis and srvics to mak fl at as its clints. Th hotl provids fr shuttl for th airport (arrivals and dparturs) and a rgular shuttl of th hotl-downtown and vic vrsa at diffrnt tims of th day. For thos in nd to rach offics in town bfor 8:00 o clock, a spcial shuttl to town can b bookd at th rcption to lav th hotl by 7:30 o clock. Dpartur from th Hotl Dpartur from Town Saf plac for work... WIFI Intrnt connction is providd in all th ara of th hotl. In addition, th hotl has gnrator with automatic start and a stabilizr connctd to all currnt sourcs to rgulat th high lctrical voltag. Furthrmor, th hotl has a wid watr tank in cas of failur, and to stay connctd to th rst of th world, a satllit T.V with English, Frnch and Italian channl Musical ntrtainmnt: Evry Friday night, a dancing with Liv-Music is opn ntrtaind by NATASHA and th CLUB BAND from 20:00 O clock. Throughout th wk, soft music will accompany your dinnr in th huts by th bach on vry Wdnsday and Saturday nights from 20:00. For a happy nd of th wk, NATASHA and th Club Band giv a liv concrt vry Sunday from 16 to 20:00 in th «Tnso» by th bach WELCOME 6h45 8h00 9h00 10h00 11h45 14h00 15h00 17h00 18h30 20h15 7h10 8h30 9h30 10h30 12h15 14h30 15h30 17h30 19h00 20h45 Nw intrsting offrs for your Stay... For thos who com to stay in Burundi for a priod of on month or mor or who rgularly rturn to Burundi, a uniqu opportunity will b offrd to you! In march 2013, th hotl will launch 24 nw apartmnts and studios quippd with kitchn for xtndd stays. Th rntal cost includs hotl srvics (claning, intrnt, travl, scurity, watr and lctricity, fr accss to hotl facilitis tc...) from only 2.200USD pr moth Chaussé d Uvira info@hotlclubdulac.com Bujumbura BP 6573 (BU) Contact us phon / fax

36 THE ALBERTINE RIFT Africa s most biodivrsity rich rgion Th Albrtin Rift is on of th world s, and Africa s, most important cological zons. Masuring mor than 1,200 km long Rift Vally in cntral Africa, th Albrtin Rift is flankd by highlands on ithr sids that also includ som of th highst paks on th continnt. Th cological zon also compriss a sris of notabl laks that includ th Laks Albrt and Edward in Uganda, Lak Kivu shard btwn Rwanda and th Dmocratic Rpublic of Congo and Lak Tanganyika that is shard btwn Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and th Dmocratic Rpublic of Congo. Ecology Th Albrtin Rift is arguably Africa s most spcis rich and ndmic-rich rgions. That notwithstanding, th corgion is also on of its most poorly documntd co-rgions in Africa. Whil th biodivrsity of th Albrtin Rift is still poorly known, its importanc as an cological zon in Africa cannot b undrstimatd as th co-rgion is inhabitd by a high fraction of th spcis found on th African continnt and a larg numbr of thratnd and ndmic animal and plant spcis that can only b found within th corgion. Dominatd by th Albrtin Rift montan forsts, th rgion has an incrdibly high biodivrsity, with many notabl spcis found nowhr ls on arth, such th critically ndangrd mountain gorillas. Th Albrtin Rift plays host to mor than 400 spcis of mammals that rprsnt narly 40 pr cnt of all mammals found on th African continnt. Du to its uniqu cology that includ highlands, lowlands, woodd rainforsts and plataus, th Albrtin Rift offrs on of th richst bird rgions on th plant. It has mor than 1,000 bird spcis that account for mor than half th bird population on th African continnt. 36

37 Fast Facts Gography: Th Albrtin Rift is part of th Grat Rift Vally systm that strtchs from th Jordanian Vally in th Middl East and across th Rd sa running southwards into Eastrn Africa down to Mozambiqu in southrn Africa. Th rift was cratd aftr th cracking of th tctonic plat that th African continnt sits on millions of yars ago. In quatorial Africa, th Rift Vally systm is branchd into two rift systms that includ th astrn branch which is oftn rfrrd to as th Grat Rift Vally or Eastrn Rift Vally and th wstrn branch which is mor commonly known as th Albrtin Rift or th Wstrn Rift Vally. Th Albrtin Rift is arguably Africa s most spcis and ndmic-rich rgions. Location: Th Albrtin Rift runs northsouth from Uganda and arcs wstwards, crating a natural bordr with th Dmocratic Rpublic of Congo and Rwanda and furthr south into Burundi and Tanzania. Mountains: Th rift vally is flankd by (from north to south): th Blu Mountains, Ruwnzori Mountains (oftn calld th Mountains of th Moon ), Virunga Vocanos (also calld th Mufumbiro Vocanos), Mitumba Mountains, Mahal Mountains, and Marungu Mountains. Trrain: Th highst point in th mountains flanking th rift vally is Marghrita Pak on Mount Stanly (5,110 mtrs) in th Ruwnzori Mountains which sit on th bordr btwn Uganda and th Dmocratic Rpublic of th Congo north of Lak Edward. 37

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39 A Hippo at Rusizi National Park 39

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41 Prchd on th hill of Kiriri ovrlooking th Burundian capital and th Lak Tanganyika, Hotl Blair Rsidnc is a brand nw hotl with unrivalld facilitis and srvics as wll as high lvls of comfort and luxury. In Bujumbura? Nd a dcnt accommodation? Nd th pac and quitnss in a homly and frindly atmosphr? THEN LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE HOTEL BELAIR RESIDENCE, OPENED SINCE DECEMBER Quit atmosphr And bcaus of th location in th quit, up markt rsidntial nighbourhood of Kiriri in Bujumbura, you ar guarantd of utmost tranquility during your stay. Whthr you want to hold a businss mting within th prmiss or want to hav a lisurly chat with frinds and family, th Grand Hotl of Bujumbura, is your answr. Blair trasurs your comfort and thrfor has spacious, comfortabl rooms that provid you with a homly xprinc. It has 30 tastfully furnishd rooms that ar dsignd to mt th nds of thir divrgnt clintl. Ths includ 14 standard rooms, 15 suits and a luxurious prsidntial suit all quippd with thir own privat balcony. Hotl Blair Rsidnc invits you to xprinc th Sky Bar, a stylish and xclusiv rooftop bar that offrs spctacular viws on th whol capital Bujumbura and th bautiful Lak Tanganyika surroundd by th mountains of th Congo. Com wind down th day ovr a cocktail and catch th magnificnt African sunst ovr th blu watrs of th Lak Tanganyika in th background. Th loung bar is th prfct spot to mt nw popl or catch up with old acquaintancs whil th pool bar offrs you a lisurly and rlaxd spot cool down and prhaps tak a dip into th pool. Wllnss Spa Ar you looking for rlaxation for body and mind? Blair Spa is giving you th answr and invits you to rlax, rcovr or just njoy. Hotl Blair Rsidnc offrs a swimming pool, sauna tratmnts, luxury massag srvics and a fitnss cntr. All facilitis ar quippd with modrn and high quality matrial; profssional trainrs ar always availabl to offr assistanc. And sinc th hotl is mor clint orintd, thy pull all th stops to mak sur that your stay at Blair Rsidnc is as mmorabl and as comfortabl as it can vr b. Thir wll-traind, multinational and multilingual staffs ar on hand to offr thir gusts all th assistanc thy nd during thir stay. Hotl Blair Rsidnc offrs a 24hs full srvic starting from fr airport pick up, going ovr concirg and room srvics, nding up with businss or tourism srvics to offr you th whol spctrum of Grand Hotl srvics. 41

42 NATIONAL TOURISM OFFICE OF BURUNDI BEAUTIFUL BURUNDI WITH UN-MATCHED NATURAL BEAUTY

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44 Th Kibira National Park is th flagship national park in Burundi. Situatd in th north-wstrn part of th country, Kibira National Park is also on of th biggst national park in Burundi. It straddls four provincs and masur mor than 400km 2. Th park is crstd on th mountains of th Congo-Nil divid and xtnds northwards from th provincial town of Muramvya to th Burundi-Rwanda boundary whr it joins with th Nyungw Forst to form on of th largst protctd forsts within th Albrtin Rift. Kibira National park, lik th adjoining Nyungw National Park in Rwanda, boasts a rich divrsity of flora and fauna. About a quartr of th forst covr within th park is primarily montan rainforst. Chimpanz tracking Th park, just lik Nyungw National Park, is a primat trritory. It includs a larg population of chimpanzs as wll as th black and whit colobus monkys. Chimpanz tracking is on of th most xciting tourist activitis to participat in for natur lovrs. Howvr, on should xpct to walk long distancs through th forst as chimpanz tracking is not as straight forward as gorilla tracking sinc th chimps ar known to b fast movrs unlik th gorillas which primarily stick to on spot for an xtndd priod of tim. Birdlif within th park is at its bst. Mor than 250 bird spcis hav bn rcordd within th park which includ th magnificnt Grat Blu Turaco. Th Gry Parrot (Psittacus rithacus) can also b found within th park. Ornithologists rgard it as on of th most intllignt birds in th world. Th park is managd by th Institut National pour l Environnmnt t la Consrvation d la Natur (INECN) on bhalf of th Govrnmnt of Burundi (GoB). KIBIRA whr chimps roam fr 44

45 Facts about chimpanzs Chimps ar th closst animals to humans in trms of gn composition. Humans shar btwn 95 and 98 pr cnt of thir DNA with chimpanzs Chimps can catch a numbr of human disass Chimpanzs ar found in about 21 African countris. Th gratst populations ar found within th rain forsts of cntral Africa A fully grown chimp is up to svn tims strongr than a fully grown man Chimpanzs liv in communitis of up to 150 mmbrs. Thy, lik humans, also form liflong family bonds, spcially btwn a mothr and child Chimpanzs communicat in many ways, most notably through sounds and calls. Thy also communicat with ach othr through touch, facial xprssions and body languag Chimps liv about yars Chimps hav a crtain lvl of intllignc as thy, lik humans, us tools. Thy will, for xampl us a rock to crack a nut, a twig to chas away flis or us a stick to dig mounds of trmits and ants. Chimps us mor tools for mor purposs than any othr living cratur or animal xcpt human bings Chimpanzs can b taught human sign languags Chimpanzs communicat in diffrnt ways, most notably through sounds and calls. Thy also communicat with ach othr through touch, facial xprssions, patting on th back, kissing, mbracing, holding hands and body languag Each night, chimpanzs mak nsts to slp in and thy nvr slp in th sam nst twic Whn sick or injurd, chimps ar known to us mdicinal plants to trat thmslvs Chimpanzs ar an ndangrd spcis. Thir numbrs hav droppd from an stimatd 2 million in th 20 th cntury to fwr than 300,000 individuals today with only six African countris hosting halthy wild populations of th chimps. 45

46 Discovr Burundi, th Hiddn Scrt of Africa In th vry hart of Africa lis Burundi, a country of grn hills and whit sandy bachs, with frindly, wlcoming popl and a warm climat. Th country is an vr changing tablau of diffrnt landscaps, culturs, sounds and colours and offrs th visitor a truly unforgttabl xprinc. Th hospitality and frindlinss of th Burundian popl is unparallld and th country has plnty to offr th tourist. Its cultural hritag is distinctiv and boasts not only a divrsity of traditional dancs and music but also th world famous Drummrs of Gitga. Th country has long bn known for its handicrafts which includ painting, baskt waving and wood carving, making it difficult for tourists to choos which souvnirs to buy! Tourists can spnd th day xploring th city s musum, monumnts and craft cntr, thn sampl th xciting nightlif, with liv ntrtainmnt in clubs and laksid bars, and rstaurants offring a walth of Intrnational cuisin.

47 Guidd Tours Our standard tour of Burundi will nchant you as you unvil all th hiddn scrts of Burundi. This 10 days tour is idal whn combind with any if not all of our cross boardr tours. Kaz Tour (1 Day) Burundi bing a rlativly small country allows you to njoy svral attractions in a day as it possibl to lav th city arly in th morning and b back bfor dark Ibuka Tour 2 Days This is a rlaxing 1 night away tour idal for a short gt away if you visiting Burundi for businss or simply transiting through th country Akaranga Tour 4 Days This tour is mainly focusd on our cultural and historical hritag combind with our uniqu watrfalls and hot springs Iwacu Tour 6 Days This tour combins th Akaranga Tour with a choic of your favorit watr and xtrm sports Akza Tour 10 Days Discovr all th main tourist attractions of Burundi Muragaruka Tour 12 Days This is our 1st Cross Boardr Combo Tour which includs th Iwacu Tourcombind with ithr th Jan Goodall chimpanzs in Gom National Park in Tanzania or mountain gorillas in Volcanos national Park in Rwanda Akabirya Tour 14 Days This is our 2nd Cross Boardr Combo Tour which includs th Iwacu Tour combind with both th Jan Goodall chimpanzs in Gom National Park in Tanzania and th mountain gorillas in Volcanos national Park in Rwanda Contact us P.O. BOX 2745, BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI Cll: info@visit-burundi.com TripAdvisor : Akza Discovry Tours Facbook: Akza Discovry Tours Skyp: Akzadiscovrytours

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49 Th Livingston-Stanly Monumnt at Mugr in Burundi. Whr Dr. David Livingston and Hnry Morton Stanly visitd and spnt two nights btwn Novmbr 25 th and 27 th

50 National Musum of Burundi History lovrs will find th national musum in Gitga a worthwhil plac to visit. Th National Musum is locatd in th cntral city of Gitga and was built in Th musum houss a collction of cultural artfacts from th ancint tims of th Burundian monarch. Thr is also a collction of othr historical artfacts collctd by arly sttlrs and archologists. Also on display is a collction of a sris of historical imags that tll th story of Burundi. Th picturs includ thos of th Burundian king, th qun and princ. Th story of ancint Burundi is told in th display of old cultural artfacts such as mn and womn s accssoris, jwls and baskts from th local popl. Visitors to th musum ar also rmindd of th much clbratd royal warriors whos spars and shilds ar displayd. Old guns from th colonial ra can b found in th musum as som old currncy coins that wr usd for trad of goods and srvics at th onst of th colonial ra in Burundi. King s Mansion Burundi was ruld by a king for mor than four cnturis, wll bfor th arrival of th Grman and Blgian colonialists. Kings in th traditional Burundian socity wr a rvrd lot. Thy wr wll rspctd by thir subjcts and ruld Burundi during som of its bst tims. Muramvya is on of th locations whr visitors can rliv th goldn yars of th Burundian kingdom. During th ra of th Burundi kingdom, Muramvya rmaind th political nrv cntr of th kingdoms. Hr, visitors can gt to visit th royal mansion, also known as ikirimba, a spacious palac that also includd th royal courts whr thr wr mansions for th royal prics and officials srving in th king s court. Othr aras clos to Muramvya also had royal rsidncis. Ths includd Buky and Kiganda whr th king would lad his subjcts to th annual planting sason. Th Mbuy royal zon is also an intrsting plac to visit. Th ara is sandwichd btwn th Mount Kiziba, Itka Hill and Buyaga Hill. This is whr som of th most famous Burundi kings cam from. Thy includd King Ntar Rugamba, King Mwzi Gisabo and King Mutaga Mbikij. 50

51 Lak Tanganyika Th opn watrs of th Lak Tanganyika rmain on of Burundi s much prizd natural assts. Th lak not only nourishs th population with a halthy supply of protin-rich fish, but is also a major trad corridor for Burundi with nighbouring nations of Tanzania and th Dmocratic Rpublic of Congo. Burundi has a major port on th southrn dg of its capital Bujumbura whr larg cargo vssls dock and load and offload xports and imports. Th long watrfront adds to Burundi s natural assts. Many hotls hav bn stablishd along th bachs. Th public bach is a bhiv of activity, spcially ovr th wknds. Currntly Burundi is dvloping a tourism mastr plan that will bring in forign invstors to st up a world-class marina, a bach rsort and a confrncing cntr ovrlooking th opn watrs of th Lak Tanganyika. Thr ar also plans of dvloping an in-land luxury cruis that will srv Burundi and its nighbouring countris, mainly Tanzania, th Dmocratic Rpublic of Congo and Zambia. A thriving watr sports industry is also st to tak off from th lak. Scuba diving and snorkling is currntly offrd by som tour oprators and hotls. It is also possibl to go jt skiing whil sport fishing is also on th ris. Th Lak Tanganyika is on of th grat laks of th Rift Vally. Sprad ovr a surfac ara of mor than 32,900 squar kilomtrs, th Lak Tanganyika is th scond largst and scond dpst frshwatr lak in th world aftr Russia s Lak Baikal. Th lak sits in a scnic ara sandwichd by high mountain rangs on both sids. City Musum Th City Musum in Bujumbura, also known as Musé Vivant in Frnch was st up in It rmains on of th major attractions for tourists arriving in Bujumbura. Th musum has a mixtur of Burundian lif as displayd in various cultural, natural and artistic hritags of th country. It also includs both natural and man-mad attractions. Th royal palac rmains on of th star attractions at th musum. Visitors can walk around th ntir royal grounds as wll as ntr th royal palac that is actually a big hut with a thick grass-thatchd roof. Its aquarium is on of its attractions. Hr, visitors gt to s som rar fish spcis from th narby Lak Tanganyika. Th musum s star attractions rmain th big animals. Th lazy crocodils in th grounds will jump to lif whn visitors throw in a rabbit aftr paying a small f. Visitors can also gt to s a cagd lopard and som local chimpanzs. 51