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Gitega Tourist Places to Visit in Gitega, Burundi, Central Africa, Africa

Gitega Tourist Places to Visit in Gitega, Burundi, Central Africa, Africa

Gitega is the 2^nd largest city of the African nation Burundi, situated around 100 km east of the country’s capital and largest city, Gitega. It is the administrative centre of Gitega Province, housing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gitega and the Burundi National Museum. Gitega also houses a royal court and many karyenda royal drum sanctuaries.

Lying at an elevation of 1,500 meters above sea level, Gitega is geographically positioned between 3°26′ S latitude and 29°54′ E longitude. The province of Gitega spans over an area of 1,979 square kilometers, comprising 11 communes including Gitega. Gitega experiences a moderate climate with average annual precipitation of 720 millimeters. The highest average annual temperature measures 18 °C while the lowest is 12 °C.

How to reach Gitega?

Gitega hosts an airport but flights are not regular. So it would be better if one reach Bujumbura Airport first and then take taxi or minibus from there to Gitega. Bujumbura Airport is situated around 110 km west of Gitega and recives flights from Entebbe, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Brussels, Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Johannesburg.

To move within the city, taxis are accessible in Gitega in addition of availing minibuses.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Gitega:

Gitega is culturally a rich city having history of becoming the capital of the Kingdom of Burundi. There is a Gitega Art School of ceramics, paintings and sculptures in Gitega where visitors can purchase local art and craft works at reasonable prices but don’t expect of accepting credit cards.

Gitega houses many restaurants of which the most are traditional options.

What to do in Gitega?

Hiking
Visiting museum and church
Traditional shopping

What to see in Gitega?

Burundi National Museum:

Established in 1955, the Burundi National Museum is one of the cultural centres, tourist attractions as well as landmarks of Gitega. It is concentrated on showcasing the history, culture and environmental features of the country with well preserved objects like musical instruments, baskets, drums and ancient Burundian dresses. There is also a library.

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gitega:

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gitega or Cathedral of Christ the King is the prime religious site in Gitega. It is situated few hundred meters away from the city centre, visited by devotees and tourists year round.

Gitega Airport:

Situated around 1,750 meters above sea level at 03°26′ S 029°55′ E, the Gitega Airport is a modern airport but currently it recives no airport, although it is allowed for tourists to visit.

The Royal Palace of Gitega:

The Royal Palace of Gitega is situated on the top of the hill, around 45 miles away from the heart of the Gitega city. It is situated within the military camp, housing a traditional museum displaying the local culture.

Drum Sanctuary in Gitega:

The Drum Sanctuary is located near the royal palace, home to ancient drums and tools used to make drums and also one can also enjoy distinct dance and music performances of the locals using traditional drums.

List of other places of interest in Gitega include:

The Chutes de la Kalera
Gitega Art School of ceramics
Musee Vivant
Kibira National Park
Livingstone–Stanley Monument
Lake Tanganyika
Saga Plage
Rusizi National Park
Mount Heha
Ruvubu National Park
Karera Beach
Burundi Geological Museum
Burundi Museum of Life

Ideal time to visit Gitega:

Gitega can be visited throughout the year, although it can be experienced best between May and September.

Where to stay in Gitega?

There are hotels less in number in Gitega, so it is suggested for visitors to refer hotels of nearby Bujumbura for accommodation purpose. Between these two cities, buses are regular and also one can hire car for comfort travel. The prominent hotels in Gitega and Bujumbura are as follows:

Tropitel Gitega Hotel
Helena Hotel
Hotel Dolce Vita Resort
Hotel Residence Ubuntu
King’s Conference Centre
Hotel La Palmeraie
Jardin Tropical Studios Apartment
Roca Golf Hotel
Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
Le Clos des Limbas
Nonara Beach Resort
Water Front Hotel
City Hill Hotel
Royal Palace Hotel
Yombe Palace Hotel

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Bujumbura, Burundi, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Bujumbura, Burundi, Africa

Bujumbura is the capital and largest city of Burundi, located on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in the western part of the nation. It is the economy centre of the country having a port where the country’s most exportation takes place, mainly coffee, cotton and tin ore. Bujumbura experiences a tropical savanna climate with the wet season from October to April and the dry season from May to September. Bujumbura covers an area of 86.52 sq. km and its geographical coordinates are 3°23′ S 29°22′ E.

History of Bujumbura:

Originated as a small village, Bujumbura began to develop becoming a military post in German East Africa in the year1889. Bujumbura became the capital of Ruanda-Urundi, a part of the Belgian League of Nations, after the Germany’s defeat in World War I. Formerly called Usumbura, Bujumbura got its present name at the time of the Burundi’s independence from Belgium in 1962.

Getting Bujumbura:

Bujumbura hosts the major airport of the country, Bujumbura International Airport, is situated 8 km northwest of the city centre. The airport operates flights from Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Brussels, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Entebbe and Kigali.

For airport travel, minibuses and taxis are the options of which the latter is comfort and convenient.

The above options are also commonly used to get around city for which taxis cost between 2000-3000 Burundian francs.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Bujumbura:

Bujumbura is home to the University of Burundi and also houses the two private universities like Hope Africa University and Université du Lac Tanganyika.

Central Market of Bujumbura is a place where one can pick locally made clothes, craft items, jewelry and footwear. The city also houses many supermarkets of which the most famous one is Dimitri.

Here are some tourist favor restaurants in Bujumbura:

Restaurant Tanganyika
Dolce Vita Hotel Restaurant
Bora Bora beach club
Le Jardin Gourmand

Things to do in Bujumbura:

Beach exploration
Swimming at swimming pool
Day tours

Tourist Attractions in Bujumbura:

Rusizi National Park:

Located 15 kilometers away from the city of Bujumbura, the Rusizi National Park is known for rare animal species like hippopotamuses, sitatungas and Gustave, the largest Nile crocodile on the earth. A guided tour costs around 3,000 BIF to explore park. Early morning is the best time to visit.

Karera Beach:

The Karera Beach on Lake Tanganyika on Uvira Roadway is a beautiful beach famous among both locals and visitors. There is a resort, named Karera Beach Resort, close to the beach.

Parc des Reptiles:

The Parc des Reptiles or Reptile Park is a wildlife area, situated in the vicinity of Musee Vivant. It is a place where visitors can spot many interesting reptile species including alligators and snakes as well.

Geological Museum of Burundi:

The Geological Museum of Burundi is one of the best places to visit in Burundi. This science museum describes the complete and interesting features of the geography of Burundi which covers the country’s eye-catching landscapes, lake and flora species.

Saga Plage:

Situated around 30 minutes walk from the city centre, Saga Plage is a scenic beach area featured with entertainment complex, hotels, cafes and restaurants. It is on Lake Tanganyika.

List of other places of interest in Bujumbura includes:

Ciné Caméo
Université de Burundi
Entente Sportive
Hotel Club Lac du Tanganyika
Livingstone-Stanley Monument
Musee Vivant
Burundi Museum of Life

Best time to visit Bujumbura:

Throughout the year is best, especially from May to September and December to January are the ideal time to visit Bujumbura in Burundi.

Accommodation options in Bujumbura:

Being the capital and having many natural and manmade tourist attractions, Bujumbura houses around 50 standard accommodation centres to serve visitors coming to the city year round. List of some reputed hotels in Bujumbura include:

Hotel La Palmeraie
King’s Conference Centre
Le Clos des Limbas
Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
Nonara Beach Resort
Hotel Residence Ubuntu
Nonara Beach Resort
Royal Palace Hotel
Cercle Nautique
Water Front Hotel
Hotel Belair Residence
Hotel Le Chandelier
Hotel Restaurant VAYA Appartements
Yombe Palace Hotel
Hotel Dolce Vita Resort

Burundi Tourist Places to Visit in Burundi, South Africa, Africa

Burundi Tourist Places to Visit in Burundi, South Africa, Africa

Burundi is a Southeastern African country situated in the African Great Lakes region between 3.5000° S latitude and 30.0000° E longitude. Bujumbura is the capital and largest city of Burundi, located in the western part of the country. Burundi shares its borders with Democratic Republic of the Congo towards the west, Tanzania towards the east and south and Rwanda towards the north.

The tourism of Burundi is concentrated on its natural spots like lakes, beaches and rich landscapes. The Government of Burundi adopted the Presidential republic system. The five major cities of Burundi are listed below:

Bujumbura
Bururi
Cibitoke
Gitega
Muyinga

History of Burundi:

The communities of Twa, Hutu and Tutsi are the indigenous people of Burundi who have been settled for around five hundred years. Before becoming a part of the German East Africa at the end of the 19^th century, Burundi had seen over 200 year rule of the Kingdom of Burundi beginning from 1680. Following the defeat of Germany in World War I, Burundi came under the control of Belgium as a part of Ruanda-Urundi and finally the independence of Burundi was proclaimed from Belgium on 1 July 1962.

How to reach Burundi?

The Bujumbura International Airport in the capital city, Bujumbura, is the prime airport of Burundi. It handles flights from Entebbe, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Brussels, Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Johannesburg. Air Burundi is the national airline of Burundi.

There is no train service in Burundi but buses serve all the major cities of the country including Bujumbura.

Buses and vans are commonly used for local travel in the cities of Burundi.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Burundi:

Burundi is a country with diverse category people, dominated by Hutu covering around 85% of the country’s population, followed by Tutsi and Twa. Kirundi is the official and commonly communicated language in Burundi and French is used as the second official language.

Burundian franc is the currency used in Burundi. Traditional crafts of wood and cotton are famous among visitors which can be purchased at an outdoor market near Musee Vivant in Bujumbura.

Beef brochette or kebab is the national dish of Burundi. Rice and beans items are also available in Burundi, prepared by South Asian community people in the country.

Places to see in Burundi:

Lake Tanganyika:

The Lake Tanganyika is one of the most important tourist attractions of Burundi, shared between four countries, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is considered as the 2^nd largest as well as the 2^nd deepest freshwater lake in the world. Boating and fishing are the popular activities among visitors here.

Burundi National Museum:

The Burundi National Museum is situated in the city of Gitega, around 100 km away from the capital, Bujumbura. The museum describes the complete history, culture and tradition beginning from the Kingdom of Burundi to modern days.

Livingstone–Stanley Monument:

A rock monument, the Livingstone–Stanley Monument is located in Mugere, around 12 km away from Bujumbura. It is noted as a site where the two famous personalities Dr David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley met together on 25–27 November 1871.

Kibira National Park:

Occupying around 400 km², the Kibira National Park is the situated in the northwestern part of Burundi extending to the southwestern part of Rwanda where it is called the Nyungwe Forest National Park. It is well known for the typical bird population including Great Blue Turaco, Mountain Buzzard and White-spotted Flufftail.

Musee Vivant:

The Musee Vivant is a natural history museum and also houses a small zoo with crocodiles, birds, chimpanzees and many other native lives. Entrance fee is 2,000 BFU and guide is provided. It is located in Bujumbura in Burundi.

List of other places of interest in Burundi include:

Saga Plage
Karera Beach
Rusizi National Park
Mount Heha
Chutes de la Kagera
Burundi Museum of Life
Ruvubu National Park
Burundi Geological Museum

Best time to visit Burundi:

The best and most popular time to visit Burundi is during the months between May and October while the weather remains pleasant and supportive for outdoor activities.

Accommodation options in Burundi:

Burundi houses around 70 plus modernized accommodation centres including resorts, hotels, service apartments, holiday rentals, BB and inns of which the most are located in the capital city, Bujumbura. Below is the list of the top end hotels in Bujumbura in Burundi:

Hotel Dolce Vita Resort
Hotel Botanika
King’s Conference Centre
Hotel La Palmeraie
Jardin Tropical Studios Apartment
Roca Golf Hotel
Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika
Le Clos des Limbas
Nonara Beach Resort
Royal Palace Hotel
Hotel Residence Ubuntu
Cercle Nautique
Yombe Palace Hotel
Water Front Hotel
City Hill Hotel

Places to Visit in Parakou, Benin, North Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Parakou, Benin, North Africa, Africa

Parakou is a city in the eastern portion of Benin, situated around 420 kilometers north of the country’s commercial capital, Cotonou. Parakou is the administrative center of the Borgou Department, covering an area of 441 square kilometers. Parakou is one of the modern cities of Benin with all facilities as well as entertainment centers, including the nightclub, The Bataclan Nightclub and also featured in museums, libraries, cafes, restaurants and internet cafes.

Parakou is home to the recognized football clubs, Dynamo Unacob FC de Parakou and Buffles du Borgou FC. Parakou has an industrial based economy, mainly cotton and textile industries and trade activities and tourism are also the parts of the city’s economy. Parakou coordinates with 9°21′ N latitude and 2°37′ E longitude and sprawls over an area of 441 square kilometers.

How to reach Parakou?

Parakou hosts a domestic airport with scheduled flights from Cotonou, served by COTAIR. Other than airway, Parakou can also be reached easily from Cotonou by both roadway and railway.

Voyageur SARL is a private train operator offering Train d’Ebene services between from Cotonou to Parakou and can get by prior request only.

To move within the city of Parakou, visitors can use minibuses or comfortable taxis or rental vehicles like a car or bike.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Parakou:

Muslim citizens cover half of the population of Parakou, followed by Roman Catholics population.

Grand Marché Azeke and Marché Kobo Kobo are the two important and famous traditional markets of Parakou.

Some nice food corners in Parakou include:

La Face Douane
Le Bataclan
KMM Club

Things to do in Parakou:

Visiting nightclubs
Walking
Shopping

Tourist places in Parakou:

The Grand Marché Azeke:

The Grand Marché Ezekiel is an international market in the Parakou home to vendors between 500 and 1000. The market is specialized selling traditional potteries like bowls and cheese and bowls are the colorful genuine cotton clothes.

Central Parakou:

The Central Parakou is packed with all the important administrative offices of the commune as well as banks, Parakou library, the Ministry of Culture, Art and Tourism, especially tall pink column, a symbolic structure on which emblazoned the city’s name.

Zoo in Hotel les Routiers:

Other than grand hospitality services, the Hotel les Routiers is known for its zoo with many typical animal and bird species like turtles, warthogs and alligators. Visitors can also purchase wooden masks, jewelry and many other different designer products at the gift shop in the hotel.

Musée en Plein Air de Parakou:

Situated around 1.5 kilometers away from the heart of the city of Parakou, the Musée en Plein Air de Parakou features 5 circular complexes associated to the traditional housing of the natives. Entrance fee is CFA franc 1500.

The Bataclan Nightclub:

A favorite youth site in the city, the Bataclan Nightclub is the focal point of the nightlife of Parakou which gets full crowd during weekends by nearby city youths along with local youths. It is situated in the vicinity of Hotel Princess in the city.

List of the other attractive places in Parakou include:

Parakou Mosque
Cathédrale Saints Pierre et Paul
Municipal stadium of Parakou
Pendjari National Park
Djougou Stadium
Cotonou Cathedral
Alexandre Sènou Adandé Ethnographic Museum
Royal Palaces in Porto-Novo
Musée en Plein Air de Parakou
Cotonou Central Mosque
W National Park
Ancient Pont Bridge
Basilique de l’Immaculée Conception

Ideal time to visit Parakou:

The best time to visit Parakou is during the months between November and February.

Where to stay in Parakou?

Parakou is a modernize city holding different kinds of accommodation, including hotels, motels and vacation rentals of which the most can be booked through package tours. A list of the famous hotels in Parakou and Cotonou (around 420 km) includes: