Burundi is a small, hilly and landlocked country in Africa's Great Lakes region, bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bujumbura, the largest city and home to the only international airport, lies on the north-eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, while Gitega, in the centre, has been the political capital since 2019. Beyond them lie tea-covered hills and the monument marking the southernmost source of the Nile. Few tourists visit, and most travellers come for work. Burundi is outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, so a European SIM card pays its operator's roaming rates there.
Key facts for Burundi
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: varies by plan
- Emergency numbers: 112 for police, ambulance and fire; Red Cross 109
- Embassies: in Bujumbura
Border areas to avoid
Armed groups are active along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and fighting on the Congolese side can spill over. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the communes of Mugina, Cibitoke, Bukinyayana, Bubanza and Mpanda, to the RN5 road north of the airport towards Cibitoke, to the area west of the Rusizi river, including Rusizi National Park, and to the RN6 and RN10 roads running west from Kayanza through Kibira National Park. The US advises against going to the former central market on Chaussée Prince Louis Rwagasore in Bujumbura, and in 2024 a grenade attack hit the bus station next to it. The land border with Rwanda has been closed since January 2024, so if flights were interrupted, the realistic way out by land would be the border with Tanzania.
Visa and health papers
You need a visa. Before travelling, fill in the online airport entry visa application, which produces a validation certificate; with it, the visa is issued when you land. Your passport needs 6 months of validity and a blank page, and a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required.
Bujumbura after dark
Crime is high: muggings at gun or knifepoint, bag snatching, burglary and armed carjackings all happen, and grenade attacks have hit crowded places. Do not walk or take public transport after dark, even in the city centre, change or withdraw money only in daylight, and stay in hotels with good security. Avoid all large gatherings. The police control access to the city at night, and roadblocks, not always official, are common across the country, so carry copies of your passport and visa and be ready to show the originals.
Roads, fuel and the lake
Severe fuel shortages mean you cannot count on filling up, and queues at the pumps are long. Paved roads are few, landslides often block routes in the rainy season, from October to May, and accidents are frequent, so avoid driving outside Bujumbura after dark. If you are involved in an accident, call the Red Cross on 109 and the police on 112, since emergency response is slow. Do not swim in Lake Tanganyika, because of wildlife and waterborne disease.
Health, laws and money
Outside Bujumbura, medical care is inadequate, and evacuation to Kenya or Rwanda may be necessary, so insurance with evacuation cover is essential. Malaria, dengue, Zika, yellow fever and mpox are present, cholera continues to circulate, and an Ebola outbreak declared in the DR Congo in May 2026 means stricter health screening at the region's borders. Same-sex sexual acts are illegal and punishable by prison, and drug offences carry long sentences.
Burundi runs on cash. Bring US dollars printed after 2006 and in perfect condition, since older or torn notes are refused; euros and British pounds can usually be exchanged. The official exchange rate can differ widely from the unofficial one. Outside Bujumbura, cards are rarely accepted and cash machines are scarce, although tourist hotels often take mobile money.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM set up before you fly connects on arrival at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport. Telcomia's plans in Burundi run on 3G networks. An Africa plan also covers Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, useful if you are travelling around the region. Leave your home SIM in the phone for bank verification texts, with data roaming off.
Local SIM cards: Lumitel and Econet Leo sell prepaid SIMs, and you need your passport to register.
Consular protection: who to call in Burundi
- Call 112 for the police, an ambulance or the fire service, and 109 for the Red Cross, which acts as first responder after road accidents.
- Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the US have embassies in Bujumbura, and the UK has an embassy office there. Find your own country's mission, with address and phone, in the Telcomia app.
- EU citizens from a country with no embassy in Burundi can ask the embassy of another EU country present, such as Belgium or France, which must help them as it helps its own citizens (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- Kirundi, French and English are official languages, and Kirundi is the one almost everyone speaks; the Telcomia app has emergency phrases in French.
Questions travellers ask about Burundi
Is Burundi covered by EU roaming?
No. Burundi is outside Roam Like at Home, so your operator charges its own roaming rates.
Do I need a visa?
Yes. Complete the online application before you fly and collect the visa on arrival with your validation certificate.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Burundi?
It depends on the plan, on 3G networks.
Can I travel overland to Rwanda?
No. The land border with Rwanda is closed, but you can still fly between Bujumbura and Kigali.
The short version
Apply for the visa online and pack the yellow fever certificate, install the eSIM at home, keep away from the Congolese border areas, stay off the streets and roads after dark, bring clean post-2006 dollars, and save 112 and 109.
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