Sub Saharan Africa

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• Burundi reported its first case of AH1N1 ‘swine flu’ virus on 6 November. Check the Swine Flu for further information.
  
  

• Our travel advice for Burundi varies according to the region. There are no warnings against visiting the capital Bujumbura. We advise against all travel to Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza, Citiboke and Ruyigi Provinces as well as the border areas with the Democratic Republic of Congo. For the remaining Provinces we advise against all but essential travel.  The security situation across  Burundi has stabilised and the last remaining rebel group was officially disarmed on 21 April 2009. The threat of ambush by bandits remains high.  We advise against all travel  between 1700 and 0900 partly due to the security situation and partly due to the condition of the roads.
  
  

• If travelling in rural areas for essential reasons we advise that you contact the UN office in Burundi and make contact with your destination ahead of time to check on the situation. See the local travel section of this advice for more details.
  
  

• There is no British Embassy in Burundi, but there is a Liaison Office in Bujumbura, which can provide you with advice.  Burundi is covered from the British Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda.  See the General (British Representation) section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Burundi in 2008 were for lost and stolen passports.
  
  
• The threat from terrorism is low. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• If you decide to travel we recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and  Travel Insurance  for more details.