Daily travel budget for Burundi

My trip to Burundi was more of a luxury experience, so my budget was well over $100 a day. I stayed at places like the Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika for around $150 a night and used private cars for all my transport, which can cost $50-$100 per day. Meals at tourist-oriented restaurants with a view were easily 35,000-50,000 BIF. While this style of travel is expensive, it allows for a much more comfortable and efficient way to explore the country and its beautiful landscapes.

Don't go to Burundi thinking you can get by on a shoestring budget, but it's not crazy expensive either. I'd budget around $75 a day. A decent room will set you back about 60,000 BIF, and you’ll want to eat at places that are hygienic, which often means paying a little more, maybe 25,000 BIF for a meal with a drink. Getting around the cities is best with a motorbike taxi (known as pélé-pélé), which are cheap, around 1,000 BIF for a short ride. Intercity travel by bus is your most affordable option.

I’d recommend a budget of about $60 to $80 a day for a comfortable trip in Burundi. hotel in Bujumbura can be a bit more, but outside the city, you can find clean, simple hotels for around 45,000 BIF. A nice meal at a mid-range restaurant costs about 20,000 BIF. Tipping is common, so factor in a little extra for guides and drivers-maybe 5,000-10,000 BIF per day. Activities like visiting the Gishora Drum Sanctuary have a modest entrance fee of 25,000 BIF, which won't break the bank.

Traveling in Burundi is a real adventure and it's surprisingly affordable if you stick to local options. For a true budget backpacker, you can get by on $30-$50 per day, especially outside the capital of Bujumbura. I found basic guesthouses for around 30,000 BIF per night with shared bathrooms. For food, local restaurants serve up hearty meals of beans, rice, and meat for as little as 5,000 BIF. Public minibuses are incredibly cheap, with a long-distance trip costing maybe 8,000 BIF, so transportation won't be a big expense.