There are two national parks and a handful of nature reserves that are worth visiting, though they offer only the most basic services.
Ruvubu National Park encompasses the Ruvubu River east of Gitega. A rustic lodge and camping facilities are available. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential for visiting the area.
Kibira National Park includes the mountain range northeast of Bujumbura and has a number of marked trails and campsites in the Teza and Rwegura regions. Ten species of monkeys and chimpanzees inhabit this mountainous tropical rain forest, as do a very rich assortment of forest birds. The Ruzizi Nature Reserve, an area just west of Bujumbura along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a good spot for viewing hippos, crocodiles and birds.
Kigwena Nature Reserve is also worth a visit if you are in the Rumonge area. Lodging is available in or near Rumonge. Lac aux Oiseaux (The Lake of Birds), in far-northern Burundi, is famous for its variety of aquatic birds, which are attracted by three lakes in the area—Cohoa, Riveru and Rwihinda. Most visitors stay in the village of Kirundo, near Lake Rwihinda.
