110 rooms by the shores of Lake Tanganyika, in the heart of Africa!

Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika *****, with 110 rooms and several spacious apartments, is the largest hotel establishment in Burundi. The hotel offers a relaxing accommodation by the shores of Lake Tanganyika, in a natural green location, less than 5 km from the airport and the city center.

The hotel has several rooms for meetings and conferences as well as spaces equipped for receptions, cocktail parties and larger events, with all the necessary technological equipment.

The restaurants offer a tasty cuisine with a special Italian touch. The musical entertainment, cultural events, the tennis court, the swimming pools, the sauna, the fitness room and the beach are good reasons to spend a pleasant day beside Lake Tanganyika.

Introduction

Burundi, is a land locked East African country with a large shoreline on Lake Tanganyika. It is located in the Great Lakes Region and bordered to the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the north by Rwanda and to the east and south by Tanzania. The borders of Burundi total 974 km, 233km shared with the DRC, 290 Rwanda and 451 Tanzania. The country covers an area of 27,834 km. Burundi has a population of 11.9 million people (2019). Burundi gained its independence in 1962.
The new capital of Burundi is Gitega, located in the central part of the country while Bujumbura is the largest city located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The main languages spoke are French and Kirundi which is spoken by over nine million people in Burundi and adjacent parts of Tanzania and Congo-Kinshasa. More than 80% percent of the population are Christians.

Commerce and Industry

Burundi has a developing manufacturing sector that includes assembly of imported components, public works construction, food processing and light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes and soap. Agriculture accounts for over 40% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. Burundi’s primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. Other natural resources in Burundi include uranium, nickel, cobalt, copper and platinum.

Culture, social customs and the arts

Burundi has a rich cultural heritage, most notably folk songs and dances, was intended to extol the virtues of kingship, Burundians have enjoyed a tradition of expression in the visual arts. Decorated papyrus panels, which feature geometric patterns and often depict themes from Burundian legend, are prized by collectors of ethnic arts, as are Burundian-made swords and drums. Ceramic manufacture, introduced by Italian missionaries in the 1960s, has also been an important form of artistic expression, and Burundian potters have added indigenous elements to this imported medium. Other arts and crafts include basketry and beadwork. The dye usually used to colour Burundian handicrafts is derived from natural plant extracts.

Relief and drainage

Burundi’s topography includes the eastern flank of the Western Rift Valley. A chain of mountains and high plateaus formed from ancient Precambrian rock rises to 9,055 feet (2,760 metres) at Mount Heha, the country’s highest point. In the northwest the narrow Imbo valley extends southward from Rwanda to Lake Tanganyika and includes the Rusizi River, which separates Burundi from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Farther south and west, along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, the land rises steeply to form part of the Congo-Nile divide, which reaches elevations of 8,500 feet (2,600 metres). East of the divide, plateaus slope gently to elevations of 5,000–6,000 feet (1,500–1,800 metres) to the southeast; the Ruvyironza River flows northeast, cutting through the plateaus. A few valleys and shallow lakes occupy the northern frontier near Rwanda.

Climate

Elevation is a major factor in Burundi’s climate, greatly moderating its tropical character. The country’s generally high elevation produces relatively cool temperatures, which average only about 70 °F (21 °C) throughout the year in the central plateau area and usually drop to below 60 °F (15 °C) at night. At lower elevations the annual average is only slightly higher—for example, at Bujumbura in the Imbo valley. Annual precipitation, which averages 60 to 70 inches (1,500 to 1,800 mm) in the highest-lying areas, is only about 40 inches (1,000 mm) on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. There is a short dry season from May to August.

Administration

Burundi is divided into 18 provinces and 117 communes; the Provincial administration is structured upon these boundaries. In 2000, the province encompassing Bujumbura was separated into two provinces, Bujumbura Rural and Bujumbura Mairie. The newest province, Rumonge, was created on 26 March 2015 from portions of Bujumbura Rural and Bururi.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing

Approximately half of Burundi’s land area is considered cultivable, and about one-third is suitable for pasture. Staple food crops include beans, maize, cassava, and sorghum. Arabica coffee traditionally has been a major commodity for Burundi. Tea and sugar are also major export crops. Large areas of cotton are cultivated. Lake Tanganyika and the smaller lakes and rivers of the interior are rich sources of tilapia and other fish.