In Burundi, a country located just south of the equator, the climate is mild or warm, and varies according to altitude, while there is little seasonal variation in temperature. Much of the country is occupied by a plateau, at an altitude of around 1,500/1,800 metres (5,000/6,000 feet), but in the west there is also a lower region, around 800 metres (2,600 feet), as well as a mountainous belt.
From June to August, the austral winter, dominated by cool breezes from the south-east, is a dry season, in which there is little rain and the sun often shines. From mid-August, the temperature begins to rise, and in September and October the highest values of the year are recorded; at the same time, however, the rains begin, which occur in the form of downpour or thunderstorm, and gradually lower the temperature, which returns to the values of the rest of the year, around 22/25 °C (72/77 °F) during the day on the plateau, and around 27/28 °C (81/82 °F) in the western lowlands.
If we exclude the three dry months, moderate rains fall in the rest of the year. The rains tend to increase with altitude, ranging typically from 1,200/1,400 millimetres (47/55 inches) per year in the plateau, while they drop below 1,000 mm (40 in) in the western area, which is the warmest and least rainy of the country. In this area we find Lake Tanganyika, whose banks are located at 770 metres (2,500 feet) above sea level. The lake moderates the climate especially at night, keeping the temperature somewhat higher, and causing a bit of sultriness, but it also brings beneficial breezes during the day.
The capital Bujumbura is located along the shores of the lake. Here it's hot throughout the year, but without excesses, given that the maximum temperature is around 29 °C (84 °F) all year round, except from mid-August to October, when it reaches 30/31 °C (86/88 °F). Here are the average temperatures.
Average temperatures - Bujumbura

Bujumbura	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bujumbura	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	19	19	19	20	19	18	17	17	19	19	19	19
Max (°C)	29	30	29	29	30	30	29	30	31	30	29	29
Min (°F)	66	66	66	68	66	64	63	63	66	66	66	66
Max (°F)	84	86	84	84	86	86	84	86	88	86	84	84

In Bujumbura, 835 mm (33 in) of rain per year fall, with a peak in April and May, when the rainfall amount reaches or exceeds 90 mm (3.5 in) per month, and a minimum from June to August, when the rains are rare and sporadic. Here is the average precipitation.
Average precipitation - Bujumbura

Bujumbura	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Bujumbura	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	90	110	120	125	55	11	7	10	30	60	100	115	835
Prec.(in)	3.5	4.3	4.7	4.9	2.2	0.4	0.3	0.4	1.2	2.4	3.9	4.5	32.9
Days	11	12	13	10	6	1	1	1	4	6	13	12	90

In the west, the altitude falls below a thousand metres (3,300 feet) also along the border with Congo, where the Rusizi River flows, and where it can be very hot between September and March, with peaks around 35 °C (95 °F).
In the western part, but to the east of the Rusizi River, there is also a mountainous area, where the altitude exceeds 2,000 metres (6,500 feet). The northern part is occupied by the Kibira National Park, while more to the south we find Mount Heha, which is the highest peak of the country with its 2,684 metres (8,806 feet).
Here are the average temperatures of Rwegura, located at 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) above sea level.
Average temperatures - Rwegura

Rwegura	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rwegura	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Min (°C)	12	12	12	12	11	11	11	11	12	12	12	12
Max (°C)	21	21	20	20	19	20	20	21	21	21	20	21
Min (°F)	54	54	54	54	52	52	52	52	54	54	54	54
Max (°F)	70	70	68	68	66	68	68	70	70	70	68	70

In this mountainous area, rainfall exceeds 1,600 mm (63 in) per year, and is abundant from October to April, although there is a certain decrease in January and February. Here is the rainfall in Rwegura.
Average precipitation - Rwegura

Rwegura	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Rwegura	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Y
Prec. (mm)	155	150	205	240	100	25	5	35	25	260	195	235	1635
Prec.(in)	6.1	5.9	8.1	9.4	3.9	1	0.2	1.4	1	10.2	7.7	9.3	64.4
Days	20	18	22	24	17	4	2	4	13	20	23	22	189

The sunshine amount in Burundi is good in the dry season, especially in June and July, while it becomes just acceptable from November to April. A bit of cloudiness can occur in all seasons, especially at higher altitudes. Here are the sunshine hours in Bujumbura.
Sunshine - Bujumbura

Bujumbura	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Bujumbura	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Sun (hours)	5	6	6	6	7	8	9	8	7	6	5	5

The best time to visit Burundi runs from June to August, being clearly the driest and sunniest. Anyway, in this season it can sometimes be cool or even cold at night, with temperatures around 12 °C (54 °F) in Bujumbura, and even below on the plateau.


In winter (June to August): in Bujumbura, Lake Tanganyika and the lowlands of the west: light clothes, a sweatshirt and a light jacket, a light scarf for the breeze. In the plateau and in the mountains, spring/autumn clothes, light for the day, sweater and warm jacket for the evening, sun hat, hiking shoes.

In the rest of the year: in Bujumbura, Lake Tanganyika and the lowlands of the west, light clothing, a light sweatshirt for the evening, light raincoat or umbrella. In the plateau and in the mountains, spring/autumn clothes, being ready to remove the outer layer during the day, jacket, raincoat for the evening; sun hat, hiking shoes.