Climate - Burundi

The climate in detail

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• The lowlands - Bujumbura
• Plateau - Gitega
• High altitude - Rwegura
• When to go
• What to pack

The lowlands

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In the western area, we find Lake Tanganyika, whose banks are located at 770 meters (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.
In the west, the altitude goes below a thousand meters (3,300 feet) also along the border with Congo, where the Rusizi River flows, and where it can sometimes be very hot between September and March, with peaks around 35 °C (95 °F).

Bujumbura

The largest city and former capital, Bujumbura, is located along the shores of the lake. Here, it's hot throughout the year, but without excesses, in fact, 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.

In Bujumbura, 835 mm (33 in) of rain fall per year, with a peak in April and May, when rainfall 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.

The amount of sunshine 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.

Plateau

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Apart from Bujumbura, most of Burundi's cities are located on the plateau, and therefore have a cooler climate.

Gitega

Gitega, the capital and second largest city of Burundi, is located in the center of the country, at an altitude of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft). Here are the average temperatures.

In Gitega the rains are a little more abundant than in Bujumbura, according to the rule that the rains increase with increasing altitude.

High altitude

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In western Burundi, east of the Rusizi River and Lake Tanganyka, there is also a mountainous area, where the altitude exceeds 2,000 meters (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 meters (8,806 feet).

Rwegura

Here are the average temperatures of Rwegura, located at 2,300 meters (7,500 ft) above sea level.

In this mountainous area, rainfall reaches 1,700 mm (68 in) per year, and it's abundant from October to April, although there is a certain decrease in January and February. Here is the rainfall in Rwegura.

When to go

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The best time to visit Burundi runs from June to August, since it is clearly the driest and sunniest time of the year. 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.

What to pack

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

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

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