Ruvubu National Park

Northeastern Burundi, Burundi

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Ruvubu National Park, also known as Parc National de la Ruvubu, is Burundi’s largest national park, covering about 508 square kilometers in the northeastern part of the country, along the Ruvubu River where it borders Tanzania to the south. The park was established in 1980 and lies in the provinces of Karuzi, Muyinga, Gankuzo, and Ruyigi, about 216 kilometers northeast of the capital Bujumbura. It preserves the last remaining natural grasslands and floodplain ecosystem of northeastern Burundi, with the Ruvubu River running through the middle, creating papyrus swamps, wetlands, and grassy valleys that support a wide range of wildlife. The park is home to hippos, Nile crocodiles, Cape buffalo, waterbuck, several duiker species, and five primate species such as olive baboons, vervet and blue monkeys, red colobus, and the Senegal bushbaby, while over 200 bird species have been recorded. Human settlements have been removed from inside the park to reduce pressure on wildlife, and visitors typically explore via guided game drives, walking safaris, and birdwatching or boat‑based outings along the river, with the dry season from June to August often considered the best time to visit.