Backpacking in Burundi: How to get from Rutana to Makamba
Posted: August 21 2023 | Tagged: Burundi
Having successfully backpacked the Southernmost Source of the Nile, the journey continues. From Rutana to Makamba.
Getting around in Burundi is fairly easy.
After 24 hours in Rutana, where I finally managed to get to the Southernmost Source of the Nile, I was ready to continue my journey to Makamba, a very short hop, just 52km.
My room at the Arkador Lodge in Rutana:
After 24 hours in Rutana, where I finally managed to get to the Southernmost Source of the Nile, I was ready to continue my journey to Makamba, a very short hop, just 52km.
My room at the Arkador Lodge in Rutana:
My own bathroom with plumbed in shower, sink, toilet but water is brought in a bucket. I was talking to the guy where I got my breakfast about this. I mentioned my room in Guinea, West Africa where I had a toilet, shower, bath tub and a bidet but 2 buckets of dirty water.
Even in Bujumbura, there are many areas without running water. He was laughing, "You pay 80 USD for a room and water is brought in a bucket".
We discuss the lack of a mains water supply.
"There exists. We have the lake. We have water pumping stations, to clean the water, to get it to every house in Burundi. I don't know what happened to my country".
I am not against bucket showers. It was the norm in Indonesia and India for me but there the water was endless. Here you get 1 bucket.
Even in Bujumbura, there are many areas without running water. He was laughing, "You pay 80 USD for a room and water is brought in a bucket".
We discuss the lack of a mains water supply.
"There exists. We have the lake. We have water pumping stations, to clean the water, to get it to every house in Burundi. I don't know what happened to my country".
I am not against bucket showers. It was the norm in Indonesia and India for me but there the water was endless. Here you get 1 bucket.
After getting a breakfast of coffee, bread and a tomato onion omelette at the same place as the day before, I made my way down to the main road.
Am helped by a nice guy who showed me the Buragane bus agency office where I buy a ticket 8,000BFr for Makamba, which will be coming from Bujumbura.
The office is sandwiched between the Kings Sport Bet and The Pharmacie La Gloire:
Am helped by a nice guy who showed me the Buragane bus agency office where I buy a ticket 8,000BFr for Makamba, which will be coming from Bujumbura.
The office is sandwiched between the Kings Sport Bet and The Pharmacie La Gloire:
The minibus turns up. Check out the guy in the MG TECHNOGYM cycling top:
But am ushered onto a 14-seater minivan instead. At least I'm upfront:
But am ushered onto a 14-seater minivan instead. At least I'm upfront:
The road is bad. Lots of potholes. The 52km takes an age:
The arrival point in Makamba after 3 hours is the small taxi stand in town:
Shared Taxi stand Makamba. You can thank me later for the Google Maps additions!
Shared Taxi stand Makamba. You can thank me later for the Google Maps additions!
Many of the hotels promised on Google Maps for Makamba are fake. They simply do not exist. I have left comments on Google Maps to help y'all.
I take a motorbike taxi to the Nonara Park Hotel, 2.5km back down the road.
I take a motorbike taxi to the Nonara Park Hotel, 2.5km back down the road.
|
|
|
|
The best option in Makamba is the Nonara Park Hotel. Rooms start from 30,000BFr (7.50 USD), with 24 hr water, great Wi-Fi, (depending on the power supply) and an on site restaurant, where a flask of coffee costs about 60 cents US, 500ml beers for less than a dollar. Great food at low prices.
Room B10 at the Nonara Park Hotel (they have rooms from 30000 to 80000 BFr))
After 3 days with only a bucket of water a day, I finish my laundry (They have massive water tanks and a small pump. They keep them topped up).
|
|
|
|
