Backpacking in Burundi: Livingstone - Stanley Monument near Bujumbura
Posted: August 17 2023 | Tagged: Burundi
I visit the Livingstone Stanley Monument 13 km south of Bujumbura, which commemorates the first meeting of the two explorers where upon meeting the only other mzungu in Africa at that time, Henry Morton Stanley greets Dr David Livingstone with those famous words, Dr Livingstone I presume!
But of course that did not happen here in Burundi. The story is as fake as the 1969 moon landing.
According to the personal journal of David Livingstone, the two explorers met for the first time in Ujiji, near Kigoma, across the border in Tanzania, a few weeks previously on November 10 as is seen on the sign
And they travelled to Burundi and were received by the village chief in Mugere on November 25.
The rock, inscribed with the date, 25-XI-1871 was placed here by Belgium colonisers in 1956. It signifies their coming to Burundi but it's not where the Dr Livingstone I presume, took place!
And they travelled to Burundi and were received by the village chief in Mugere on November 25.
The rock, inscribed with the date, 25-XI-1871 was placed here by Belgium colonisers in 1956. It signifies their coming to Burundi but it's not where the Dr Livingstone I presume, took place!
Nomadic Backpacker I Presume:
How to get to the Livingstone Stanley Monument
This Is Africa. So of course it was a bit of a mission. Even for such a short distance.
There are 2 points worth noting in Burundi.
1. Not everyone will have heard of where you want to go to.
2. Buses don't have any route displayed on the windshield. How the locals know which bus to take will forever be one of lifes great mysteries.
So how did I get there?
I was based at the Camel Africa Hotel.
The easiest option would have been to jump in a cab but I hate taxi drivers with a passion. I will avoid them like the plague. To take a taxi, I gotta be really desperate (shared taxis are not the same thing).
I used my initiative, my experience from having been doing this shit for 30 years. Remember, I am one of the few travel bloggers who were on the road in the days before smart phone technology and seeing as 80% of information regarding travelling in Africa is not online, for me it's no biggie.
I walked out of town on the road heading south towards Mugere, the small hamlet where the monument is.
I flagged down the 1st bus. It sailed on passed. And so did the 2nd. Sometimes they stop anywhere and sometimes they stop only at designated points which have no sign indicating that it is indeed a bus stop.
I saw some locals. They flagged down a bus. It stopped. They got in.
I headed to the same non descriptive parking bay as they had been waiting at and flagged down the first minivan I saw.
"Stop you mother fucker". And it did.
I knew I had to make some distance south. But getting the drivers mate to understand that though I didn't know exactly what I was doing, it was of no concern. If the bus stopped or turned off, I'd hop out and look for a bus going a bit further.
Luckily though, I am saved by a local who knew where I was going, and after a while we jumped out and we rode a tuk-tuk.
He got a free ride and I got to the Livingstone Stanley Monument a little quicker.
You just gotta have confidence in yourself!
There are 2 points worth noting in Burundi.
1. Not everyone will have heard of where you want to go to.
2. Buses don't have any route displayed on the windshield. How the locals know which bus to take will forever be one of lifes great mysteries.
So how did I get there?
I was based at the Camel Africa Hotel.
The easiest option would have been to jump in a cab but I hate taxi drivers with a passion. I will avoid them like the plague. To take a taxi, I gotta be really desperate (shared taxis are not the same thing).
I used my initiative, my experience from having been doing this shit for 30 years. Remember, I am one of the few travel bloggers who were on the road in the days before smart phone technology and seeing as 80% of information regarding travelling in Africa is not online, for me it's no biggie.
I walked out of town on the road heading south towards Mugere, the small hamlet where the monument is.
I flagged down the 1st bus. It sailed on passed. And so did the 2nd. Sometimes they stop anywhere and sometimes they stop only at designated points which have no sign indicating that it is indeed a bus stop.
I saw some locals. They flagged down a bus. It stopped. They got in.
I headed to the same non descriptive parking bay as they had been waiting at and flagged down the first minivan I saw.
"Stop you mother fucker". And it did.
I knew I had to make some distance south. But getting the drivers mate to understand that though I didn't know exactly what I was doing, it was of no concern. If the bus stopped or turned off, I'd hop out and look for a bus going a bit further.
Luckily though, I am saved by a local who knew where I was going, and after a while we jumped out and we rode a tuk-tuk.
He got a free ride and I got to the Livingstone Stanley Monument a little quicker.
You just gotta have confidence in yourself!
Arrival at the Livingstone Stanley Monument. You need to pay 10,000 (2.50 USD) :
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