Rules for overlanding in Burundi
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 29 December 2025.
Which licence you need
- All vehicles — A visitor needs an International Driving Permit to drive in Burundi. Check what applies to the licence you hold.
An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.
At the wheel
- Fuel shortages — Fuel is seriously hard to find and queues at the pumps are long. Treat every fill-up as an opportunity you may not get again soon.
- Night driving — Particular caution is called for everywhere in the country, and the source singles out movement at night as the riskiest.
- Kavumira crossing closed — The Kavumira border crossing between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains closed for security reasons.
What catches travellers out
- Visa before departure — The entry visa is compulsory and has to be applied and paid for online before you travel, through the Burundian migration portal. There is no equivalent on arrival.
- Photography — Do not photograph barracks, private homes or public offices, and ask permission before photographing anything else.
- Drugs — Penalties for drug use and dealing are described as very severe.
- Same-sex relationships — Same-sex relations are a criminal offence under the country's penal code.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 29 December 2025. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Burundi before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 29 December 2025. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.