Rules for overlanding in Burundi
Updated October 2026
🌐 Italiano · Français · Español
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 29 December 2025.
Which driving licence do I need in Burundi?
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
Finding fuel remains persistently difficult.
Is it safe to drive at night in Burundi?
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.
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.
Vehicle, drones and permits
What insurance do I need to drive in Burundi?
The official COMESA Digital Yellow Card site describes the Yellow Card as a regional third-party insurance system and lists Burundi among the countries where the COMESA Yellow Card is recognized. (COMESA Digital Yellow Card — The Regional Third Party Insurance System)
Can I bring a satellite phone or Starlink to Burundi?
Burundi's telecommunications regulator (ARCT), in a public notice dated 24 December 2024, states that officially recognised Starlink kits will be imported directly from the United States and only to order, and that imports of kits from other countries are considered illegal without the appropriate authorisations. It also states that all Starlink kit users must register their terminals through ARCT's online platform and that unregistered terminals will be subject to usage restrictions. (ARCT Burundi — Communiqué au public relatif à la fourniture du service Internet par satellite Starlink au Burundi (24/12/2024))
Going with your own vehicle?
5 local guides on GuideMeet work in Burundi: they know the roads, the permits and the areas to avoid. You contact them directly, free and with no commission.
Musa Magumba
Kampala, Uganda
Johnson Muhindo
Kasese, Uganda
Car Hire Africa - Drive Your Own Safari
Kampala, Uganda
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. Where a guide's profile shows “Licence verified”, we found that licence in the official public register; otherwise GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
The points in "Vehicle, drones and permits" come from official sources of the country itself, cited next to each one.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 29 December 2025. Last checked by GuideMeet on 7 October 2026.