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Music at the Source in Gishora
A hill village about 7km from Gitega, Burundi's central capital, and home to the country's most sacred drum sanctuary. Gishora keeps two ceremonial royal drums, Ruciteme and Murimirwa, and is the setting where the Burundian drummers perform the ritual dance of the royal drum that UNESCO added to its heritage lists in 2014.
Why here
The drummers of Burundi are one of Africa's great living performances, and Gishora is where you see them at the source. On a hill outside Gitega, the royal drum sanctuary keeps two sacred drums, Ruciteme and Murimirwa, and it is here that troupes perform the Abatimbo, the ritual of the royal drum that UNESCO inscribed on its intangible-heritage list in 2014. A dozen or more men carry heavy wooden drums on their heads in procession, set them in a circle around a lead drum, then play, dance and leap, rotating in and out so the beat never breaks, dressed in red, white and green. The sound is huge and the athleticism is startling. Historically the drums were sounded for the king and tied to fertility and power rather than entertainment, and at Gishora the performance still carries that weight. You arrange a visit through a local operator, who sets up the troupe and guides the short trip out from Gitega.
Best months
Gishora can be visited year-round, and Burundi's cooler dry season from about June to September makes the drive from Gitega or Bujumbura easiest. Performances are arranged on request rather than to a fixed schedule, so book through an operator or the site a day or more ahead, and a fee supports the drummers. The site is on a hill with a short walk. Wear comfortable shoes, bring cash in local francs, and expect that photography and filming of the performance are generally allowed.
Getting there & around
Travel advisory · Reconsider Travel
US State Dept Level 3 Reconsider Travel for Burundi over political violence, crime and health risks, with higher Level 4 Do Not Travel zones elsewhere in the country, notably Kibira National Park and the Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces (as of 2026-07). Gishora and Gitega sit in the central highlands under the general Level 3 line, not in the Level 4 pockets. Arrange the visit and transport through a local operator. Gishora is about 7km from Gitega and roughly two hours by road from Bujumbura on the lake. Carry Burundian francs in cash as card acceptance is minimal, agree the performance fee in advance, and travel in daylight.
Skill levels: beginner
Schools & guides (1)
Burundi Safari and Tours
OutfitterBurundi Safari and Tours is a locally owned operator based in Bujumbura that uses only registered Burundian guides. Its day trips run from Bujumbura and Gitega out to the Gishora royal drum sanctuary to watch the Abatimbo drummers, and it also covers Rusizi National Park, the Karera waterfalls, Kibira National Park and Lake Tanganyika. It offers private vehicles with a guide for the drum-sanctuary and cultural circuits.