Source Du Nil & Muhweza Hot Spring

The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa

I continue to explore the small roads and towns of Burundi, eventually finding my way to the town of Rutovu. I find a big hotel right in the center of town that was either built or at one point owned by the former president of Burundi. Clearly it was extremely fancy in it’s day, though now it’s a bit run down.

Locals in Burundi LOVE checking out the Jeep

In the morning I’m moving early and easily locate the “Source Du Nil” – Burundi’s claim to the Source of the Nile. Here a pyramid marks the special location a top a mountain. From this mountain all water flowing from one side will eventually reach the Congo River, while on the other it all eventually flows into the Nile and all the way to Egypt. Nearby after paying a small fee to a guide I am allowed to walk down to where crisp and clear spring water flows from the side of the mountain – officially the Nile River.

The Pyramid marking the source – rainfall on one side goes to the Congo, the other to the Nile

The actual Source of the Nile in Burundi!

After scouring the internet I’m on the hunt for a nearby natural Hot Spring, and I’m not disappointed when I find Muhweza spring in a small valley on the side of a small creek. The area is extremely beautiful, with green grass and beautiful trees. There is a separate soaking tub for men and women, both built from natural rocks in the area.

Impressively, there is absolutely no trash, glass, plastic or otherwise in the entire area. The crystal clear water is the perfect temperature for soaking, and I stay for many hours. The water does not have any sulfur smell, and I keep pinching myself at the discovery.

The soaking pool at Muhweza Hot Spring

The setting of Muhweza Hot Spring

Without a doubt, this is the best natural hot spring I have found in Africa, and it rivals many wilderness springs I have hiked to in Canada and the USA.

Burundi continues to impress!

-Dan