The Port of Bujumbura is the only significant commercial port on Lake Tanganyika's western shore and an important transit hub for landlocked Burundi and its neighbours. Cargo boats and the occasional passenger ferry operate routes south to Kigoma in Tanzania and Kalemie in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The port area is atmospheric, with fishing boats drawn up on the beach alongside larger vessels.
Watching the lake traffic from the port area in the evening, when the light on the water turns golden and the mountains of Congo glow across the lake, is one of the simple pleasures of Bujumbura. Passenger boats to Tanzania depart irregularly — check schedules at the port office.