Crossing Borders – Rwanda to Uganda

There are two border crossings between Rwanda and Uganda, but i opt for the secondary crossing between Cyanika and Kisoro.

Minibuses depart when full from Ruhengeri’s town centre and take some 45 minutes to Cyanika. The fare is RFr500.

Money changers are available on the Rwandan side, but i get better rates on the Ugandan side.

The Ugandan visa costs US$50 but they will not take Rwandan Francs/ Unfortunately for me, there is no longer a 50% discount for students.

It’s 12kms from the border to the small town of Kisoro and i see no evidence of a minibus transfer as referred to in Lonely Planet. Taxi drivers and moto-taxis (motorbikes) offer their services, and as per usual i hold my usual anti-auction. The taxi-drivers start at USh10,000 down to USh7,000 and the moto-taxis drop their price down from USh10,000 to USh5,000. Motor-taxi it is!

There is nothing to keep me in Kisoro, but there are only two buses between Kisoro and Kabale. The afternoon bus doesn’t leave till 6pm so i opt for a shared taxi. It’s a bit of a crush in the back with four adults and a baby in the small saloon. Nonetheless, the ride is beautiful, with verdant terraces as far as the eye can see over the rolling hills and the Virunga volcanoes. The road also climbs over the Kanaba Pass at about 2,300 metres offering gorgeous views over Lake Bunyonyi. Much of the road has now been paved, and a journey i expected would take more than three hours is completed in one hour forty five minutes. The cost is USh12,000 – i am told the bus is about USh10,000 – Ush12,000.

If Tripfinder is correct, Uganda marks my entry into my 60th country.