Border Crossing: How to Get From Kampala, Uganda to Kigali, Rwanda via Gatuna
Posted: August 10 2023 | Tagged: Uganda, Rwanda, Border Crossings
From Kampala, Uganda to Kigali, Rwanda via the Katuna/Gatuna border crossing with the Jaguar Bus Company
Normally I would have taken local buses to the border, crossed on foot then taken another bus.
That's my usual modus operandi.
They are more fun in a sadistic kind of way and cheaper too. Not to mention a quicker border-crossing experience. It takes forever for them to process a bus full of people all arriving together. When I travel alone, I am (usually) done and dusted in minutes.
So why this sudden change?
Truth be told, I am tired. The days, months, and years are finally taking their toll. I have been a die-hard backpacker for almost 31 years.
I was also pushed for time.
I had allotted myself 10 weeks to get from Nairobi to Windhoek before catching a flight back to Nairobi for an onward flight to London.
I had already 'adjusted' my plan after I realised that 10 weeks was pushing it.
I have just booked a ticket from Lusaka, Zambia (instead of Windhoek, Namibia) to Nairobi and must be content at seeing Botswana and Namibia in and around the Caprivi Strip. Windhoek would have to wait.
And so, to save myself 4 or 5 days, and lots of uncomfortable kilometres, I opted for an overnight bus with the Jaguar Bus Company, said to be the best of the long-distance buses in Uganda.
In hindsight, it was also a good move as on the roads nearer to the border, there was little traffic/alternative transport to be seen.
Before I left Kampala to go to Entebbe, I went to the Jaguar Bus Terminal and bought myself a ticket.
70,000 UGX (20 USD):
That's my usual modus operandi.
They are more fun in a sadistic kind of way and cheaper too. Not to mention a quicker border-crossing experience. It takes forever for them to process a bus full of people all arriving together. When I travel alone, I am (usually) done and dusted in minutes.
So why this sudden change?
Truth be told, I am tired. The days, months, and years are finally taking their toll. I have been a die-hard backpacker for almost 31 years.
I was also pushed for time.
I had allotted myself 10 weeks to get from Nairobi to Windhoek before catching a flight back to Nairobi for an onward flight to London.
I had already 'adjusted' my plan after I realised that 10 weeks was pushing it.
I have just booked a ticket from Lusaka, Zambia (instead of Windhoek, Namibia) to Nairobi and must be content at seeing Botswana and Namibia in and around the Caprivi Strip. Windhoek would have to wait.
And so, to save myself 4 or 5 days, and lots of uncomfortable kilometres, I opted for an overnight bus with the Jaguar Bus Company, said to be the best of the long-distance buses in Uganda.
In hindsight, it was also a good move as on the roads nearer to the border, there was little traffic/alternative transport to be seen.
Before I left Kampala to go to Entebbe, I went to the Jaguar Bus Terminal and bought myself a ticket.
70,000 UGX (20 USD):
The bus was departing at 8 pm. Thus was perfect for me. I could hang out in Entebbe before taking a matatu back to Kampala at 4 pm ish.
Arrival time in Kigali I was informed, would be sometime the next morning. "It depends on how long the border crossing takes". I liked their honesty.
I also booked 4 nights at a hostel in Kigali the Mamba Rwanda Youth Hostel
Prepared like never before:
I had a hotel reservation, I had my Yellow Fever certificate, and I had a flight from Lusaka to Nairobi to London.
After a day dodging the showers in Entebbe, I took the matatu back to Kampala. I took the non-express version. It took 2 hours. Incredible.
As soon as I arrived back in the big smoke, I walked to the Jaguar Bus Terminal and exchanged my voucher for the actual ticket.
Arrival time in Kigali I was informed, would be sometime the next morning. "It depends on how long the border crossing takes". I liked their honesty.
I also booked 4 nights at a hostel in Kigali the Mamba Rwanda Youth Hostel
Prepared like never before:
I had a hotel reservation, I had my Yellow Fever certificate, and I had a flight from Lusaka to Nairobi to London.
After a day dodging the showers in Entebbe, I took the matatu back to Kampala. I took the non-express version. It took 2 hours. Incredible.
As soon as I arrived back in the big smoke, I walked to the Jaguar Bus Terminal and exchanged my voucher for the actual ticket.
Kampala to Kigali trip report
The bus was an old Chinese Yutong. Not bad. My seat was broken. The seat reclined at every bump.
The WiFi didn't work.
My neighbour was listening to this cell phone, as were 3 or 4 others around me.
Hopefully, they have cheap Chinese phones. Their batteries will be flat soon.
This is on top of the bus's own sound system. Welcome to Africa. It promised to be a long night.
These little annoyances were, it turned out, the least of my worries.
After midnight we stopped. There was a problem. This is Africa. There is always a fucking problem. Especially with buses.
The gears weren't working so well so they tried to fix it. Two guys on a motorbike arrived with gas tanks and started welding both in the cab and underneath the bus.
They were unsuccessful. This wasted 2 hours.
A replacement cable was requested from Kampala, 4 hours away. And there we waited, until almost 6 am. TIA.
But at least the new cable was installed sharpish. And at 6.30 am we set off again.
And starting the engine had the effect of resetting the internet modem.
Welcome to Africa.
The WiFi didn't work.
My neighbour was listening to this cell phone, as were 3 or 4 others around me.
Hopefully, they have cheap Chinese phones. Their batteries will be flat soon.
This is on top of the bus's own sound system. Welcome to Africa. It promised to be a long night.
These little annoyances were, it turned out, the least of my worries.
After midnight we stopped. There was a problem. This is Africa. There is always a fucking problem. Especially with buses.
The gears weren't working so well so they tried to fix it. Two guys on a motorbike arrived with gas tanks and started welding both in the cab and underneath the bus.
They were unsuccessful. This wasted 2 hours.
A replacement cable was requested from Kampala, 4 hours away. And there we waited, until almost 6 am. TIA.
But at least the new cable was installed sharpish. And at 6.30 am we set off again.
And starting the engine had the effect of resetting the internet modem.
Welcome to Africa.
Arrival at the Uganda/Rwanda Border
Arrived at the Katuna/ Gatuna Border Post at noon.
They have a 'one-stop' border crossing, just like in Busia. There is no 'no-man's-land' to walk across. The immigration office has both Ugandan and Rwandan immigration, side by side.
First, you get your luggage scanned and searched.
They have a 'one-stop' border crossing, just like in Busia. There is no 'no-man's-land' to walk across. The immigration office has both Ugandan and Rwandan immigration, side by side.
First, you get your luggage scanned and searched.
Can you take Plastic Bags to Rwanda?
Plastic Bags in Rwanda have been banned since 2008.
The message on the website is clear:
"Please refrain from bringing plastic bags to Rwanda. Banned by law since 2008, any plastic bags in your luggage will be confiscated at the airport or other point of entry".
So in preparation, I ditched all my plastic bags in Entebbe.
With my GRAMS28 126 Passport Wallet at the Uganda Rwanda border:
"Please refrain from bringing plastic bags to Rwanda. Banned by law since 2008, any plastic bags in your luggage will be confiscated at the airport or other point of entry".
So in preparation, I ditched all my plastic bags in Entebbe.
With my GRAMS28 126 Passport Wallet at the Uganda Rwanda border:
Do you need a visa for Rwanda?
Chances are that you do but Rwanda still issues visas on arrival and is also covered under the East Africa Tourist Visa. I hadn't bothered with that myself. The EATV costs 100 USD. I got my Kenya eVisa and Uganda eVisa separately at 50 USD each. Visa fees for Rwanda are waived for the members of the Commonwealth of Nations and Francophone countries.
Uganda eVisa with exit stamp:
I was expecting a full-page sticker because Rwanda is not VISA FREE, we need a visa but the fee is waived, which is not the same thing but it's just a stamp.
I was the only Westerner travelling on the bus, so I couldn't ask anyone, regarding the VOA for non-exempt nationalities.
The only 'document' I needed to provide was the hostel reservation on my phone. Lots of boring questions. But it's part of the procedure.
Welcome to Rwanda, my 102nd UN-LISTED country, 109th in the grand scheme of things.
So Kampala to the border was 16 hours including the 6-hour delay. 10 hours then.
The border crossing took 2 hours (lots of time spent fannying around by everyone).
Then it was another 90 minutes to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
The only 'document' I needed to provide was the hostel reservation on my phone. Lots of boring questions. But it's part of the procedure.
Welcome to Rwanda, my 102nd UN-LISTED country, 109th in the grand scheme of things.
So Kampala to the border was 16 hours including the 6-hour delay. 10 hours then.
The border crossing took 2 hours (lots of time spent fannying around by everyone).
Then it was another 90 minutes to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
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