A journey not recommended for those who like to travel in comfort and style, but one that will take you through the heart of East-Africa on a road less-travelled.
Jaguar buses leave Kigali for Kampala from Nyabagogo bus station daily at around 5:30am. Mid-range tickets will cost in the region of FRW 7,000 (£7/$14) one-way and you need to book in advance. It is easy to change money into Ugandan Shillings at Nyabagogo, either from the exchange hut or through vendors who will come onto the bus itself. Avoid the vendors at the border though, they have a reputation for short-changing.
One of the things to remember about Kigali at five o’ clock in the morning is the complete lack of transport to get you to Nyabagogo in the first place. Either book accommodation in Nyabagogo or a taxi to make sure that you get there on time. Although the bus may well sit around for at least half-an-hour after departure is due, when it does decide to leave it is merciless so get there on time. Late arrivals may be lucky and catch it filling-up at the adjacent petrol station.
It takes around two hours to get to the Ugandan border and the road up there is characteristically Rwandan-swervey. If you get motion sickness easily take pills with you. The moment you pass into Uganda though, the road quickly straightens out as sweeping hills give way to bushy flatlands.
The border itself is not the most pleasant experience, especially if you’re a tourist. The bus stops and everybody gets off to queue at the first booth where you register your departure from Rwanda. There’s a public toilet here if you need it. Then you have to walk about quarter of a mile up the road, through two further checkpoints, to the booth where you register your entry into Uganda. Your bus will be waiting for you there.
If you are western, even if travelling with a Rwandan green card or working permit, you will be levied a fee of $50 to cross the border. You may also find yourself receiving a bit of hassle from bored border guards as there aren’t that many tourists passing through.
Once you get onto the Ugandan side the Rwandan ban on street food is lifted and there are a number of vendors selling snacks and drinks. Be cautious of the road-side brochettes though, hygiene may not be all you’d hope for.
From there it’s just another six hours to Kampala. The view itself is a pretty one. Rwanda at six in the morning is a world of white mist with the occasional village materialising like a spectral vision. Crested Cranes, the national bird of Uganda, and Marabou Storks are plentiful and even the rare herd of Zebra have been known.
Jaguar buses, unfortunately, can make the long, long journey that little bit longer by subjecting their passengers to Swahili soap-operas at ear-splitting volume, interspersed with the occasional music video. This can be gruelling and something that needs to be worked on, along with the border crossing system, if tourism of this kind is going to take-off in the future.
Once you reach Kampala there are plentiful motos and taxis to take you where you need to go. There is also a Jaguar (of buses fame) hotel in town for around USH 25,000 (£8/$16) but although the rooms are clean and hot water available, at the time of writing it was undergoing a building project and there was a distinct mosquito epidemic due to lack of any netting on the windows. You can go there to book Jaguar bus travel, but it’s not a recommended long-stay.
The return journey can be taken as early as 3am but quality of buses can’t be guaranteed. At best, you get a comfortable padded seat and suspension, at worst you will be jolted around on a vehicle well past its sell-by date with cold winds whipping through the open night-time windows. There is no fee for westerners crossing into Rwanda but remember that plastic bags are illegal there and will be removed at customs.
It is certainly an experience and far cheaper than the alternative of flying, but to reiterate, it is best left to the hardened traveller.
