Cyanika border point.
Rwanda and Uganda are connected via the Cyanika border point. The Cyanika border point serves as a crucial conduit for commerce and transit between two nations. On the Rwandan side, the border is situated in Burera district, and on the Ugandan side, in the district of Kisoro, which is home to the gorilla national parks of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo are two magnificent twin lakes located in the Burera area on Rwanda’s border. Due to Burera town’s proximity to Volcanoes National Park, tourists may hike with twin gorillas in both Rwanda and Uganda. Because it serves as a crossing point for travelers from both Rwanda and Uganda to continue their safaris, the Cyanika border point is crucial to both nations’ tourist industries.
Compared to the Katuna border, where more business vehicles are visible despite the fact that it also allows travelers, the Cyanika border station welcomes more visitors from Rwanda to Uganda. Travelers visiting the Rushaga gorilla sector, one of the most popular gorilla sectors in the southern portion of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, are best served via the Cyanika border post.
If one has the proper documentation, crossing the Cyanika border post is rather hassle-free. Some of the documentation needed to pass the Cyanika border point are listed below:
Passport of travelers
When crossing Cyanika, travelers must show their passports for identification. All that is required of East African nationals is a legitimate form of identification.
A valid visa
Travelers must have a valid visa that permits them to enter and remain in the country they are visiting in order to enter any of the countries served by the Cyanika border point. If tourism is your goal, you may get an East African tourist visa if you want to visit many East African countries.
Traveling to many East African countries is made simpler with the East African Visa. It might be expensive to get a visa for each nation you want to visit while in the area. Upon arriving at any airport or even at the border post, travelers may get a visa.
In addition to having a current passport and visa, you could be questioned about the individual or your motivations for traveling. After everything is finished, your passport will be stamped before you may continue.
The Ugandan side of the Cyanika border point opens at 6 a.m., while the Rwandan side opens at 5 a.m. Because the Cyanika border isn’t as accessible all day as Katuna, those who want to go gorilla trekking in Bwindi from Kigali should schedule their trip around this time.
Travelers are now choosing to gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali due to the recent hike in the cost of a gorilla permit in Rwanda. Rwanda charges $1,500 for a single entrance gorilla trekking permit, whilst Uganda charges $800 for international non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, and UGX300,000 for East African nationals.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are readily accessible from Kigali, Rwanda, and the Cyanika border crossing. Many travelers have recently turned to arriving at Rwanda’s Kigali International Airport due to the lengthy journey times from Entebbe or Kampala to both Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks.
From Kigali, travelers begin and finish their gorilla trekking expedition here. Travelers are taken from the airport to Uganda via the Cyanika border, where they hike with gorillas, and then they return to Kigali to leave. In contrast to Entebbe or Kampala, which are 8–9 hours distant, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is just 3 hours away from Kigali.
Due to the variety and distinctiveness of Uganda’s tourism offerings, tourists choose to visit the country even after landing in Kigali, apart from the cost of a gorilla permit and the distance to Bwindi. In addition to having the largest gorilla population in the world, the nation is home to ten national parks, thirteen reserves, and a variety of activities on the Nile, the world’s longest river.
Because of the Cyanika border crossing, visitors may quickly and easily reach Uganda’s many tourist attractions. Would you want to go to Uganda while you’re in Rwanda? To enter the nation, you don’t have to go so far as to book an airline ticket.
To book a reasonably priced Uganda safari from Kigali, just contact a reputable travel operator. It’s feasible to go on a one-day safari in Uganda from Kigali; just take the time to get in touch, and you won’t be let down.
