Katuna Uganda Rwanda Land Border Crossing
Katuna (also known as Gatuna on the Rwanda side) is the official land border crossing between Uganda and Rwanda, located in Kabale district, southwestern Uganda. The administrative division of the Katuna border is the Kamuganguzi sub-county, which is part of the Kabale district local administration system. Katuna is about 80km by road from Kigali city, 28km from the nearby Kabale town, and about 32kms from Lake Bunyonyi.
The Katuna border crossing is an essential driver for the growth of gorilla tourism in southwestern Uganda. Tourists traveling through Kigali airport in Rwanda can cross the Katuna border and trek mountain gorillas in Bwindi National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Lake Bunyonyi, famous for canoeing activities, is also a few kilometers from the Katuna border.
Similarly, visitors to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park can travel to Rwanda from Uganda through the Katuna border. Visiting Volcanoes National Park through Katuna border requires driving through Kigali city and onwards to Musanze district in northern Rwanda.
Tourists traveling to Virunga National Park to trek gorillas or hike Mount Nyiragongo in DR Congo connect through the Katuna border via Kigali if traveling from Uganda. The alternative route to Virunga National Park is the Kyanika border in Kisoro district or Bunagana border post. Due to safety and security concerns in eastern DR Congo, the Kyanika-Musanze-Goma Grand Barriere route is preferred by tour operators.
The most popular trips organized by Bamboo Ecotours originating from Kigali include;
- 2-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari at Bwindi National Park
- 3-Day Gorilla Trekking Safari at Bwindi National Park
- 4-Day Gorillas, Wildlife, and Chimp Trekking Safari
- 5-Day Gorillas, Wildlife, and Chimp Trekking Safari
Immigration and visa processing at Katuna border
Both Rwanda and Uganda have immigration offices at the Katuna border. If you already have a visa, the process of verifying documents takes less time. If a visa is to be obtained at the border point, it is recommended to carry USD in cash. A credit card might not be acceptable by the immigration office.
Katuna Uganda Rwanda border crossing during Covid-19
When posting this article (December 2020), the Katuna land border is still closed, and tourists traveling from Uganda to Rwanda or Rwanda to Uganda are not permitted to cross the border. If you plan to visit Uganda for gorilla trekking via Kigali during this period, please contact us, and we can discuss the best options for your trip.