NEW STRUCTURES PLANNED FOR CYANIKA / UGANDA BORDER TO EASE TRADE AND TRAVEL
(Posted 01st October 2013)
The Cyanika border crossing between Uganda and Rwanda has been popular with tourists and safari operators, as two key tourism regions connect at that point, Uganda’s Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks and Rwanda’s Parc de Volcanoes. Many visitors to Uganda, The Pearl of Africa, are now using a brand new tarmac road from Kabale to Kisoro, to visit this part of the country. The trend has accelerated in fact, more so since several gorilla groups are now accessible on the Western side of Bwindi through Nkuringo. Lake Mutanda, since the new Chameleon Hill Lodge opened, too has gained a new higher value status, and the hiking trails mapped out by companies like Nkuringo Walking Safaris or Gorilla Highlands – maps were recently shown here in several feature articles, have brought rising numbers of adventure tourists to the extreme South West of Uganda.
With Rwanda being the proverbial stone throw away, there has equally been a growing stream of visitors crossing into the Land of a Thousand Hills to visit the Volcano National Park, see the caves near Musanze / Ruhengeri or pay a visit to the cultural sites of Rwanda’s ancient kingdom, now open for visitors to the area. From Musanze in fact it is just over an hour’s drive to Gisenyi, where the newly created Kivu Tourism Zone begins and stretches over the idyllic town of Kibuye all the way to Cyangugu, following the 224 kilometres of the Congo Nile Trail with side trips possible to Gishwati and Nyungwe forests.
The news that the border infrastructure is to be upgraded by investors in Rwanda was therefore received with positive comments from both Rwandan and Ugandan tourism stakeholders, even though the main beneficiaries might be the traders, who can on completion of the new buildings clear all their goods on the spot without further reference to Kigali.
East African cooperation, close up and personal and meaning something to the people this concept is to serve. Way to go Rwanda.
