I thought it would be a good idea to bus across Tanzania to Rwanda but found myself in Mwanza dreading this decision. The bus trip thus far had been long, dusty, terrifying and physically painful (bumps combined with extreme bladder-holding) and the thought of continuing on from Mwanza to the border with Rwanda filled me with dread.
It didn’t help that my guidebook recommended I backtrack down to Shinyanza (down a road with lots of speed bumps that drivers didn’t slow one little bit for… a treacherous journey) which I couldn’t bring myself to do. Instead I opted for a more direct route on what I was told was a terrible road. To say I wasn’t looking forward to this leg of the trip is an understatement.
Fortunately my expectations were low and the road turned out to be mostly ok. I was headed from Mwanza to Benako, the town closest to the Rwandan border with Rusomo. Benako isn’t the last stop of the trip so be aware of where you are. The bus will probably be packed too and getting off could be a struggle so try your best to book a seat near the front (book a couple of days in advance at least to be able to get a good seat). Head to the main bus station and ask around. Ticket touts here are a lot friendlier and less aggressive than in Dar ad Arusha and you’ll be led to an office upstairs in a building near the station.
Be aware that most buses leave from the station on the outskirts of town. I caught the bus at the station outside of town and had to literally fight my way onto a packed bus. My seat was still reserved for me, but I had to throw some serious elbows just to get onto the bus. I guess people got on the bus in town somehow, so check to see if this is an option to save yourself a lot of hassle.
When you arrive in Benako your bus will be met by taxis that will take you the rest of the way to the border. For some bizarre reason I chose to spend the night at some shithole guesthouse in this tiny town, which I wouldn’t recommend doing. Instead, do what every other normal person on the bus did, and get into one of the taxis. They’ll fill it with four or five people, charge 3,000 Shillings each and you’ll be on your way. You can also get a car to yourself for 10,000 Shillings. The journey is about 30 minutes and then, voila, the border crossing with Rwanda awaits!
