Border crossing Rhungeri to cyanika to Kisoro

Hi,
I was looking to go from Rhungeri to Cyanika to Kisoro. My lonely planet says that there are many buses from Rhungeri to the border, but infrequent buses from the uganda border side to Kisoro.
The book I have is from 2006 so I found it not always up to date.
I am traveling by myself and need to make it to Kisoro. Can anyone share their experiences with this particular border crossing?
How difficult was it? How long did it take? Am I better off just going back to Kigali and taking a bus from there . . I could then get off at Kabale and go to Kisoro from there. Would this be easier given that I would have to back track from Rhungeri to Kigali?

Thanks in advance!

Here's how it went for me when I did it back in 2002 (from my journal).....

Walked with the pack all the way to Cyankani road, then another 200m. It was hot as hell! Saw matutu and asked if it was going to Kisoro and the price! Yes, and 1000 USh. Played peek-a-boo with child in van ( I put my pack on my lap in front of me). Her Mom tried to make her touch me – she cried! A guy from the Congo was behind me and chatted a lot. He gave me his address. I left Rhuengeri at 1430 hours. Saw Mt Muhravura close, lots of towns and a lake. Stopped at Cyanika, the van turned around – everyone out! Mad, but it was only $2.50 US to get this far! A guy asked if I needed to change money and showed me Customs office. I flew through Customs – no problems. Changed 6000Rf for 25,000 Ush. I left Cyanika at 1500 hours in back of a truck for 2000 USh. Great view of Muhravura – I should have taken a picture! The driver, Nsabyria, was dressed like an Ethiopian. He said he would take me to a cheap hotel. We got to KIsoro and I asked if the NP Office was open. He stopped for gas. I asked if he could take me to the NP – no, but tomorrow for 20,000 Ush!! Went to NP Office – OPEN! Things keep working out according to my schedule!! The guy said I cannot climb Sabinyo – too dangerous with the Congo! Banda is open for 6000 Sh. I asked how to get there, and the guy said “He’ll take you!” pointing at Nsabyria! We got in and off we went. He stopped and bought me a large Primus beer which I finished before we even got to the Park! Felt a little tipsy! He worked in Tunesia for three years – as a tourist driver! We got to the Park at 1700 hours!

Hope this helps!

Lack of buses is not a problem. Here's how it works. You will disembark from whatever form of conveyance you travel on from Ruhengeri at the Cyanika border post. Within, I don't know, nanoseconds, you will be approached by an assortment of mostly young men, all advertising their services for transport arrangement from the border to Kisoro. You can grimly put your head down and attempt to ignore them as you walk into the little immigration hut, or you can have fun and negotiate with them, arrange your taxi and get your chosen winner to carry your luggage throughout the border crossing process. After your chat with the lovely gentleman at the Rwanda border post (at least the one I had was nice) and the requisite passport stamp you walk to the Ugandan post - this walk may take you 30 seconds - once again you will be accompanied by the coterie of young men (if you have not yet made your transport selection). You fill out your form, pay your visa fee, get your passport rubber stamped and you're officially in Uganda. Within 15 to 30 seconds you will have walked to your chosen transport. If you have avoided making that selection there should be an assortment of vehicles, aka taxis (don't ask for a license) all more than willing to take you into Kisoro. You will choose one of these. Pick whichever one strikes your fancy. Depending upon the driver it will take, oh, I don't know, several minutes to drive you to dingy downtown Kisoro.

To spend the extra several hours it would take to go to Kabale and then take the road from Kabale back to Kisoro (and when you finally take that road you will know what I mean) would just be insane. Even with slow traffic (maybe), lots of people crossing the border (unlikely) and a slow taxi driver (ha ha) the journey from Ruhengeri to Kisoro is probably no more than an hour and a half.

Hi guys -

This is really useful info - thanks. A related question - do you know what approx hours the border is open for? I.e. is it open (very) early morning or after dark? Essentially trying to work out whether I can squeeze across after a day's trekking of Sabinyo or early enough to get to PndV for Gorilla trekking the next day? Probably a crazy idea, but trying to fit a lot into a very tight itinerary...

Any thoughts would be great.

Cheers