Taking the bus between Kampala and Nairobi? Strive MASH!

The good East Africa Vacationer Visa and Interstate Cross imply that journey between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda is less complicated than ever for nationals and has turn out to be simpler and cheaper for vacationers and expats too. Cue: much more journey across the three international locations for this Muzungu! I’ve taken the MASH bus between Kampala and Nairobi just a few instances now, and might advocate it. [NOTE this blog post was updated in February 2023. We tried calling various advertised numbers, but failed to get through].

Touring from Kampala to Kigali? Then learn what occurred once I traveled by bus with Jaguar Govt Coaches.

General, the Kampala / Nairobi MASH bus service has been wonderful. I hardly felt the dreaded bump, bump, bump of the ‘rumble strips’ and managed to sleep many of the journey.  Or shall I say, I fell asleep / wakened / fell asleep / wakened…  again and again.

We preferred the thought of getting a rest room on the bus. If it had been working, that may have been even higher! In keeping with the motive force, “it’s girls’s fault that the bogs don’t work.” Hmmm… absolutely they may have fastened it although?

The MASH system is effectively organised and departs – on time – from the relative calm of the Nationwide Theatre, making it a far much less hectic expertise than going to downtown Kampala bus parks with all their congestion and pickpockets. In Nairobi, nonetheless, the bus departs from the equally loopy River Street. Have your wits about you right here, as plenty of guys will come operating at you making an attempt to promote you a cab honest / offer you undesirable instructions, and so forth. It may be a bit overwhelming if you happen to’ve simply woken up! Don’t rush to get off the bus; tempo your self and verify you’ve all of your belongings first.

Again outdoors the Nationwide Theatre in Kampala, an hour earlier than the agreed departure time, a girl referred to as us over to a desk in entrance of our bus the place she checked our tickets and passports. Subsequent to her, a really pleasant man checked the contents of all our baggage. One other three males in brilliant orange overalls loaded baggage and containers into the bus. I used to be requested to take away the padlock from my bag, which clearly I didn’t need to do. I used to be advised that it was vital for the safety verify on the border. I eliminated a few valuables that I’d put in my large bag, and simply hoped that all the pieces else can be protected. It was.

The MASH bus was clear. The seatbelt labored, as did the one energy socket on the wall subsequent to me. I selected to take a seat within the second class ‘govt’ part, just some seats from the entrance. It had an honest quantity of legroom and a reclining seat.  My mates within the VIP seats, straight behind the motive force, had much more legroom, plus they have been allowed to have their large baggage with them.

Each bus passenger was handed a small packet of biscuits and a packet of sugary ‘juice.’ My expertise of cross-border bus journeys in East Africa is to keep away from consuming in any respect prices, as you’ll be able to by no means make sure the motive force will cease if you want him to! Nevertheless, on the MASH bus, we had three ‘consolation breaks’ earlier than we arrived in Nairobi. It’s a “brief break for a brief name” and these guys don’t hold round, imagine me.

The driving force placed on some loud music for our uneventful drive to the border.

Coming into Kenya later that evening, one of many immigration officers growled a requirement to see my Yellow Fever certificates. Fortunately I had {a photograph} of it on my cellphone.

My good friend Julia complained that she hardly slept for the entire journey between Kampala and Nairobi. She solely fell asleep for essentially the most attention-grabbing half: passing by means of a personal wildlife reserve, the place I noticed zebra and antelope from my window seat! “You snooze, you lose” as she likes to inform me… Lol.

In keeping with Wikipedia, “Elmenteita is derived from the Masaai phrase muteita, that means “mud place”, a reference to the dryness and dustiness of the world, particularly between January and March. Within the south-to-north sequence of Rift Valley lakes, Elmenteita is between Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru. The foremost Nairobi – Nakuru freeway (A104 street) runs alongside the close by escarpment affording motorists a spectacular vista in the direction of the lake. At the moment the lake is a protected space because of its birdlife. Elementeita – along with Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria – has been named a heritage website by UNESCO.” (In 2019 I lastly went on safari in Lake Elmenteita – I’m nonetheless thrilled on the giant numbers of flamingos I noticed that weekend! The horse experience alongside the lakeshore was spectacular).

Journey ideas for taking the bus between Kampala and Nairobi

NOTE: I don’t assure all data is right. You must verify costs, departure instances your self. This can be a private account primarily based alone expertise.

• MASH buses depart on time.
• The MASH reserving workplace in Kampala is in Dewinton Street reverse the Nationwide Theatre. 
• In Uganda, you should use MTN cell cash to buy your ticket. Tel +256 (0)774 082853 is the MTN Cell Cash quantity registered to Mash Bus Companies. I used this myself. I first referred to as the reserving workplace to order my seat numbers; confirmed my cost utilizing cell cash; then made a second cellphone name to verify they’d seen my cost.
• The MASH reserving workplace in Nairobi is in River Street. Their official quantity is +254 733 623260. In Kenya, you too can e book your bus tickets and reserve your seat on-line and pay by Safaricom’s M-Pesa. (Paybill quantity 857988). This labored effectively too.
• To double verify ticket costs and instances, try the MASH East Africa web site or go to considered one of their workplaces.
• Please don’t message me – I don’t work for Mash, I’m only a buyer such as you 😎

Bus departure instances from Kampala and Nairobi

(Please get there early: we’ve referred to as a number of instances to verify timings and costs and the information given is inconsistent). Ticket lessons are: VIP, enterprise class and peculiar (availability depends upon whether or not you get MASH POA or MASH COOL).

Kampala to Nairobi

At 4 pm and 6 pm MASH bus departs from the Nationwide Theatre.

Nairobi to Kampala

At 4 pm and 6 pm MASH bus departs from the MASH workplace in River Street.

MASH Cool is the air-conditioned bus. (MASH POA can get a bit sweaty!) I preferred MASH Cool however you’ll need a blanket (or shuka) if you happen to take the in a single day bus. The MASH Cool bus has curtains too.

• Ensure you have your Yellow Fever and COVID-19 vaccination certificates (or a unfavourable PCR take a look at).
• Maintain images of your passport and different necessary journey paperwork (bus ticket and Yellow Fever Certificates) in your cellphone.
• Though the bus does have energy sockets, in my expertise, they don’t at all times work. Take a spare battery pack for lengthy journeys so you’ll be able to entry digital paperwork any time.
• Nationals of Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya simply have to indicate a passport or nationwide ID and are given a brief Interstate Cross. Ugandans who do not need passports are suggested to get a brief journey doc. Value 10k UGX. In the event you’re in Kampala, you may get one issued at Port Bell (or you should purchase it on the border).
• Expats with work permits can get an Interstate Cross on the border as effectively. There is no such thing as a type to fill in (simply the usual arrivals type) and there’s no value. Yay!
• In the event you want a visa, you might be supposed to use on-line prematurely, whether or not it’s for a single nation visa or an East Africa Vacationer Visa. Nevertheless, all visas seem like out there in particular person at a border (besides EATV, you’ll have to learn my weblog about that one).
  

  Try the blogs I’ve written about vacationer visas

• Uganda – NOW LIVE: apply for Ugandan vacationer visas on-line
• East Africa – What’s the East Africa Vacationer Visa? A definitive information
• Rwanda – Rwanda publicizes all vacationers can get #VisaOnArrival
• The set-up on the Kenya / Uganda border has modified and also you now depart one nation / enter one other throughout the identical constructing. Beforehand, you needed to get your exit visa from one nation after which stroll throughout the border earlier than getting your entry visa into the subsequent nation. I discovered the brand new system complicated and had apparently entered Kenya illegally! Apparently I didn’t have one of many required passport stamps, although I had been processed by three completely different folks at immigration.

• The MASH ticket says “Smoking, alcohol, chewing miraa is prohibited. Most baggage restrict is 15 KG, any further weight will likely be charged. Passengers are warned to not take any foodstuff provided by stranger.” Prior to now there have been incidences of bus passengers being drugged and robbed (not on any explicit route or with any explicit bus firm).
• Along with the Uganda / Kenya route, MASH additionally function to main cities throughout Kenya.
• Dreamline have additionally been really useful to me.

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