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 in Katuna Town council, which is part of the Kabale district local administration system. Katuna is about 80km by road from Kigali city, 22km 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.
Katuna is of much importance to the growth of tourism in Uganda which is the route connecting tourists from Rwanda to Uganda and Vice versa. It also acts as a trade bound amongst the two countries. This improves the unity, economy and security amongst the countries ie Uganda and Rwanda.