How to go to Ukerewe, after arriving at Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta Airport)

1. After arrival you will have to apply for a TRANSIT VISA. The price is USD 20. (An ordinary visa is USD 50 and is valid in three months, so if you intent to go into Kenya at a later stage it is worthwhile considering getting an ordinary visa). You have to pay the visa fee in cash.
2. After having stamped your passport you proceed to the baggage hall and wait for the luggage. From here you pass customs (Nothing to declare) – they can ask you to open your luggage. Then you explain you are on your way to Tanzania – eventually show the visa for Tanzania.
3. Either while waiting for the luggage or right outside customs you have to either
   1) Change money or
   2) Cash money with a credit card. I recommend you to get a total of around Ksh (Kenyan shillings) 10,000 around USD130.
4. From here you take a taxi to the bus company you want to use for the ride to Mwanza. The ordinary reliable taxis are parked just straight in front of the gate from the arrival hall. (Do not let you be involved with people parked in the parking space.) The ordinary taxis have a special red license to the airport plastered on the front screen to the left. The price to the city centre is Ksh. 1200.

(An alternative can be to be picked up by a shuttle service like the one Milimani Backbackers has (www.milimanibackpackers.com). They can also buy bus tickets and has a good place to store the luggage until the bus leaves in the evening.)

5. There are many bus companies running the route Nairobi – Mwanza. My personal preference is AKAMBA, because they are driving pretty slowly. Others prefer Spider or others because it is more luxury and faster, which though is getting disputed among travellers. AKAMBA stops every 2 hours with time to go to the toilet etc. The stops on this route being Nakuru (23:30 pm, Kericho (2:00 am), Kisii (4:00 am), Border (6:00 am) and Mwanza (11:00 am) The bus fare for AKAMBA is around Ksh. 1,500 from Nairobi to Mwanza. (When  booking you will be asked your name and address and you can if you go to Ukerewe refer to Box 355, Nansio, then it will be easier. This is for insurance reasons)
6. Having bought the ticket you can either store the luggage at the bus company’s office or rent a day room e.g. in my favoured hotel TERMINAL Hotel in Moktar Daddah street. Minimum taxi fare in Nairobi is Ksh 250 (October 2008). If you mention my name (the Mzungu speaking Swahili) then  they will lighten-up. A day-room – Up to 18:00 – is half price around Ksh 800. Terminal (and a hundred other hotels) are right in the city centre. You will be astonished over the amount of people and the noise in the centre, Nairobi backpackers is a bit out of the centre in a cool place with trees and other shade.
7. In Nairobi you can visit the Snake park at the national museum (the museum itself is under renovation), you can go walking the streets – be sure you only buy, what you want to buy - you can go to a bar having a drink e.g. Simmers in front of the hotel 680 (Sixeighty).

8. Arrive at the bus station not later than the ticket says – normally half an hour before departure. Have your backpack/trunk placed in the boot. Hand luggage at a place you can keep an eye on it. When you arrive to the border I recommend you to change all but Ksh 1000 (these can be used later if you return to Kenya, and can always be changed to a good rate in Tanzanian banks). It is best to change in the Somalian shops on the Kenyan side of the border (or eventually in the bus) There is plenty of time going to these shops. Do not be disturbed by the fuzziness at arrival to the border.
9. At the border you first have to have stamped you passport out of Kenya and then ‘in’ into Tanzania. After that you carry your big luggage for customs control. If you bring brand new things in their original packaging, then you can be asked to pay custom’s duty.
10. At the border some mamas sell warm porridge (uji) – it is nice and sweet. Most times the only stop on the road until Mwanza is at a banana buying place – so you can be a bit hungry when arriving to Mwanza. The bananas are sold in bunches for Tsh. 500.
11. In Mwanza you arrive at the office of the company. (Before going to the office the bus stops at the Nyakato Busstation. A lot of passengers descend her. Actual taxi fare to town is T.Shs. 5-6,000.) There will be plenty of taxis to take you to the ferry to Ukerewe. Here you can buy a ticket to Ukerewe (2nd class) Tsh6,600 + Tsh 5000 in port tax for tourists.
12. The taxi in Mwanza Town will charge you  Tsh 2000. After you have bought your tickets you can walk to the nearby city centre – find an internet cafe or go for lunch at the Pizzaria (Kuleana), which is very popular among tourists/foreigners. The market is also worthwhile a visit, but then you have to find a place to store your luggage. IF you want a shower then go to e.g. Lake Hotel and ask for a dayroom. A good and cheap place to eat in Mwanza centre is at YMCA restaurant on Nyerere road close to the Stanbic Bank. Just in front of this restaurant is a place, where they can download digital pictures and store them on CD-rom. Or even print them out.

          There are ATMs at all the big banks. ATMs at Standard Chartered, Stanbic and CRDB among others take VISA cards.

8. Arriving to Ukerewe you can be met at the ferry by arrangement with the tourist office.
9. The Tourist Office is located west of the port. You walk straight on the tarred road – after 150 metres you go left at the crossing (follow the international ‘i’ sign). After another 250 metres you turn left again and then to the right and you can see Tourist Office just in front of you. If you have booked elsewhere they will follow you there.
10. At the Tourist Office you will be welcomed by Mama Felista Bwire who also runs the restaurant Ujamii. She has 12 years experience in serving foreigners and serve both exotic and local dishes.
11. If there during your stay arises any problems you are welcome to send me an SMS to +45 6074 3598 and I will be in contact with you. The best cell phone company to use to keep contact with Denmark/Europe is ZAIN. A new sim card is very cheap and it costs only 54 T.shillings for a SMS (around US¢ 4). The ZAIN company works in 12 southern African countries, and you can use the same SIM-card in all of them. BUT my experience is that it is best to buy the SIM-card in the country, where you are going to stay the longest period.

I hope you will enjoy your stay.

Developed by
Michael Arbirk, danea@vip.cybercity.dk
UTA-agent in Europe