Mikumi National Park Implements 23bn/- Worth Project To Facelift Visitor’s Services -

Paskari Ntandu, Conservation Ranger II (CR II) at the Mikumi National Park expresses over ongoing implementation for the expansion and upgrading of the Kikoboga Airstrip at the famous Park.

Operation of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) electric trains has propelled to the cropping up of the huge number of visitors at the Mikumi National Park, at least 1000 visitors per day

BAGAMOYO

By Senior Reporter VALENTINE OFORO

MIKUMI National Park, the country’s confirmed wildlife sighting hotspot, is implementing two strategic projects to help improving visitor’s basic amenities, as well as transportation infrastructure.

The 23bn/- worth robust initiatives are running under the financial auspicious of the World Bank (WB)’s Resilient Natural Resources Management for Tourism Growth (REGROW) project, with an eye to assist the Tanzania’s fourth biggest National Park to cater for the growing number of visitors professionally.

The projects, which are now in good implementation paces at the Morogoro- based famous Natural Preserve include construction of building infrastructure for staff and tourist amenities for Ruaha, Mikumi, Udzungwa Mountains and Nyerere National Park, and construction and upgrading of Kikoboga airstrip at Mikumi National Park.

Records at the mermerizing National Park which now receives over 1000 visitors in a day, depicts that about 115,009 visitors, from within and outside the country, have toured at the potenti leisure site from July 2024 to January 30, 2025, enabling it to collect over 6.4bn/- .

ZamZam Juma Yusuph, Conservation Officer II (CO II) at Mikumi National Park said the so far netted amount stands at over 89 percent of the revenue collection target set for this year, which is at least 6.8bn/-

“During 2023/2024 year we managed to generate over 6.6bn/- , collected from a total of 114,730 visitors, but this year around we have so far succeeded to raise over 6.4bn/- within just six months, which is an encouraging record,” she said.

She expressed high optimisms that the National Park mapped between the Uluguru Mountains and the Lumango go will register remarkable achievements this year.

Adding his voice pertaining to the impressive achievements, the Mikumi National Park Assistant Conservation Commissioner, Augustine George Massesa said operation of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) electric trains has propelled to the cropping up of the huge number of visitors at the Park.

He expressed that operation of the fast trains, between Dar es Salaam Business Capital and Dodoma Capital City has opening up a new niche for the local tourists to visit the National Park which is endowed with a wide assorted of natural life.

“We’re appreciating the support by President Samia Suluhu Hassan which has continued to empower us to implement an array of projects meant to uplift visitor’s basic amenities, among others,” he appreciated.

In further efforts to make Mikumi National Park a major hotspot for the travel industry in Tanzania, Commissioner Massesa said they have have opened a friendly window for the stakeholders in the private sector to chip in and invest into the country’s popular vast National Park which occupies a total of 300km to the West of Dar es salaam along the Dar-Mbeya highway.

“Some investors have already extending their investment foothold into the Park, but more investment is highly needed, especially in the side of accommodation structures for sheltering tourists, ” he said.

Giving further details over the ongoing projects, Paskari Ntandu, Conservation Ranger II (CR II) at the Park said the projects, among others, entails installation of a state-of-the-art visitors information centre (VIC), one to comprise reception building, shops, museum, exhibition hall, public toilets as well as car parking.

“A project for expansion of airstrip, Kikoboga Airstrip, incorporate expansion of running way, construction of Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Building, and aircraft aprone,” he detailed.

Because of its accessibility Mikumi is one of the most popular National Park in Tanzania, and the Natural Preserve is decorated by its superbly scenic plains and baobabs, making it a comfortable home to various wild animals and birds species.

The park is endowed with spectacular concentration of wildlife which are rarely seen in other parks like magnificent Sable antelope, African hunting dog, blue wildebeest, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest and others.

The gentle foothills and vast miombo woodland savanna in the southern parts of the park are quite spectacular.