NGORONGORO CRATER ROAD GETS UPGRADED TO TARMAC STANDARDS
(Posted 16th April 2014)
It was learned that the road from the main gate to the rim of the crater is set to be paved, to ease movements of vehicles in particular during the rainy season.
The stretch inside the park has been known to be treacherous during heavy rains and the project to tarmac the 6 kilometres up to the rim have been broadly welcomed by safari operators, even though they have to use a detour at present in order to either leave the conservation area or else get into it.
A spokesperson for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority was quoted as having given a price tag of some 2.8 billion Tanzania Shillings for the paving of the road which is, while leading to the rim of the crater, also the main route for safari traffic from Arusha to the Serengeti National Park as well as part of the transit route for traffic through the park destined for such places as Musoma on Lake Victoria. The work, according to information received from Arusha, should be completed by the 01st of June or soon afterwards though that may delay as a result of adverse weather conditions. The source also confirmed that there were no plans to tarmac other sections of this route inside the protected areas and that this particular stretch was selected to improve road safety and ensure that the road remains open year round and through the rainy seasons.
