By Lusekelo Philemon
14th
April 2014
Authorities looking for
alternatives
Dr Freddy Manongi
Despite the fact that only four wheel vehicles are allowed to
descend into the 610 meters deep steep walls of Ngorongoro crater, the number
of vehicles that make the trip now exceed 400 a day and now the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) is working on ways to reduce the number of
cars that enter the Ngorongoro Crater animal sanctuary.
Recognised as the world's sixth largest unbroken caldera and deemed the eighth wonder of the world Ngorongoro is said to spot just too many vehicles that pose potential danger to the environment and the ecosystem balance as well as spoil the experience for visitors’ seeking to enjoy the wilderness without interruptions.
Dr Freddy Manongi, the NCAA Chief Conservator confirmed receiving numerous complains from visitors over the matter.
“We have been getting complaints from tourists who report that there are just too many motor vehicles descending into the crater on a daily basis.”
“The vehicles are a distraction and they interrupt the experience denying our guests the natural scenery they sought many miles from home,” he added.
Despite the fact that the increasing number of is a clear indicator of Ngorongoro’s ever increasing popularity, Dr Manongi admitted that the vehicles are now threatening to negatively affect the sanctuary and subsequently the number of visitors.
“The caldera attracts more than 500,000 tourists annually and generates an average of 55bn/- in revenues every year,” he detailed noting that the authority targets to realize annual earnings in excess of 60bn/- this year.
“The issue of how to control traffic in the crater is now our current headache we need a different mode of transport because at the moment game viewing in the caldera can only be done in cars,” he said.
“We have received proposals from some firms that want to introduce hot air balloon tourism. We are working on this concept as one of the possibilities to reduce the number of motor vehicles entering the crater,” said the NCAA conservator pointing out that balloon tourism is successfully being practiced in the adjacent Serengeti National Park.
Other than the breathe taking sites to see and the diverse wildlife other attractions within Ngorongoro include the beautiful Empakai Crater as well as the historic Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli where the first human beings reportedly lived.
Recognised as the world's sixth largest unbroken caldera and deemed the eighth wonder of the world Ngorongoro is said to spot just too many vehicles that pose potential danger to the environment and the ecosystem balance as well as spoil the experience for visitors’ seeking to enjoy the wilderness without interruptions.
Dr Freddy Manongi, the NCAA Chief Conservator confirmed receiving numerous complains from visitors over the matter.
“We have been getting complaints from tourists who report that there are just too many motor vehicles descending into the crater on a daily basis.”
“The vehicles are a distraction and they interrupt the experience denying our guests the natural scenery they sought many miles from home,” he added.
Despite the fact that the increasing number of is a clear indicator of Ngorongoro’s ever increasing popularity, Dr Manongi admitted that the vehicles are now threatening to negatively affect the sanctuary and subsequently the number of visitors.
“The caldera attracts more than 500,000 tourists annually and generates an average of 55bn/- in revenues every year,” he detailed noting that the authority targets to realize annual earnings in excess of 60bn/- this year.
“The issue of how to control traffic in the crater is now our current headache we need a different mode of transport because at the moment game viewing in the caldera can only be done in cars,” he said.
“We have received proposals from some firms that want to introduce hot air balloon tourism. We are working on this concept as one of the possibilities to reduce the number of motor vehicles entering the crater,” said the NCAA conservator pointing out that balloon tourism is successfully being practiced in the adjacent Serengeti National Park.
Other than the breathe taking sites to see and the diverse wildlife other attractions within Ngorongoro include the beautiful Empakai Crater as well as the historic Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli where the first human beings reportedly lived.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
No comments:
Post a Comment