Kilosa — MIKUMI National Park is set to inaugurate a new entrance gate in Kilosa District, strategically located to better serve tourists arriving via the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).

This significant development is expected to dramatically reduce travel time and further invigorate domestic tourism.

Park Chief Warden Commissioner Augustine Masesa announced the plan recently, saying the gate will cut the journey from the SGR station to the park from 120 kilometres to just 19 kilometres.

"We're constructing a new gate just 19 kilometres from inside the park. This will serve visitors over 100 kilometres of road travel," he said.

Masesa noted the decision was driven by a sharp increase in local tourists using the SGR to visit Mikumi. By 2025, the park had registered 89,000 domestic visitors, surpassing 80,000 international tourists.

The project is part of the TANAPA strategy to improve access to parks and enhance the visitor experience by capitalising on modern infrastructure such as the SGR.