Excitement as cars crossover into Tanzania

By FP Correspondent

Classic cars are all set to crossover into Tanzania today as the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic action enters Day three.

On Monday, crews traversed the sandy Coast region in Vipingo, MacKinnon Road, Mwatate before pulling in to the Taita Hills Lodge for the second day’s night stop.

Organisers had made prior arrangements to have the immigration documentations sorted out at Whitesands well in advance. Crews will only have to present their passports at the Taita Taveta border for stamping before driving into Tanzania which host Day three and four.

In addition, all arrangements are now in place for the hotel accommodation at Ngurdoto Hotel to house the drivers and officials at the two-day night halts in Arusha.

Part of the glamour includes tomorrow’s spectacular stage west of Arusha in Tanzania where the rally cars will first circumnavigate

Lake Manyara— prior to climbing to the top of the Mbulu Escarpment ascending 900 metres (2,950 feet) in a road distance of some 17kms (10.5miles).

"It is one of the most spectacular stages of the event and certainly one affording some of the most amazing views back across Lake Manyara to the Ngorogoro Crater," Event Director Surinder Thatthi said.

This year, the rally does not stay in Nairobi for a night but concentrates on using Safari lodges for its halts. This enables it to use rally roads that take the crews to less-visited places as well as to the normal tourist sights. The major innovation this year is that no less than three of the night halts are used for two consecutive nights, namely in Arusha (Tuesday and Wednesday), Amboseli (Thursday and Friday) and Naivasha on Saturday and Sunday. With Kenya Airways on board for the third year as the main sponsors of the rally, the East African Safari Classic is able to run an event not only beneficial to the competitors and organisers, but one that can contribute economically to the country.

Surinder was enthusiastic about the commercial aspect of the classic. He said: " Kenya stands to gain a lot from the Safari Classic in terms of revenue from the competitors, spectators and tourists. The hotels alone will earn US$ 39,5000 (Sh30,810,000) over the period of the rally. In addition to the accommodation, Kenya Wildlife Services will be paid $20,000 (Sh1.5m) plus Sh 350,000 for entering the National Parks. Direct spending by teams and their crews will amount to $2m (Sh15m) and the value to East Africa of worldwide television coverage of the event is estimated at $12 million (Sh90m).’’