Top Things To Do In Tarangire National Park In Tanzania

Top Things To Do In Tarangire National Park  In Tanzania

Tarangire National Park boasts some of the highest animal densities and most stunning landscapes in Tanzania. Its proximity to Arusha makes it easily accessible, and it's often combined with the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, completing Tanzania's northern safari circuit. 

Tarangire National Park rivals the Serengeti in its great number and diversity of wildlife. It is a good choice for travelers who wish to encounter more animals and fewer jams of tourists.

About Tarangire National Park:

Tarangire is the sixth biggest park in Tanzania at 4,160 km².

It takes its name - as well as its game wealth - from the Tarangire River, which flows through the park, attracting elephants and many other animals. 

The Tarangire National Park is known as a wonderful birding destination and also features large numbers of game, particularly during the dry season, when the Tarangire River is the only source of water in the area. The landscape is of particular interest too, due to the high number of scenic baobab trees.

Tarangire National Park is located in the Manyara region, Tanzania near Arusha city, and is one of the recently established wildlife reserves in Tanzania. The park derives its name from the Tarangire River that crosses the park and the river is the main primary source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire ecosystem during the annual dry season.

Tarangire River being the main water source in the park attracts large populations of animals from the surrounding Masai areas. The park is covered with savannah grasslands, woodlands, riverine grasslands, and swamps which all provide habitat for the vast wildlife species in the area. Large baobab trees also characterize the Tarangire parkland scape.

Why visit Tarangire National Park:

An exciting aspect of Tarangire National Park is how likely you are to spot lions. Moreover, the park's lions are tree-climbing lions, which are only found in northern Tanzania and southern Uganda. There are around 700 lions in the park, so your chances of spotting a pride or two (or three) are very high.

Tarangire has some of the highest elephant populations in the country. During peak migration from July to October, around 5,000 of these gentle giants will migrate to Tarangire - you can sometimes see groups of 300 elephants at once.

It's not just elephants that migrate across these plains. You'll also find plenty of other mammals including lions, zebras, and antelopes.

The vast grasslands and Baobab trees create a rugged, 'Out of Africa' feel that's quite distinct from Tanzania's national parks.

It is only a short drive from Arusha on tarmac roads, making for a relatively easy-going journey, and perfect for a short safari of one or two days after a Mount Kilimanjaro hike or other safaris across Tanzania. 

Wildlife in Tarangire National Park:

Tarangire National Park is famous for the thousands of elephants that come down to the park during the dry season in search of water, but there are also plenty of wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, impalas, klipspringer, wild dogs, and hippos.

Lions are often sighted, and you might see leopards and cheetahs patrolling the grasslands, or perched in a tree. Tarangire Park is also one of the few places in Tanzania where Oryx can be sighted.

Birding in Tarangire National Park:

The park is also a great birding destination, with over 500 species living in Tarangire including species endemic to Tanzania. The swamps in Tarangire National Park have one of the largest numbers of breeding bird species in the world. These bird species include hoopoes, hornbills, brown parrots, lilac-breasted rollers, barbets, mousebirds, striped swallows, starlings, swifts, hammer kops, bee-eaters plovers, and many others all beautiful to see by any bird lover.

Tourist Activities in Tarangire National Park:

While in this park you can engage in different activities such as Game viewing, Bird watching, Sightseeing, Cultural visits, and Nature walks.

What is the best time to visit Tarangire National Park?

The Park can be visited all year round, However, we'd recommend that June to October is the best time to visit Tarangire National Park. The region experiences its dry season during this month, which creates the ideal conditions for optimal game viewing.

These are the best months for wildlife due to migratory patterns, and the short grasses make game viewing even easier. The animals flock towards the Tarangire River for water, allowing for easy sightings.

To see the big herds of elephants, we recommend visiting towards the latter period of the dry season (September/October).

November can be especially cheap, as it is out of peak season but tends to still be quite dry before the short rains hit. The low season, from late November to May, is great for bird watching as the area is wet, green, and luscious.

Accommodation in Tarangire National Park:

Most travelers tend to remain in the north of the park near the Tarangire River, but the south is equally beautiful. Your accommodation will normally be luxury-tented camps. Some of our favorites here include: 

Kuro Tarangire, Swala Safari Camp, and Oliver's Camp are high-end options and some of the best bases in the park. 

Mbali Tarangire River Camp offers stunning views over the river and a pool for a moderate price in the northern part of the park. 

Tarangire Treetops is one of the most unique accommodation options in the park, with rooms built amongst thousand-year-old Baobab trees.

Arrange with ULTIMATE WILD SAFARIS for this beautiful expedition.

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