Attractions in Tarangire National Park
Renowned for housing enormous elephant population and mini-wildlife migratory, Tarangire National Park is an amazing Tanzania safari destination at 2,850 square kilometres.
While on a Tanzania birding safari, Tarangire national park is one of the best places for birdwatching and a must-see site.
Lying in the Manyara national park, Tarangire national park is easily included on a safari itinerary to Lake Manyara national park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Serengeti national park due of its strategic location.
With a range of tourist attractions as described below, Tarangire national park is a quite fulfilling Tanzania safari destination.
Tarangire’s wildlife migration
One of the most seasonal Tanzania safari locations and national parks is Tarangire National Park. This is so due Within the larger Tarangire environment, it is rather active in migration.
Though not as massive as the Great wildebeest migration, Tarangire National Park has some of the sizable elephant herds found in Tanzania and East Africa, with over 300 members in each herd. With so many elephants, hartebeests, wildebeests, gazelles, zebras, and predators like lions and leopards entering Tarangire national park, wildlife movement there is phenomenal.
Drawings in Tarangire National Park
Elephants in Tarangire
Among the animals in Tarangire national park are lions, leopards, hartebeests, leopards, lions, wildebeests, gazelles, rhinos, kudus, impalas, zebras, cape buffaloes, country antelopes including the long necked gerenuk and fringe eared oryx among others. Tarangire national park’s animals are best observed dry the dry season since they gather along the banks of Tarangire River the main source of water for the ecosystem of the park.
Population of Elephants Largest in Tanzania
During game drives in Tarangire National Park, you will have an opportunity to see over 300 individuals per herd most especially during the dry season as they dig the dry riverbed of Tarangire river in search of underground streams of water to quench their thirst. Tarangire National Park hosts the largest population of elephants in Tanzania, which is one of the main attractions of the park and the reason it is internationally popular.
From Masai Mara, the bigger herds of elephants assemble around Tarangire River throughout the dry season months of June, July, August, September and October.
The plains of Tarangire national park turn green with the arrival of rain during the rainy season, providing abundance of pastures and water. This causes the animals to disperse over the river; elephants “the land giants” are still readily seen even in this wet season.
Birds found in Tarangire National Park
Comprising approximately 550 distinct bird species housed in the wetlands stretched along the Tarangire River, savannah plains and forest galleries, Tarangire national park is the premier birding destination in Tanzania and a heaven for birders.
Tarangire national park boasts both resident species-always present in the area-and migratory bird species arriving from November to April.
Attractions at Tarangire National Park, Lilac breasted rollers
The immense Baobab Tree
Renowned feature in Tarangire national park, the giant Baobab Trees are known as the Tree of Life since their trucks can hold over 600 000 liters of water.
Usually feeding on its edible seeds, the Giant Baobab Trees have a lengthy life cycle and can survive up to 600 years. This tree is therefore a major source of food for many different species inhabiting the area. Elephants hone their large tusks on the barks of these trees, Attractions in Tarangire National Park.
Local stories claim that these trees used to be rather mobile across the Africa continent. God, disturbed by their mobility, decided to set them upside down to prevent them from moving ever once more.
The Waters
Mostly located in the southern and eastern areas of the park, Tarangire National Park consists of a vast network of swamps that provide habitat to a range of birds and animals, including the tree – climbing pythons, Silale swamp – ions, African wild dogs Cape Buffaloes, and even elephants among others.
Vulturine Guinea fowl, Donaldson-Smith’s nightjar, Yellow-collared lovebird, Great white pelican, White-faced Whistling-Duck,
Tarangire National Park: How to reach
Starting from Arusha, the capital city of the region, most safaris to Tarangire national park travel roughly 150 kilometers (about two to three hours’ drive) from Arusha using road and air means of transportation.
via road
From Tarangire national park, you can use public means of transportation or private vehicle service, which is typically included in your safari package. The drive takes roughly three hours and spans 150 kilometers.
Tarangire National Park Attractions
Arriving in Tarangire
Daily buses from Arusha city toward the Manyara area; you must pay a matatu or cab to get to the gate of the park.
By air,
Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport provides domestic chartered flights to Tarangire Airstrip and Kuro airstrip, therefore serving the park. Auric Air, Regional Air among others, runs these flights.
Related reading: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: A Safe Haven for Rhinos in Uganda and Experience monitoring lions in Queen Elizabeth national park.
Ready to see it for yourself? Explore our Tanzania safari tours, including the 5 Days Tanzania Safaris itinerary, or get in touch with our safari experts to start planning your trip.
