Tarangire National Park

Tarangire stands out among its peers thanks to an abundance of two of nature’s giants: African elephants and the peculiar baobab tree. Large predators and typical plains game are numerous throughout the dry season.

About Tarangire

East Africa, Tanzania

Tarangire is a landscape lover’s Eden, an animal fancier’s Nirvana, and a balm for lovers of quietude in the midst of great natural exuberance.

Tarangire National Park’s wonderfully varied landscapes — rocky outcrops, rolling hills, golden savannah generously strewn with acacias and the park’s trademark baobabs — are home to just about all the headliner beasts of an African Safari, including a large and robust elephant population, a coterie of tree-snoozing lions, and rare stars such as the fringe-eared oryx and the long-necked gerenuk, a particularly winsome and creatively constructed antelope. (Also of note: Tarangire’s 550 bird species and its outlandishly towering termite mounds, which may not sound terribly impressive, but are just about guaranteed to elevate the humble termite to the top of any traveller’s pantheon of amazing wildlife.)

We are forever enchanted by the luxury of “soft velvet” nights that Elspeth Huxley remembered at Tarangire, and its sky “[Like] a warm conservancy whose great dome was encrusted with all the diamonds in the world, and all the scents in the world were there too, changing like currents in the sea.”

I loved this country and I felt at home and where a man feels at home outside of where he’s born, is where he’s meant to go Ernest Hemingway

It receives considerably fewer tourists, meaning that there is generally less congestion at wildlife sightings and visitors experience an enhanced sense of being in the wilderness. Tarangire stands out among its peers thanks to an abundance of two of nature’s giants: African elephants and the peculiar baobab tree. Large predators and typical plains game are numerous throughout the dry season. During the dry season, the perennial Tarangire river is the only reliable water supply, attracting vast herds of game and attendant predators. With the rains, the wildlife disperses and many roads become impassable.

Highlights

Elephants

Elephants some 3000 elephants converge on Tarangire during the dry season, with herds up to 300 strong. Excellent sights year-round.

Bird-watching

A bird lover’s paradise, with over 500 species, including rare endemic species and summer migrants.

Baobab Trees

an abundance of these peculiar ‘upside-down trees’ are found within the park. Visitors can walk inside the “Poacher’s Hide” tree.

Unusual Species

Fringe-eared Oryx, the rare Coke’s hartebeests, long-necked gerenuk, dik-dik, grant’s gazelles, amongst others.

Predators

very good sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards, and spotted hyenas. Also the possibility of highly endangered African wild.

Mini-Migration

Tanzania’s second largest migration occurs when wildlife converges on the Tarangire River during the dry season.

Different areas of the Tarangire

Northern Section

The main entrance, airstrip and park headquarters are found in this area. The entrance sits on a bend in the Tarangire River, giving arriving visitors their first glimpse of the park’s most important resource. Entering the park the terrain is fairly flat, made up of grasslands with occasional woodlands. Standing out amongst the trees are the baobabs, unique for their bulbous trunks that can hold hundreds of litres of water and this is the northernmost limit of their range in Tanzania. Progressing into the park, the terrain becomes quite hilly, with views of distant Lake Manyara and the Milima Mitatu peaks. During the wet season, Lake Burungi is home to good numbers of hippos, crocodiles and various species of waterfowl, while it sometimes dries completely in the dry season, revealing a sparkling bed of salt crystals. The Silale Swamps are home to a resident lion pride.

Western Section

The predominant habitat in this section of Tarangire is made up of the nutritious grassland found in the Gursi Plains, along with pockets of combretum and acacia woodlands. The two habitats are favourable for the presence of two of the park’s mega-herbivores, elephants and Cape buffalos. Other herbivorous species also benefit from the excellent grazing and browsing, making this a good area to spot predators. Good sightings of lion and spotted hyenas are frequently had and the area is also considered the best place to see Africa’s second most endangered large carnivore, the African wild dog (also known as the painted wolf). These highly successful hunters are mostly seen near the Kitibong Hills.

Southern Section

For those who truly wish to experience the wild wilderness of East Africa, the southern reaches of Tarangire are a haven of unspoilt remoteness. There is little in the way of infrastructure in this region, with only a few camps and minimal park facilities. Access to many of the roads is occasionally impossible in the wet season, due to the swamps and wetlands that form. These limitations in human terms, mean that the south is the location for most of the walking safaris offered in the park. For the wildlife, the low number of tourists, along with lower populations of lions and hyenas, mean that cheetahs and ostriches are seen fairly frequently. The swamps and wetlands are also a haven for waterbirds until they dry up in the dry season.

Tarangire National Park offers a serene wildlife experience, away from the crowded sightings of other Tanzanian parks. Wildlife abundance and diversity peak during certain seasons, with sightings fluctuating between the dry and wet seasons. The park is renowned for its large elephant population, potentially numbering up to 3,000, and also hosts a variety of other large herbivores and unique species not found in the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Crater, such as fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk. Predator sightings, including lions, hyenas, and leopards, are excellent, with Tarangire being one of the best places in Tanzania to see African wild dogs. The park is also a haven for bird enthusiasts, with over 545 species identified, including endemic species like the yellow-collared lovebird. The Tarangire River and its surrounding habitats play a crucial role in the seasonal migration and concentration of wildlife, making the park a must-visit for those seeking an intimate connection with Africa’s diverse fauna.