Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Tarangire National Park, The grass withers as weakly as straw as the scorching heat dries up the land, burning the earth to a dusty red. During the rainy season, the River Tarangire has dried up to a mere shadow of its former glory. However, the thirsty creatures drink its fluids. Given that they will at least find some water here, thirsty wild creatures travel several kilometers.
While large numbers of migratory wildebeest, zebras, buffalos, impalas, gazelles, hartebeests, and elands consume the decreasing water levels in the lagoons, there are large herds of up to 300 elephants that scratch the dried-out river bed to obtain water from underground streams. The greatest number of wild animals outside of the expansive Serengeti Ecosystem may currently be found in this park. The only location in Tanzania where you may observe antelopes adapted to arid conditions, such as the stately fringe-eared oryx and the unusually long-necked gerenuk, is here, which also has an abundance of predators.
The seasonal migrants spread out over an area of 20,000 square kilometers (12500 square miles) during the rainy season until the green plains are exhausted, at which point they return to the river. Nonetheless, it is easy to spot the large number of elephants during both the dry and other seasons.
Approximately 550 bird species call the year-round green marshes home, making them the planet’s most abundant breeding habitats.
The largest birds in the world, ostriches, ground hornbills, and the Kori bustard, the heaviest flying bird species, can all be seen emerging from the damp ground.
If they are fortunate, more ardent birdwatchers may be able to spot groups of the vibrant yellow collared lovebird, the ashy starling, and the pretty rufous-tailed weaver, all of which are native to the arid savannah in central and northern Tanzania.
History of Tarangire National Park
Originally created in 1957 as a game reserve, Tarangire National Park was redesigned and gazetted as a national park in 1970. The southern section of Tarangire National Park is the ideal place to go if you want a less crowded safari experience. Tarangire National Park is an amazing Tanzania safari destination that you will love visiting because it delivers a real African sense of Tanzania’s rural side.
Tarangire National Park's tourist attractions
A popular safari destination in Tanzania, Tarangire National Park is renowned for its abundance of elephants, animal migration, baobab trees, tree-climbing African pythons, and other attractions. The attractions in Tarangire National Park are listed below.
Migration of Wildlife
One of Tanzania’s most fascinating natural phenomena is the migration of wildlife, which takes place in Tarangire National Park, one of the country’s most seasonal parks. Within the larger Tarangire ecosystem, there is a lot of migratory movement in Tarangire National Park. This animal migration features the movement of numerous elephants, hartebeests, wildebeests, gazelles, and zebras as well as a number of predators like lions and leopards into the park, albeit it is not as massive as the Great Wildebeest Migration.
large number of elephants
One of the main draws for visitors to Tarangire National Park is the vast herds of elephants. The park is well-known throughout the world for having the greatest number of elephants, which is also thought to be the highest in all of Tanzania. Large elephant herds, with around 300 individuals per herd, can be seen during game drives in Tarangire National Park. These herds graze on the savannah plains and dig in the dry riverbed of the Tarangire River in an effort to find water in the underground streams, particularly during the dry season.
Animals
Apart from the substantial elephant population, Tarangire National Park is home to a wide variety of other animal species, such as antelopes like the fringe-eared oryx and long-necked gerenuk, wildebeests, eland, gazelles, impala, zebras, kudu, rhino, hartebeest, cape buffaloes, and others.
Birds
With more than 550 distinct species of vibrant and unique birds, Tarangire National Park is regarded as one of Tanzania’s best places to go birdwatching. The park’s vast network of marshes is primarily located in its southern and eastern regions. Crested francolins, hoopoes, yellow-necked spurfowl, hornbills, guinea fowls, steppe eagles, brown parrots, the enormous lappet-faced vulture, white-bellied goaway bird, bateleur eagles, mousebirds, Kori bustards, yellow-collared lovebirds, bee-eaters, lilac breasted rollers, swifts, hammerkops, striped swallows, and starlings are just a few of the birds found in Tarangire National Park.
Tarangire National Park’s swamps
The vast network of swamps that dominate Tarangire National Park’s landscape, particularly in its southern and eastern regions, serve as habitat for a wide range of animals and birds, including African wild dogs, elephants, cape buffaloes, silale-swamp lions, and tree-climbing pythons. The vulturine guinea fowl, Donaldson-Smith’s nightjar, yellow-collared lovebird, great white pelican, and other birds live in these swamps. Among these are the Northern pied babbler, Von der Decken’s hornbill, Northern white-crowned shrike, Pink-breasted lark, Rufous-tailed weaver, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, White-faced Whistling-Duck, and Mouse-colored penduline tit.
An enormous baobab tree
One of Tarangire National Park’s most distinctive features are the enormous baobab trees, commonly known as “The tree of life,” which have a trunk capacity of between 300 and 1000 liters. Over the course of their roughly 600-year lifespan, baobab trees are said to travel throughout Africa, according to local legends. However, God became irritated with their aimless movements and chose to limit their movement by planting the upside down.
Things To Do in Tarangire National Park
Game drives and watching
The main Tanzanian safari activity in Tarangire National Park is game viewing, which can be done on five different routes: the Lemiyon route, the Gursi way, the Lamarku route, the western Lake Barungi route, and the Kitibog Hill route. It is an amazing and enjoyable safari activity. Morning, afternoon, and nighttime game drives are available. From the comfort of a four-wheel drive vehicle, you can take in views of a variety of wildlife, including antelopes like the fringe-eared oryx and long-necked gerenuk, wildebeests, eland, gazelles, impala, zebras, kudu, rhino, hartebeest, cape buffaloes, and others.
Watching birds
More than 550 bird species, including both permanent and migratory species that arrive in the park from Europe and North Africa between November and April, can be found in Tarangire National Park, which is regarded as one of Tanzania’s top birding sites. The best time of year to go bird watching in Tarangire National Park is from November to April, when migratory bird species are present and resident species are easily visible due to their breeding plumage. Bird watching is best in the early morning or evening. Visitors may experience Tarangire National Park’s nightlife and nocturnal creatures like lions, leopards, hyenas, and African wild dogs by going on night game drives.
Cropped francolins, hoopoes, yellow-necked spurfowl, hornbills, guinea fowl, steppe eagles, brown parrots, the enormous lappet-faced vulture, white-bellied goaway bird, bateleur eagles, mouse birds, Kori bustards, yellow-collared lovebirds, bee-eaters, lilac breasted rollers, swifts, hammerkops, and striped swallows are some of the birds to watch during a Tanzanianie national park bird watching safari. The Lemiyon Triangle, which is located in the park’s northernmost region, forests, and the wetlands surrounding the Tarangire River are the best places to see birds in Tarangire National Park.
Nature hikes
Nature walks in Tarangire National Park are a fantastic Tanzania safari activity for anyone who enjoy the outdoors. There are two sessions available each day, which are morning and evening nature walks that run between one to three hours each. An armed and experienced guide who is familiar with the best places to hike and go on nature walks leads the nature walks. You will have the opportunity to observe a variety of animals and bird species that call the park home while engaging in this program, which is conducted along a number of nature paths that wind through the park.
Seeing the sights
The Tarangire River, which is encircled by magnificent baobab trees, and several swamps, including the 30-square-meter Silale swamp, are some of the park’s most breathtaking spots for sightseeing. Tarangire National Park boasts Tanzania’s most amazing landscape, with breathtaking views of the natural world. Elephants, zebras, gazelles, cape buffaloes, and other species can all be seen in the Tarangire River, particularly during the dry season when they are digging in the mud to find water. Another excellent location for touring in Tarangire National Park is the Silale Swamp, where guests may observe a range of animals, including lions, leopards, and enormous tree-climbing pythons.
Cultural excursions
A Tanzanian cultural tour to the Maasai or Barabaig is the ideal activity to partake in if you want to experience something different from the wildlife in Tarangire National Park. The Maasai people, one of the few tribes on the African continent with traditions and culture that have not been destroyed by modernity and technology, live in these communities, which are located near Kolo on Dodoma round and along the borders of Tarangire National Park.Throughout the cultural journey, you will gain an understanding of the distinctive style of life, clothing, and housing of the Maasai people, known as the bomas, which are circular structures made of mud and trees. Additionally, you will be treated to local theater and dance, take part in the rearing and milking of the cattle, and buy various handcrafted items at discounted prices, such as baskets, mats, and beads. During cultural trips, tourists can also go to nearby villages and schools that Nimali supports. There, they can engage with the locals, find out more about their daily hardships, and tell stories to the schoolchildren.
Tarangire National Park travel route
Tarangire National Park is accessible to visitors by plane or road. The primary entry point is Arusha City, which is around 150 kilometers away and takes two to three hours to get to.
By road
The majority of safaris to Tarangire National Park depart from Arusha city, which is around 150 kilometers away. The trip takes two to three hours, and visitors can choose to drive to the park in a private vehicle or on public transportation. Our safari packages at Petnah Tours & Travel include private car transportation, with pickup and drop-off at your designated location. The safari quotation includes transportation service. The main gates of the park are not reached by the daily buses that run between Arusha city and the Manyara district.
By air
Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), the primary gateway to Tanzania, is the ideal place to reach Tarangire National Park. From Arusha City, take a chartered flight to Tarangire Airstrip and Kuro Airstrip. Numerous airline companies, including regional and Auric Air, operate these services.
Accommodation Options in Tarangire National Park
Depending on your requirements and price range, you can choose from a variety of hotels, safari lodges, and camps when on a safari in Tarangire National Park.