Tarangire National Park is located in northern Tanzania, roughly south of Lake Manyara. This is a protected area with massive baobab trees, lush grasslands, and large elephant herds. Tarangire is one of Tanzania’s most underappreciated attractions, with only 161,792 travelers that visit the park every year, there’s more room for exclusivity to those that do make it there compared to the other parks like the Serengeti.
During the wet season, the marshland to the south of the park is impassable, but it completely dries out during the dry season. The park’s vegetation is diverse, with open grasslands, savannah, Baobab trees, and dense acacia bush in the north, and palm trees and wetlands filled with long elephant grass in the south.
TARANGIRE ECOSYSTEM
During the wet season, the marshland to the south of the park is impassable, but it completely dries out during the dry season. The park’s vegetation is diverse, with open grasslands, savannah, Baobab trees, and dense acacia bush in the north, and palm trees and wetlands filled with long elephant grass in the south.
Baobab Trees
Tarangire National Park, with its baobab-covered environment, is one of Tanzania’s most scenically beautiful parks. The baobab trees that rise above the savannah play an important role in ecology by providing homes for bees, birds, and bats. They also provide healthy fruit and indirect water to animals such as elephants, particularly during the dry season.
Tarangire River
The Tarangire River runs all year and is a vital source of water for many of the region’s population, particularly during the dry season. The river empties into Lake Burunge, which lies to the park’s northwest. Thousands of wildebeests and zebras flock to the park for improved grazing areas between the months of June to September. Tarangire River, the park’s only permanent water source, attracts elephants and other animals during the dry months. During these months, it is estimated that up to 2000 elephants visit the park, with some traveling all the way from Kenya’s Amboseli National Park.
Wildlife
Tarangire National Park is home to a diverse range of large and small species. There are many species that live in the park, while some migrate depending on the season. Elephants, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, zebras, wildebeests, dwarf mongooses, and ostriches are among the most often seen wildlife.
In addition, the park is home to 550 bird species, including greater and smaller Kudus, as well as oryx. Among the most common birds are yellow-collared lovebirds, red-billed hornbills, southern ground hornbills, lilac-breasted rollers, ostriches, raptors, and a variety of water birds.
African wild dogs have been spotted in the park’s southern reaches, and with their numbers dwindling, catching a glimpse of one is a rare treat. Lions can be seen basking in the sun on the riverbanks, while leopards are occasionally observed relaxing in the baobab trees. Cheetahs are present but prefer to remain concealed from unexpected prey.
BEST TIME TO VISIT TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
June to October and December to March are the best periods to visit Tarangire. The Tarangire River attracts large herds of animals, making game viewing easier. Also due to the lack of rain, the vegetation is generally dry and thin, making it easy for tourists to spot the various wildlife.
Furthermore, there are fewer malaria-causing female anopheles mosquitoes during this period, lowering the chance of developing malaria. Even so, it is recommended that you sleep under a mosquito net at all times, especially if you are going camping. This is the country’s peak tourism season, and a Tarangire National Park Safari, like all other tourist locations, is expected to be more expensive due to increased demand for lodging.
PLACES TO STAY AT TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Tarangire accommodations are divided into two categories: lodges and tented camps, with three safari tiers ranging from ultra-luxurious to mid-range deluxe to budget-friendly. All have comfy beds, en-suite bathrooms, substantial furnishings, private patios, and mosquito protection, as well as running water, lighting, and varying degrees of personal services. Some include swimming pools, while others have central reception sections with lounges, dining areas, and bars.
Camps
Traditional Tented & Bush Camps in Tarangire are designed to have a low environmental impact while providing an authentic East African safari experience, with nostalgic undertones of the Colonial past blended with current standards of luxury and convenience. Canvas suites are what they are, typically canvas pitched on wooden or stone platforms.
An expensive Safari Tier 1 luxury camp is available for discerning XPATS International clients desiring the standard expected of pioneering camps in the 1930s combined with a rustic boutique environment. A true wilderness atmosphere and adventure are combined with exceptional personal service. A satisfying recreation of African travel from nearly a century ago is ensured by high-quality bush cuisine and safari guides. Tier 2 is more involved with the indigenous community, more pleasant and convenient, but with fixed meal menus and buffets. It offers less personalization. At Safari Tier 3, value comfort camps cater for larger groups of guests on the edges of the Tarangire ecosystem, requiring more time to get to the park gate.
Lodges
In Tarangire, lodges are substantially built from local materials as cottage units surrounding a central reception room to provide better temperature management in hotter and more humid places. They provide all amenities, with the exception of their site, which varies in terms of accommodation quality.
During your adventure safari in Tarangire, Safari Tier 1 provides spacious individual suites carved into old baobab trees with every available luxury. The Safari Tier 2 Lodge offers eco-research links, Belgian cuisine, and a grand piano in the lounge, while the utilitarian Tier 3 Lodge has non-frill hybrid rooming and shared facilities for roughly 80 to 100 guests.
Value differences are assessed based on levels of exclusivity, location, and service. Although they all provide basic amenities to a high standard, they differ greatly in terms of location and character, with some being indulgently luxurious, others being practical and less personalized, and still others being quirky and individual to the extreme, but all providing unforgettable points of contact with a land, a culture, and a history that is unique but inextricably linked to everyone.
WAYS TO EXPERIENCE TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
When you’re ready to start planning your safari vacation, you can select from a number of safari packages designed to help you enjoy the Tarangire Ecosystem in style. The most popular wildlife safari packages for Tarangire National Park are 7-day standard safaris in Tanzania, 6-day traditional Tanzania safari tours, and 5-day safari game drives. Because these are low-cost safari tours, expect to see multiple safari destinations in the northern circuit, including Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara. Northern Tanzania’s parks are among the most beautiful destinations to visit on an African safari. The Tarangire Ecosystem can also be visited on a four-day safari or two-day tour; however, three-day safaris in Tanzania do not include a visit to the national park. Wildlife safari itineraries of 10 days, 14 days, and 15 days also visit the park and are popular among safari enthusiasts. These adventures may take place in both Kenyan and Tanzanian national parks.
WAYS TO GET TO TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
The bulk of Tarangire safaris depart from and return to Arusha. Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Arusha, which is about 46 kilometers/29 miles away. It is also possible to fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam and subsequently to Arusha Airport (ARK) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (KLI) (JRO).
Flights are conducted on a regular basis from Arusha to the park’s various airstrips. Driving is another alternative. The travel will take roughly eight hours and will cover approximately 325 kilometers (202 miles). It’s a bumpy journey, but it’s gorgeous and there’s a chance you’ll spot some wildlife.
