Guide To Tarangire National Park Safari : Tarangire National Park, Tanzania’s sixth-largest national park, covers an area of 2,600 square kilometers and is most famous for its large elephant herds and mini-wildlife migration that occurs during the dry season, when approximately 250,000 animals enter the park.
LOCATION OF TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
The park is located slightly off the popular northern Tanzania Safari Circuit, between the Masai Steppe meadows to the south-east and the Great Rift Valley lakes to the north and west. The permanent Tarangire River is located in the northern part of Tarangire and is known as the park’s lifeline, especially during the dry season when most of the region is completely dry. This flows north until it exits the park in the park’s northwest corner and empties into Lake Burungi. During the dry season in the south, a number of wide swamps dry into green plains.
During your safari in Tarangire, it is highly recommended that you stay for a few days, particularly in the south of the park, which offers a less crowded safari experience and allows you to enjoy an authentic African feel of Tanzania’s countryside.
WHAT IS TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK FAMOUS FOR?
Tarangire has a few claims to fame that make it a worthwhile addition to your Tanzania safari on the northern circuit. Tarangire National Park is best known for its large herds of elephants. It is home to one of Africa’s largest elephant populations. The population is also known for its old tuskers, which are large bull elephants with massive tusks.
Tarangire National Park in Tanzania is also well-known for its walking safaris, particularly in the park’s southern section. Walking safaris are permitted in one of the few wildlife parks in northern Tanzania. Then there’s Tarangire, which is known for its wide variety and high concentrations of wildlife, especially during the dry season.
Last but not least, Tarangire is famous for the wildlife migration that takes place here during the dry season. Although not as large as the Serengeti Park’s Great Migration, the wildlife migration in Tarangire is a spectacular sight. The Tarangire River attracts a large number of wildebeests, elephants, gazelles, zebras, hartebeests, and buffaloes. This influx of herbivores attracts a wide range of predators.
TARANGIRE VEGETATION
The permanent Tarangire River is the most prominent feature here, and the park was named after it. There are several large swamps that feed off some of its tributaries; however, these are usually dry for the majority of the year but become impassable during the rains. The Tarangire Park is usually very dry, even drier than the Serengeti, but its vegetation is much greener, with lots of elephant grass, vast areas of mixed acacia woodlands, and some of the wonderful ribbons of the aquatic forest, not to mention the giant baobab tree, which can live up to 600 years and store between 300 and 900 liters of water.
TARANGIRE WILDLIFE MIGRATION
Every year, from June to November, Tarangire hosts a wildlife migration that, while not as dramatic as the Serengeti’s wildebeest migration, attracts a sizable number of animals. Because the Tarangire River is the only source of water in this part of the country, it attracts a large number of wildebeests, elephants, gazelles, zebras, hartebeest, buffaloes, and various predators such as lions who come to drink and graze along its banks. During the rainy season of November to May, zebras and large herds of wildebeest migrate north-west towards the Rift Valley floor, joining the large herds of animals that spread across the Masaai Steppe and dispersing all the way to Lake Manyara.
ANIMALS OF TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
In your Tarangire Safari you will be able to see a variety of animals. This park is home to one of Africa’s largest elephant populations, with several herds of up to 300 elephants. Impalas, elands, buffaloes, giraffes, Bohor reedbuck, Coke’s hartebeest, Thompson’s gazelle, greater and lesser kudu, and on rare occasions, the unusual gerenuk and fringe-eared Oryx can also be seen. A few black rhinos are also believed to be present in this park. Elephants, wildebeests, and zebras will undoubtedly congregate here in large numbers. Leopards, lions, hyenas, and cheetahs are among the other common animals in Tarangire, especially in the southern open areas. The wild dogs are only seen on rare occasions.
Tarangire National Park also has a large number of birds, with over 545 species identified. In addition to other species, the stunning yellow-collared lovebirds and the shy starlings can be found here.
ACTIVITIES IN TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Game drives and walking tours
The primary safari activity in this park is game driving, but walking tours may be available if you stay outside the park’s boundaries. Night safaris/Night Game drives are also available. Focus East Africa Tours currently organizes walking tours as well as fly-camping safaris.
Night Game Drives
Is it possible to go on night game drives in Tarangire? Night game drives are permitted in the park, but not all accommodations provide these tours. Only those who have properly established all of TANAPA’s requirements and regulations, such as Swala and Oliver’s camp, are permitted to conduct these walks.
Tarangire Balloon Safaris
Take a hot air balloon ride over the Tarangire and soar over the Tarangire’s treetops to get an up-close look at wildlife such as lions and ungulates.
Birding safari
Birding in Tarangire National Park is another popular activity in Tarangire, where visitors can see a variety of bird species.
COST OF TARANGIRE SAFARI
The total cost of a Tarangire safari is determined by the type of accommodation you choose and the activities you choose. Staying at the ultra-luxurious Chem-Chem Lodge for $1,250 per person, Little Chem-Chem for $1,200 per night, or Kuro Camp for $857 per night will undoubtedly increase the cost of your safari. Mid-range facilities, such as Tarangire River Camp and the Maramboi tent, will provide you with a lower safari cost. Lake Burunge Tented Camp is a good option for budget travelers.
THE TARANGIRE SAFARI EXPERIENCE
One of Tanzania’s most underappreciated safari locations is Tarangire. So, it offers a more exclusive safari experience than the more famous African parks. Comparatively speaking to the well-known parks, it is not overly crowded. Particularly in the southern region of the park and outside of high season, the Tarangire safari experience is less commercialized. Tarangire is therefore a fantastic option for a more genuine safari on Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
The dry season, which lasts from June to October, is the ideal time for a Tarangire safari in Tanzania. The Tarangire River, which at this time of year serves as the only source of water in the region, attracts a variety of animals and birds. Additionally, the vegetation becomes sparser, which makes it easier to see animals in the wild. Thus, the dry season is the ideal time of year to go on safari in Tarangire Park to view wildlife.
The wet season, which runs from November to March, is the best time to go bird-watching in Tarangire Park.
