Tarangire National Park - Tanzania-Getaways

Tarangire National Park Lion in Tree Featured Image

Welcome to Tarangire National Park. Thanks to its proximity to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, Tarangire is usually assigned only as part of a larger northern circuit safari.

We think it deserves a whole lot more, at least in the dry season. It’s a place where elephants dot the plains like cattle, and where lion roars and zebra barks fill the night, all set against a backdrop of constantly changing scenery. Tarangire National Park has the second-highest concentration of wildlife of any Tanzanian national park (after Serengeti) and reportedly the largest concentration of elephants in the world. The Tarangire ecosystem, with the park as its heart and soul, also has more than 700 resident lions and sightings are common. Less visible, but nonetheless present are leopards and cheetahs. What sustains them are large herds of zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, buffaloes and other herbivores. With more than 450 bird species, some say that Tarangire is the best birdwatching destination in Tanzania.

But this is one place where the wildlife tells only half the story. Dominating the park’s 2850 sq km, the great stands of epic baobabs should be reason enough to come here, but there are also sun-blistered termite mounds in abundance, as well as grassy savannah plains and vast swamps. And cleaving the park in two is the Tarangire River, its meandering course and (in some places) steep riverbanks providing a dry-season lure for so many stirring wildlife encounters.

Come the short rainy season, and the park changes completely, as its wild inhabitants disperse across the Maasai Steppe, over an area 10 times larger than the park. This, too, is a Tarangire specialty: one of the park’s greatest rewards is the chance to discern and tune into the seasonal rhythms of wild Africa.

Tarangire National Park Leopard Seperator

Accommodation
Activities
Wildlife
Birdlife
Game Drives
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Accommodation

The Tarangire National Park in Tanzania offers an authentic safari atmosphere and several wonderful places to stay.

Some of the lodges may also be available for exclusive use. It’s a little quieter in terms of visitors than the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater areas, and is therefore ideal for a romantic getaway or a more peaceful family holiday. It’s perfect for anyone who would love to see elephants, birds, giraffe and lions in the trees!

Helping you find the perfect location with prices suitable for your budget is our specialty. East Cape Tours has travelled Tanzania and has spent time in the Tarangire National Park selecting only the finest of accommodations for our clients. You can expect top-class services and excellent rates at all our recommended lodges.

Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge

Manyara Ranch Conservancy

Tarangire River Camp

Tarangire Safari Lodge

Whistling Thorn Tented Camp

Activities

Activities and Attractions at Tarangire National Park

Day game drives (only certain lodges might offer night drives).
Guided walking safaris.
Fantastic meals and services at luxury lodges and campsites.
Tours to nearby Maasai and Barabaig villages.
Hundreds of rock paintings nearby Kolo.

Tarangire National Park Highlights

Large quantities of animals especially during the dry season (June to October).
Seeing wildlife drinking alongside the beautiful Tarangire River.
Over 500 bird species.
Over 700 tree-climbing lions!
Large elephant herds.
Incredibly diverse vegetation, including ancient baobab trees.
Luxury lodge accommodation and luxury tented campsites.

Wildlife

The elephants at the Tarangire National Park are particularly fantastic to see, as Tarangire has been noted to have the largest concentration of elephants out of any wildlife park in the world.

Large herds of zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffes and various antelope are easily found grazing or nearby the river and their big cat enemies are never too far behind them. The park has an astounding number of lions (over 700), as well as leopards and cheetahs. Seeing these large predators on a game drive in the Tarangire National Park is a high probability and an unforgettable experience.

The Tarangire National Park is one of several popular wildlife reserves in Tanzania, and is the country’s sixth largest park, with a space of 2,850 square kilometres. It is part of what is known as the northern safari circuit, which has four national parks. The northern section of the park contains the majority of camps and lodges and tends to be the busier part in terms of tourists, while the southern section is much quieter and offers a greater atmosphere of being out in the wilderness. To fully appreciate this park’s natural beauty at least a few days safari is highly recommended.

Tarangire National Park Lions up in the tree

Tarangire has exceptionally diverse vegetation that is not found in any of the other national parks on the northern safari circuit. A great number of baobab trees are present, as well as dense bush and high grasses. The Tarangire River flows through the northern section of the park, while the south is characterised by large swamps that become vast plains for grazing during the dry season. Riverine forests and mixed acacia woodlands are present in some parts as well. The park is also well known for its ever-present and large numbers of termite mounds. The abandoned mounds are often taken over by the dwarf mongoose.

Tarangire National Park Cheetah on Open Plains

Bird life

Tarangire’s birdlife is amazing with a great variety to discover and perhaps even photograph.

There have been over 500 species found in the park. If you are an avid bird-watcher, look out for ashy starlings, rufous-tailed weavers and the pretty yellow-collared lovebirds, as these species are endemic to Tanzania. Here you will also find the largest bird on earth, the stocking-thighed ostrich, and the kori bustard, the heaviest bird that can fly. They typically weigh up to an incredible 18 kilograms!

Whilst in the Tarangire National Park, birds are not the only creatures you will find on the branches of the trees. The area’s large pythons often wrap themselves securely amidst the leaves, and lions, surprisingly, can often be found up there off the ground as well! The Tarangire National Park is one of the few parks in Africa where lions climb trees. This is rather unusual behaviour from this big cat species and definitely worthy of a photograph!

Game Drives

The best time for game-viewing in the Tarangire National Park is between June and October, when the animals head for the water of the river.

You can look out for olive baboons, waterbuck, bohor reedbuck, Thompson’s gazelle, impala, eland, kudu and many more beautiful varieties of herbivores. The cheetahs seem to favour the open southern areas of the park and spotted hyena is a common sight. Some of the rarely seen animals include the gerenuk, fringe-eared oryx and wild dog.

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Accommodation