Tourist Attractions in Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is among several renowned conservation areas and national parks that make up northern Tanzania as prime destination for Tanzania safari just a short distance to the northwest lies Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its lake teeming with flamingos. Travelling a bit further in the same direction brings you to the extraordinary Ngorongoro Crater. Continuing beyond that, you reach the famous Serengeti National Park, known as the main stage for the Great Wildlife Migration. Tarangire National Park covers an area of about 2,850 square kilometers. It was established in 1970 and is the sixth largest park in Tanzania.
Tarangire National Parkis renowned for its large population of the elephants, often seen congregating in groups near the river, particularly during the dry months of June to September. It is said to host one of the largest elephant’s populations in Tanzania, making it a prime destination for wildlife enthusiast and photographers. Tarangire is also one of the few places in Tanzania where one can find oryx, and more rarely gerenuk and both greater and lesser kudu, and even on occasions cape hunting dogs. It is also a birder’s paradise with more resident breeding species than anywhere else in Tanzania. Raptors are everywhere; from the masters of predation and soaring – the martial and bateleur eagles – down to the tiny but vicious pygmy falcon.
Attractions in Tarangire National Park
Elephant population
Tarangire National Park is well known for its sizable herds of African elephants, housing over 300 individuals frequently gathering around the Tarangire River, especially during the dry season. These majestic animals, many with tusks that nearly reach the ground, offer outstanding opportunities for wildlife photography and observation.
Wildlife
Tarangire is renowned as a prime safari destination due to its high concentration of wildlife. The Park has the second highest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania after Serengeti National Park. The park attracts countless herds of animals that gather around the Tarangire River. Some of the animals you can look for on safari in Tarangire are: bush elephants, lions, hippos, leopards, cheetahs, African buffaloes, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, African wild dogs, bat-eared foxes, warthogs, jackals. the park also home to various antelope species such as wildebeests, hartebeests, kudus, fringe-eared oryxes, common elands, waterbucks, gerenuks, impalas and dik-diks.
Visitors also have the opportunity to mongoose colonies that often reside in abandoned termite mounds, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, honey badgers and ground squirrels while in the park. Make sure to include this park in your northern Tanzania safari itinerary. It is the perfect place to witness the gentle giants of the savannah, from playful calves to majestic bulls. Watch as they dig into the muddy riverbanks in their quest for water, offering a truly unforgettable experience.
Birds of Tarangire
Tarangire national park is also a birder’s paradise with more resident breeding species than anywhere else in Tanzania. Over 550 different species of which several are threatened or endemic are housed with terrestrial and aquatic environments, spread all over across the park. Particularly rich bird life occurs in the open Acacia woodlands, in and along the wetlands and in the floodplain of Tarangire River. The park is therefore an amazing destination for bird lovers. Some of the bird species you might sight while on your birdwatching excursion here include Masai ostrich, African fish, steppe and bateleur eagles, lappet-faced vultures, hornbills, kori bustards, stocking-thighed ostriches, lesser flamingos, helmeted guinea fowls, northern white-crowned shrikes, African hoopoes, superb and ashy starlings, lilac-breasted rollers, pygmy falcons, red-and-yellow barbets, brown parrots, white-bellied go-away-bird, yellow-collared lovebirds, saddle-billed storks and Nubian woodpeckers among others.
Baobab trees
Tarangire is known for having the most diverse vegetation among the parks in northern Tanzania. Among its many plant species, the African baobab tree stands out due to its impressive size. The trunk of an African baobab can reach a circumference of about 30 meters (100 feet). They have spent quite sometime on the planet and seen a lot of history. Additionally, these trees are remarkable for their longevity, often living for many centuries.
Sausage trees
The Kigelia, commonly known as the sausage tree, is well known for attracting lions, who often lounge on its branches. These trees are characterized but their broad canopy and distinctive, large sausage-shaped, hanging fruits. Beyond their appeal to lions, sausage trees are also frequented by leopards and pythons, making them notable features to observe during a Tarangire safari.
Tarangire River and Lake Burunge
The river is fed by seasonal sand rivers originating to the East and South-eastern parts of the park. It flows northward along the park and empties into Lake Burunge. Within the park, the river is linked to/with Silale, Gurusi and Larmakau swamps. The Tarangire River flows south through the park, providing the only consistent water source in the region during the dry season. This crucial resource draws numerous migratory animals to the park each year, particularly during the prolonged dry period (June to October).
Red termite mounds
These different habitats host an amazingly diverse and dense array of wildlife. The mounds built of soil from underground and held together by termite saliva are always seen and provide observation points for animals. This includes smaller creatures as well, such as termites, which flourish in Tarangire. Termite mounds can be seen everywhere, and sometimes grow into towers that are double the height of a grown man. They are also a home to dwarf mongoose, pangolin, snakes, aardvark when abandoned.
When to go
This is a year-round park with the distinct seasons offering different experiences, from dry and dusty with animals clustered around shrinking water holes and the trickle of Tarangire River. Tarangire has a bimodal rainfall with short rains from October to December, long rains from March to May and dry season from June to October and January to February. The highest day temperature goes up to 380 C in January to February but drops to 150 C in July. However the best recommended time to visit Tarangire National Park is during the long dry season, which is June to October. In the dry season, thousands of zebras and wildebeests migrate to the park.
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information about tourist attractions in Tarangire National Park And then book with our tours and travel companies, such as African Vacation Safaris, who offer the best tour packages while on your safari in Tanzania.