Attractions in Tarangire National Park : Tarangire national park is an incredible Tanzania safari destination and at 2,850 square largest national park in Tanzania, the park is famous for hosting huge population of elephants and mini- wildlife migration.
Tarangire national park is one of the best birding destinations in Tarangire and a must visit destination while on a Tanzania birding safari.
Tarangire national park is located in the Manyara national park and lies in the Northern Tanzania safari circuit, because of its strategic location it is easy to include on a safari itinerary to Lake Manyara national park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti national park.
Tarangire national park is a very rewarding Tanzania safari destination hosting a range tourist attraction as detailed below.
The Wildlife Migration of Tarangire
Tarangire national park is one of the most seasonal Tanzania safari destination and national park and because of this. It has a lot of migratory movement within the greater Tarangire ecosystem.
Tarangire National Park is hosts some of the large herds of elephants in Tanzania and East Africa with about 300 individuals in each herd, though not as big as the Great wildebeest migration. Wildlife migration in Tarangire national park is enormous with large numbers of elephants, hartebeests, wildebeests, gazelles, zebras and predators such as lions and leopards entering the park.
Animals in Tarangire national park include lions, leopards, hartebeests, leopards, lions, wildebeests, gazelles, rhinos, kudus, impalas, zebras, cape buffaloes, country antelopes such as the long necked gerenuk and fringe eared oryx among others. Animals in Tarangire national park are best seen dry the dry season as they congregate along the banks of Tarangire River the main source of water feed the park’s ecosystem.
Largest Elephant Population in Tanzania
Tarangire National Park is hosts the largest population of elephants in Tanzania which is one of the key attractions of the park and the reason to why it is internationally popular, during game drives in Tarangire national park you will have a chance to encounter over 300 individuals per herd most especially during the dry season as they dig the dry riverbed of Tarangire river in search for underground streams of water to quench their thirst.
In the dry season months that are June, July, August, September and October, the larger herds of elephants migrate from Masai Mara and gather around Tarangire River.
During the wet season, the plains of Tarangire national park turn to green with the arrival of rains thus offering plenty of pastures and water. This cause the animals to spread across the river, regardless elephants “the land giants” are still easy to spot even in this wet season.
Birds in Tarangire national park
Tarangire national park is the best birding destination in Tanzania and a paradise for birders, the park is a home to over 550 different bird species hosted within the swamps spread along the Tarangire River, savannah plains and forest galleries.
Birds in Tarangire national park include migratory bird species and resident species which are always present in the park, migratory bird species arriver from November to April.
Some of the popular bird species in Tarangire national park include the crested francolins, hoopoes, yellow necked spurfow, hornbills, guinea fowl, steppe eagles, brown parrots, and the gigantic lappet-faced vulture, white-bellied go away bird, Bateleur eagles, mouse birds, Kori bustards, yellow-collared lovebirds, bee-eaters, lilac breasted rollers, swifts, hammerkops, striped swallows and starlings among others.
The giant Baobab Tree
The Giant Baobab Trees are trademark attraction in Tarangire national park, these gigantic trees are referred to as the Tree of Life as they can store about 300 litres and 1000 litres of waters within their trucks.
The Giant Baobab Trees have a long life span and can survive up to 600 years, this tree is a significant source of food to various animals living in the park as they normally feed on its edible seed. Elephants sharpen their huge tusks on the barks of these trees, Attractions in Tarangire National Park.
According to the local legends, these trees are said that they used to easily move around the Africa continent. However, God was annoyed by their movement and decided to plant them upside down as a way of limiting them from moving ever again.
The Swamps
Tarangire National Park comprises of an extensive network of swamps that are mainly found in the southern and eastern parts of the park, these swamps offer habitat to a variety of birds and animals such as the tree – climbing pythons, Silale swamp – ions, African wild dogs cape buffaloes, and even elephants among others.
These swamps are also great birding spots hosting several bird species including the Vulturine Guinea fowl, Donaldson-Smith’s nightjar, Yellow-collared lovebird, Great white pelican, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Mouse-colored penduline tit, Rufous-tailed weaver, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Northern pied babbler, Von der Decken’s hornbill, Northern white-crowned shrike, Pink-breasted lark, Ostrich and Slate-colored boubou among others.
How to get Tarangire national park
Most safari to Tarangire national park start from Arusha which is the capital city of the region, from Arusha it is approximately 150 kilometers (about 2-3 hours drive) to Tarangire national park and it can be accessed using road and air means of transport.
By road
From Tarangire national park it is a drive of about 3 hours covering an area of 150 kilometers, you can use public means of transport or private vehicle service which is normally included in your safari package to Tarangire national park.
Daily buses depart from Arusha city to the Manyara region and you have to hire a matatu or a taxi to reach the park’s gate.
By air
There are domestic chartered flights offered from Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport to Tarangire Airstrip and Kuro airstrip serving the park. these flights are operated by Auric Air, regional Air among others.
