Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park could be called the park of elephants and baobabs. 

Tarangire is a favorite with many of our guests and is definitely on our list of ‘must not miss’ locations to visit.  Visual beauty, animal diversity and interesting animal behaviours all contribute to creating a memorable experience!

Tarangire National Park’s name comes from the Tarangire River which runs through the park.  Tarangire River is a primary source of water for animals in this area, particularly during the dry season when animals congregate from far away to take advantage of this water source.

The park in total covers approximately  2,850 square kilometers (1,100 square miles) and is located in the Manyara region.  Tarangire’s landscape includes granitic ridges, river valleys and swamps, with amazing vistas.

Throughout Tarangire National Park, you will find a plethora of elephants and a variety of other animals (giraffe, lions, warthogs, zebra, banded mongoose, baboons, impala, etc) and, in the swamp area, a large concentration of birds and hippopotamus.

The large numbers of Baobab trees along with termite mounds make for striking photography.  You will also admire Acacia forest, Combretum wooded grasslands, and the seasonally flooded swamps.

Activities in Tarangire

Game Drives: Driving through Tarangire National Park you will see elephants galore, as well as many other animals.  Tarangire is also a birder’s paradise.  Drive to the river beds, and, if possible, out to the remote Silale Swamp; one of the highlights of a Tarangire experience.  You may see elephants swishing reeds as they eat, hear (and see) hippos munching in the reeds, and see and hear birds of all colours and stripes.

Walking Safari: If you have time and interest, you may be able to arrange a walking tour within Tarangire.  This is an adventure indeed as you explore on foot, with an armed ranger to keep you safe and instruct you about what you are seeing in the natural world around you.

Night Tours: Depending on where you stay (within the park or on the boundaries), you may be able to arrange a night drive while you visit Tarangire.

Bird Watching: Whether or not you consider yourself a ‘bird watcher’, you are likely to be fascinated by the variety of birds found at Tarangire.  The range and diversity of colors are amazing, as are the number of species within the park.  Your Destination Safari guide will be thrilled to help you learn about the birds you are seeing, and for those looking for a particular bird, just let us know and we will do our best to help you find what you are interested in.