Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park—You can find almost all of Africa’s wildlife in this one spot, especially during the dry season. That’s because the Tarangire River serves as a fresh water source for many types of wildlife. From June to November, you can find plenty of zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo, to go along with the elephants that love this spot year-round. The park is also home to more than 550 species of birds. 

Often overshadowed by the Serengeti and Ngorongoro National Parks, Tarangire is a gem worth exploration in the northern circuit of Tanzania. This seasonal park is located 118km southwest of Arusha. Tarangire is home to Tanzania’s largest elephant population. There a variety of activities including game drives, guided safari walks, and cultural visits to various neighboring villages.

The diverse wildlife will leave you in awe during your safari. Tarangire boasts of all of Tanzania’s most iconic animals, from towering elephants to the diminutive dik-dik and giraffes. In addition to the wide array of animals, it is also home to the fringe-eared oryx, the towering greater kudu and the tiny ashy starling. Those three are endangered animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the country. These are some of the many wildlife species that highly attract tourists.

The largest population of elephants in Tanzania is found here. During the dry season, up to 300 elephants can be found at Tarangire digging in the dry river bed of Tarangire river looking for underground streams. Elephants remain a constant sight at the park even during the wet season when all animals scatter out the entirety of the park’s 20,000km², all thanks to the elephant’s high population.

While not as impressive as the legendary Serengeti wildebeest migration, Tarangire offers a migration too. The migration happens between June and November annually. During the dry season, water sources dry up and Tarangire river becomes the main water source. Herds of Wildebeest, zebras, hartebeests and gazelles are seen here. Also, predators such as lions and leopards are spotted too as they prey on them.

Bird-watching is also an interesting activity with the highest number of bird species in all of Tanzania. The venerable baobab tree that stores up to 1000 liters of water within its bloated trunk and can live up to 600 years is also a sight to see at Tarangire National Park. There is also a rocks art site called Kolo located just outside the park, with ancient rock art left behind by hunters and gatherers plus remains of prehistoric rock shelters.