How amazing a safari to Tarangire national park is! Tarangire national park is Tanzania’s sixth largest national park found in the northern region thus it’s usually part of the safari in the northern parks of Tanzania, a two-hour short drive from Arusha which is the nearest city to the park.
The park was established in 1970, and occupies an area of 1100 square miles. It’s most famous for its large diversity of wildlife, baobab trees, birds, tree climbing lions and vegetation. The park is home to a very diverse vegetation which is different from any other Tanzania’s northern safari destinations.
Tarangire national park derived its name from River Tarangire that crosses through the park which is a primary source of fresh water to the animals in the Tarangire eco system during the annual dry season. The tarangire eco system is defined as the annual long distance migration of the wildebeests and zebras across Tarangire River.
Tarangire national park is composed of granitic ridges, swamps and river valleys. Thus its vegetation is a mix of combretum wood land, acacia wood land, seasonally flooded grassland and is believed to have a high density of baobab trees in Tanzania and as well a land to giants that include elephants and baboons.
Wildlife in Tarangire national park.
After Serengeti national park in Tanzania, Tarangire is believed to have the second highest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania.
Tarangire national park is gifted with many different bird species and it’s said that there number is over five hundred (500). Some of the spectacular notable birds found in Tarangire national park include; the stocking-high thighed ostrich, hornbills, the Kori bustard, yellow collared lover birds, bateleurs eagles, gigantic lappet faced vulture, brown parrots, bar faced go away bird, helmeted Guinea fowl, bee eater, hammer cops, Kori bustards, plovers and striped swallows among others.
Tarangire national park is known to have the following wildlife; predators including caracol, honey badger, African wild dog, cheetahs, lions, leopard, and other common wildlife animals in Tarangire national park include dik dik, vervet monkeys, banded mongoose, olive baboon, water buck, elands, pythons, hartebeests, impalas, various primates, flamingoes, ostriches, rhinos, elephants, grant’s gazelles, buffaloes, giraffes and zebras.
Sausage trees and some other tree species are comfortable areas for climbing lions, cheetahs and pythons thus through one of the activities known as sightseeing you get to encounter one of the memorable experiences at Tarangire National Park, for example the muddy elephants digging up mud in river Tarangire during the dry season and the sight is worth a visit.
What to do in Tarangire national park?
Enjoy safaris, wildlife viewing, bird watching, staying in luxurious lodges as you visit Tarangire National Park. Tourists can explore the adorable national park through having game drives to the wild and get a real time experience with the cats, huge herds of elephants and get to see different species of antelopes.
As you have noticed from the above phases, the tourist gets to enjoy different activities in the park which include game drives, sightseeing, cultural experience, bird watching and nature walks.
Tarangire national park is situated next to the Masai villages for tourists who are interested in cultural visits can easily visit the local Masai who are nomadic pastoralists, these participate in different activities as well which include crafts making which are purchased and taken by the tourists back home for remembrance. As well you get to enjoy their unique ways of life and history as you interact with them and see their unique dress code.
The park is famous for termite mounds that dot the landscape and once they have been abandoned, the dwarf mongooses make good use of them, and turn them into their home. All these are great tourist points, perfect for photography.
Best time to visit Tarangire national park.
October – November and April – June; This is the time when the park experiences wet season and so many animals that had migrated during the dry season return across River Tarangire thus offering a perfect opportunity for photo shooting and wildlife viewing.
The dry season occurs between months of June to September and mid-December, and this is a perfect season of wildlife and scenic viewing.
With all this information, make a visit to Tarangire national park by booking with us your Tanzania safari today!
