Tarangire National Park

Tarangire covers about 2,850 square kilometres south of Arusha and is reached on paved road in under two hours. That proximity makes it the usual first or last stop on a northern circuit itinerary.

The park is defined by the Tarangire River, which in the dry season is the main source of fresh water in the wider ecosystem. Animals concentrate along it, which is why Tarangire is at its best in the months when everywhere else is drying out.

Its landscape is distinct from the Serengeti. Rolling ground, dense baobab trees and river valleys give it a different character and better foreground for photography.

Why visit Tarangire National Park

Elephants. Tarangire holds a high density of them, and dry season herds along the river are frequently large.

The baobabs are the other reason. They are unusually numerous here and give the park a landscape that photographs differently from open grassland.

For birdwatchers, more than 550 species have been recorded, which is among the highest counts of any park in Tanzania.

Wildlife you see here

Elephant, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe, impala and eland are all common, with numbers rising through the dry season as animals move towards the river.

Lion are resident. Leopard and cheetah are present but harder to find. Fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk occur here and are uncommon elsewhere on the northern circuit.

Birdlife includes hornbills, bee-eaters, raptors and the yellow-collared lovebird.

Best time to visit

June to October is the strongest period. Water elsewhere dries up, animals move to the Tarangire River, and concentrations along it are high.

November to May is green and much quieter. Many animals disperse out of the park across the wider ecosystem, so general game viewing is weaker, but birdlife is at its best and the landscape is at its most photogenic.

How to get there

By road, Tarangire is under two hours from Arusha on paved road, with a short stretch to the main gate. It is the easiest northern circuit park to reach.

By air, Kuro airstrip inside the park takes scheduled light aircraft from Arusha.

Where to stay

There are lodges and tented camps both inside the park and along its boundary, plus public campsites. Staying inside means being on game drives at first light rather than driving in from outside.

Because Tarangire is close to Arusha, some visitors treat it as a day trip. That works, but it means missing the early morning and late afternoon hours when wildlife is most active.

Travel tips

Tsetse flies are present in parts of the park. Avoid dark blue and black clothing, which attracts them.

The dry season is dusty. Protect camera equipment.

If your itinerary is short and falls between November and May, ask whether Tarangire is the right use of your days, or whether the time is better spent elsewhere.

Things to do

Trips visiting Tarangire National Park

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