Tarangire National Park

Tarangire Safaris Tanzania

The Tarangire National Park portal serves as a non-commercial resource that provides information on wildlife, attractions, activities in Tarangire, safari accommodations, optimal visiting times, transportation options, as well as Tarangire Safaris & Tours, costs associated with Tarangire Safaris, and a travel blog.

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Ranking as the sixth largest national park in Tanzania and spanning an area of 2,600 square kilometers, Tarangire National Park is particularly renowned for its large elephant populations and the mini-wildlife migration that occurs during the dry season, attracting approximately 250,000 animals to the park. Discover more about Tanzania safari tours.

Location of Tarangire National Park

Situated slightly off the well-trodden northern Tanzania Safari Circuit, the park is positioned between the grasslands of the Masai Steppe in the southeast and the lakes of the Great Rift Valley in the north and west. In the northern section of Tarangire lies the Tarangire River, a crucial water source for the park, especially during the dry season when much of the surrounding area is arid. This river flows northward and exits the park at its northwestern corner, eventually feeding into Lake Burungi. Several expansive swamps within the park dry up to transform into green plains during the dry season in the south.

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While on safari in Tarangire, it is highly advisable to spend a few days, particularly in the southern part of the park, which offers a less crowded safari experience and allows visitors to immerse themselves in the authentic African ambiance of Tanzania's countryside.

Tarangire Vegetation
The Tarangire River, a permanent feature, is the most prominent characteristic of the park, as it lends its name to the region. There are extensive swamps that draw from some of its tributaries; however, these are generally dry most of the year and become quite challenging to navigate during the rainy season. The Tarangire park tends to be quite arid, even drier than Serengeti, yet its vegetation is more lush, characterized by abundant elephant grass, extensive mixed acacia woodlands, and beautiful aquatic forests, not forgetting the giant baobab trees that can live for up to 600 years while storing between 300 and 900 liters of water.

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Tarangire Wildlife Migration
Every year, from June to November, Tarangire experiences a wildlife migration that, while less dramatic than the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti, still draws a significant number of animals. Given the arid conditions in much of the region, the Tarangire River remains the sole water source, attracting vast numbers of wildebeests, elephants, gazelles, zebras, hartebeests, buffaloes, and various predators, including lions, which come to drink and forage along the riverbanks. During the rainy months from November to May, zebras and sizable herds of wildebeests migrate northwestward toward the Rift Valley floor, joining the many animals that spread throughout the expansive open lands of the Masai Steppe and extending all the way to Lake Manyara.