Tarangire National Park
Tarangire national park is one of the best destinations to visit while on a Tanzania safari situated in the northern part of the park thus always included in a northern circuit safari. Tarangire national park was the first gazette as game reserve in 1957 and later on became a national park in 1970 under the management of Tanzania National parks Authority and covering a land area of 2850 square kilometers which puts it in the 6th position of the largest national parks in Tanzania. Tarangire national park is strategically positioned with plenty of attractions including both fauna and flora which makes it one of the most visited parks in the northern part of Tanzania. The flora species (vegetation cover) of the park include woodland filled with baobab and acacia trees, wetland including the swamps, River Tarangire where the park obtained its name. This river supplies water to the park thus keeping the flora species of the park very fresh and green throughout the year. On the other hand, the fauna species of the park include mammals such as Elephants, buffaloes, Giraffes, Rhinos, Lions, Zebras, Oryx, wildebeests, several species of birds, beautiful butterflies’ among others. Tarangire national park also thrills with scattered termite mounds that give the best viewing grounds and wonderful photography.
Top things to do/ tourist activities in Tarangire national park
Game drive: Tarangire national park boast with over 50 species of wildlife including the big five game (such as several elephants, Lions, Rhinos, Giraffes, and Buffaloes), wildebeests, Oryx, Wild dogs, Zebras, Kudus, gazelles, pythons and many more that are seen while on a game drive adventure in Tarangire national park hence making it a little gem that is worth a visit while on a Tanzania safari or even on an East Africa safari. The perfect spot for game drive in the park during the day is along the shores of River Tarangire while a huge population of Elephants is seen grazing amidst other mammals that offers a great experience for the tourists. Tarangire national park offers both day and night game drives.
Birding: Tarangire national park is a home to more than 500 species of birds making it one of the best birders haven in Tanzania with the best birding spots being along the swamp, along the river Tarangire, in the woodland with in acacia trees, and many more. Some of the bird species spotted during birding in Tarangire national park include; Brown parrots, plovers, Bee eaters, sterling, hornbills, weaverbirds, Barbets, lover birds, Guinea fowl, and many more. Unlike game viewing adventure which is favorable during the dry months, birding is suitable during wet season including the months of January to April and November to December where there is a greater possibility of watching several species of birds including migratory and those that reside in the park.
Guided nature walks: Taking a few hours on a guided walk to explore the different corners of Tarangire national park is yet another adventurous activity that shouldn’t be left out while on a Tanzania safari. Along the walk, tourists are in position to watch several species of both fauna and flora that thrills along the park and these include the stunning vegetation cover with different plant species such as acacia and Bonobo, wildlife species such as Zebras, elephants, buffaloes, impalas, giraffes, snakes, birds, and butterflies among others.
Cultural visits: Interested on a cultural tour while on a safari in Tarangire national park, look no further than spending time on a tour to visit the local Masai People who are famous cattle keepers with in Kenya and Tanzania since Tarangire national park in Tanzania is situated near Masai Mara national reserve in Kenya. Explore their homesteads where they reside in Manyattas, learn more about their life style, buy some crafts and many more.
Getting there/ how best can one get to Tarangire national park?
Tarangire national park is situated in the Northern part of Tanzania near Serengeti national park within Northern circuit thus can be accessed either by road or by air. Tourists can land either at Arusha international airport or Kilimanjaro international airport then connect on a road drive in a four wheel safari vehicle or take a chatter flight to the park. The nearest city is Arusha but it’s also possible to get to Tarangire national park from any nearby park in Kenya or from Nairobi the capital city of Kenya.
Accommodation in Tarangire national park
While on a Tanzania safari to Tarangire national park, never worry about where to stay as the park thrills with several accommodation facilities catering for both Luxury travelers, Midrange and Budget depending on one’s interest. These accommodations offer a variety of amenities depending on one’s budget. Here are some of the accommodations in Tarangire national park; Nimali tented cam, Agata Tarangire camp, Acacia Tarangire luxury camp, Lemala Mpingo ridge lodge, Maramboi Tented lodge, Sanctuary swala camp, Tarangire safari lodge, Tarangire Sopa lodge, Kirurumu Tarangire lodge, Sangaiwe tented lodge and many more that makes the stay of every traveler very rewarding.
When is the best time to visit Tarangire national park
Any time of the year is possible to Visit Tarangire national park but it also depends on what one intends to see and do. For instance the months of June to October, the park is abit dry as passable thus the best time for wildlife viewing adventure as the vegetation cover is minimal thus easy to spot wildlife species, the trails are dry, and accommodations are in good conditions. During the dry season, tourists are also in position to have a glance at the wildebeest migration which is experienced in Serengeti national park and Masai Mara national park and Tarangire national park is situated just near each other within the northern part of the park. Also most of the migratory mammals are seen on migration along River Tarangire as the vegetation cover in the park gets dry and the only fresh vegetation remains along the water bodies. However, the rainy months are the best for bird watching.
