In the dry summer months, skeletal baobabs are scattered across the landscape and their spindly branches extend from thick trunks towards the sky. The grass is brittle following the relentless beating the land has suffered during the dry season, forcing Tarangire National Park’s wildlife to congregate nervously around their only water source: the Tarangire River.

This is the setting of one of the most exciting times in the park as predator and prey walk side by side.

Herds of up to 300 elephants wander the dry parts of the riverbed, digging wells and bringing water to the surface. Enormous pythons snake their way up trees and nestle in its branches, disturbing the 550 bird species that call the park home.

The rare fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk pick at the grass on the savannah. Migratory animals such as the wildebeest and zebra roam through the park at certain times of the year, piquing the interest of the park’s tree-climbing lions and evasive leopards. 

The park is a two-hour drive from the nearest domestic airport, or guests can fly directly into Kilimanjaro International Airport 46 kilometres from Arusha. Tarangire’s proximity to Arusha, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Serengeti National Park make it an ideal add-on or stopover to a Tanzanian itinerary.

Highlights of the Tarangire National Park

• Land of giants – elephants and baobab trees
• Close to Arusha, your first stop on this tour
• Not as overcrowded as some of the other reserves,
• Good for year-round visits
• Over 500 bird species