Tarangire National Park is in northern Tanzania, 115 km from Arusha. As it lies among the Arusha Dodoma Road, it is quite accessible by car. It is a large park, spanning 2,600 square km. The Park is named after the shallow but vital river which crosses it lengthwise, which gives support to a large wildlife population during the dry season.

A seasonal migration of wildlife is concentrated here July through October, thousands of animals including wildebeests, zebras, elands, elephants, buffaloes, hartebeests, and more migrate from the dry Maasai steppe to the Tarangire River. Lions and other predators can also be found in abundance during the dry season. Tarangire, home to large herds of elephant, has a spectacularly scenic baobab woodland.

Located slightly off the main safari route, Tarangire National Park is a lovely, quiet park in Northern Tanzania. It is most famous for its elephant migration, birding and authentic safari atmosphere. The majority of travellers to the region either miss out Tarangire altogether or venture into the park for a matter of hours – leaving swathes of Tarangire virtually untouched!
With a game viewing area that is roughly ten times the size of nearby Manyara NP and a concentration of game that is exceptional from July through to October, this seasonal Tanzania safari park is a little gem on the Northern safari circuit, especially if you love elephants!

Tarangire is the surprise package on the Northern circuit. Often overshadowed by the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire has huge concentrations of animals in the peak months and a fraction of the visitor numbers of any of the other Northern parks. Show me more >

Tarangire: the game

During the dry months the concentration of animals around the Tarangire river is almost as diverse and reliable as in the Ngorongoro Crater. However, the ecosystem here is balanced by a localised migration pattern that is followed by the majority of game that resides in and around the park. Show me more >

Tarangire: activities Tarangire safaris are the main activity, however, staying outside the park makes walking and night safari a possibility. There are no boat safaris on the rivers here but Oliver’s Camp offers adventurous fly camping trips and very good walking safaris. Both Oliver’s Camp and Swala have recently started night safaris within the park itself. Ask us for more information as the regulations here seem to change every year!

Tarangire: when to go

The game viewing from July though to October is exceptional but for the remainder of the year the majority of game migrates out of the park, onto the floor of the Rift Valley and to the grazing grounds of the Masai steppe. As a result, we would advise visitors not to expect high concentrations of game in the off season months, but would still recommend travelling here to those who want to avoid the crowds.

Tarangire: where to stay

There are many lodges that surround the border of Tarangire but we have always believed that staying in the park itself is the right choice. Swala and Oliver’s Camp are the top end choices in the park, with Oliver’s offering very good value for money considering the quality of accommodation on offer. Tarangire Treetops is located outside the park but its beautiful rooms are raised up into ancient baobab trees, making it, without any doubt, one of Tanzania’s most unique properties.