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TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Location

The Tarangire National Park is located near the Great Rift Valley, close to the Masai Steppe in Tanzania’s north, forming part of the country’s northern safari circuit. 

 

Size

The Tarangire National Park is, 1615 square miles.

 

History

Established as a game reserve in 1957, the Tarangire National Park was named after the Tarangire River that winds its way through the landscape. It was later declared a National Park in 1970.

 

Entrance Fees & Permits

The charge to enter the Tarangire National Park is UDS 53 per person, with proof of identification required.

 

Hours of Operation

The gates to the Tarangire National Park are open between 6.30am and 6.30pm

By Road

The drive from Arusha to the Tarangire National Park is a journey of 87 miles and will take approximately two hours on good roads. 

 

By Air 

Guests can fly to nearby Lake Manyara airport and then do a two hour drive to Tarangire from there, however the total trip time is the same, so driving from Arusha is recommended.

Weather & Climate

The weather in Tarangire ranges from mild to warmer days, maintaining a moderate temperature throughout the year. During the dry, winter season the days mostly rest around 79 F while nights may drop to the mid-fifties. Slight differences can be felt during the wet, warmer months between December and February, the days will climb to 82 F with the evenings a mild 62 F. Game viewing is at its best during the drier months between June and September.

 

Avoiding Crowds

Tarangire National Park sees a lot of visitors between the months of June and September, so consider traveling from Mid-October to early December during the short rainfall season to avoid crowds. Birdlovers may want to consider visiting the park in January and February when the lush conditions make for wonderful bird watching.

 

Value for Money

Being a comfortable two-hour ride from Arusha, and with accommodation options that range between USD400 and USD1300 per person sharing per night, spending anything from one to three nights in the Tarangire National Park is a value for money, destination, and experience.

Popular Wildlife Sightings in the Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park is known to have one of the largest elephant populations in Tanzania and it is home to the “Big Five”. Chances of spotting lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino, along with the elephants is very possible during a game drive. The Tarangire River attracts a lot of predators so sightings of popular favorites are likely. 

 

The Terrain

Known for its baobab trees, the Tarangire is a scenic wonder with scattered trees over the swamps and wooded areas, with valleys rising beside the winding Tarangire River. The swamps welcome both snakes and a plethora of birdlife alike.

Game Drives

Game drives are conducted with qualified guides, in an enclosed or open 4×4 safari vehicle, usually with an early morning or a late afternoon game drive experience. 

 

Guided Walking Safaris

Qualified guides will show guests the wonders of the Tarangire, from flora and fauna to plains game and predators in the distance.

Moderate safari lodges, classic safari hotels, and luxury tented camps can be found within the Tarangire National Park. Options to spend a night in luxury tree-house lodging and the chance to experience mobile camping are available as well.

Tarangire National Park Lodging – Distance from park entrance

Lodge or HotelDistance to park entrance (in miles)
Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp4 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Tarangire Safari Lodge 5.8 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Ang’ata Tarangire Camp25 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Elawana Tarangire Treetops14 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Tarangire Kuro Treeetops Lodge23 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Sanctuary Swala Camp64 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Tarangire Ndovu Tented Lodge14 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Tarangire Sopa Lodge20 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Nyikani Tarangire camp77 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Acacia Tarangire Luxury Camp67 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge9.6 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Tarangire Tortilis Camp17 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 
Maramboi Tented Lodge11 miles from the the main entrance gate to Tarangire National Park 

Baobab Trees

The sight of these magnificent “upside down” trees is quite something to behold. Enjoy photo opportunities and learn more about how these trees came to be.

  • When is the best time to visit Tarangire National Park?

The dry winter season between June and September is the best time to visit Tarangire National Park for a great chance to see wildlife. To avoid crowds, visitors should consider traveling around the green season months of November to early February, a wonderful time for birdlife and the calving season.


  • How much does a safari in Tarangire National Park cost?

A safari in Tarangire National Park can cost between USD400 to USD1300 per person sharing per night, depending on when you stay and what style of accommodation is chosen.


  • How to get to Tarangire National Park?

The drive from Arusha to Tarangire National Park will take two hours, a 78 mile journey on good roads.


  • What makes a Tarangire National Park safari so special?

The terrain and landscape is diverse, with the magnificent Tarangire River flowing through the park. The dramatic baobab trees and vast complement of wildlife makes a safari in Tarangire special.


  • What animals can I see in the Tarangire National Park?

Tarangire National Park is home to the “Big Five” namely lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo, and to a large number of plains game including zebra, giraffe and both lesser and greater kudu to name a few. Over 600 species of birds have been recorded in Tarangire.


  • When is Tarangire National Park open?

The gates to Tarangire National Park are open between 6.30am and 6.30pm


  • Do you need to book in advance to visit the Tarangire National Park?

It is advisable to pre-book your safari stay in Tarangire National Park as the park is popular and accommodation books up fast.


  • What’s the best way to see Tarangire National Park?

A 4×4 game drive is the best way to experience the Tarangire National Park, with the option to do some guided bush walks as well. 


  • What hotels, lodges, and camps are near Tarangire National Park?

Tarangire treetops camp and Oliver’s Camp are two popular accommodation options in Tarangire National Park, while the Tarangire Safari Lodge is known for its excellent location within the park. 


  • What restaurants are near Tarangire National Park?

There are no stand-alone restaurants in the Tarangire National Park, guests would dine in the restaurants situated at the lodge or camp of their choice. 

 

  • What attractions are near Tarangire National Park? 

Baobab Trees

The sight of these magnificent “upside down” trees is quite something to behold. Enjoy photo opportunities and learn more about how these trees came to be.

BEST TANZANIA SAFARI TOURS START/END IN ARUSHA
6, 7 & 8 Days Tanzania Safari Tours

  • 3 Days
  • 4 Days
  • 5 Days
  • 6 Days
  • 7 days
  • 10 Days

3 Days Highlights of Tanzania Safari

Tanzania is alive with colorful wildlife herding in dense and unusual parks – we’ll explore two of these dynamic areas on this spirited Tanzania Safari. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is unique in the world of safaris – it’s the largest intact volcanic crater on Earth. We’ll travel down into this dense, self-contained world of active wildlife in our 4 x 4 Jeep.

4 Days – The Serengeti Safari – Fly And Drive

The Serengeti. Ngorongoro Crater. Oldupai Gorge. The names are exotic, the locations even more so. This Tanzania Safari will bring you into the heart of the country – to immense savannahs heaving with wildebeests and big cats, and an ancient crater filled with Zebras, gazelles, cheetahs, and flamingoes.

We’ll touch the origins of mankind at Oldupai Gorge, a millions-year-old record of humankind’s earliest inhabitants. And then, when you’ve explored the best of Tanzania from the ground, our safari will take you to the air with a flight over these same magnificent landscapes and a return to Arusha.

5 Days – Tanzania Choice Safari

These are Tanzania’s finest parks and we give you a choice to begin this Africa safari adventure at either Lake Manyara or Tarangire National Parks. Manyara is a colorful jewel, filled with thousands of pink flamingoes settled on the shores of a cobalt blue lake. Tarangire is known for its elephants, lots of migrating wildlife, and few tourists. Take your pick of the parks.

Serengeti National Park is perhaps the most famous wildlife reserve in the world, with its horizons filled with wildebeests and zebras. The lion population here is the largest of any park in the region, if not all of Africa. But for sheer density of big cats, nothing beats the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest intact volcanic caldera on the planet.

We’ll visit these wild, colorful and memorable parks and all the wildlife that live upon these vital lands on this five-day Natural World Kenya Safaris exploration.

5 Days Tanzania Wonder Safari

From Ngorongoro Crater to Enchanting Lake Manyara

5 DAYS, 4 NIGHTS:  NGORONGORO CRATER – NDUTU AREA -LAKE MANYARA PARK

We created this safari to bring you up close to the wonders of Tanzania… wonders like the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, and a wildlife universe unto itself, cut off from the rest of Africa.

The Ndutu Area is the engine of the Great Wildebeest Migration – it’s where the millions of wildebeests and other grazers settle for the calving season, from December through March, giving birth to up to half a million newborns every winter.

5 Days Immersive Ndutu Safari

Witness The Great Migration, Plus Incredible Ngorongoro

5 DAYS, 4 NIGHTS:  NDUTU AREA – NGORONGORO CRATER

This is where you’ll find astonishing and active wildlife – the Ndutu Area is one of the best spots to witness the drama of the Great Migration and Ngorongoro is unmatched for its density of animal life.

dutu pulsates with limitless numbers of wildebeests and zebras as these are the calving fields that ultimately populate the migration. From December through April, the fresh grasses of Ndutu attract millions of herding grazers to give birth to their young, as many as 8,000 a day!

Here the newborns take their first steps, issue their first cries and quickly learn and grow to keep up with the vast herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles. Then, come spring, they move north toward still more fresh grasses in the unending cycles of the Great Migration.

6 Days – Total Tanzania Safari

We designed this Total Tanzania Safari to show you the best of our beautiful country – its overflowing wildlife on boundless plains, across sterling lakes, and even down into lush, teeming crater floors. Serengeti National Park is home to more lions than any other spot in Africa – an astonishing range of animals populate its sweeping tracts stretching out to the horizon.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a world unto itself – over 25,000 animals dwell across this isolated volcano floor – lions, leopards, rhinos, baboons, even pink flamingoes thrive in these nether reaches. You’ll discover elephants, buffalo, lion, and leopard on our sojourn to Tarangire National Park, and small but exquisite Lake Manyara National Park always delights with its thousands of bright pink flamingoes filling its sparkling shores.

6 Days Tanzania Wildlife Safari

6 Day Tanzania safari visiting Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro.

Safari proceeds to Lake Manyara, the expansive Serengeti Reserve and the amazing Ngorongoro Crater.

7 Days Tanzania Safari

The safari is starts and ends in Arusha visiting the best of Tanzania national parks.

Safari proceeds to Lake Manyara, the expansive Serengeti Reserve and the amazing Ngorongoro Crater.

7 Days Tanzania Migration Safari

Witness the Awesome Cycles of The Great Migration

7 DAYS, 6 NIGHTS:  TARANGIRE PARK – NDUTU AREA – SERENGETI PARK – NGORONGORO CRATER

This specially designed tour will give you opportunities to see the birthing fields when up to 500,000 wildebeest newborns are dropped onto the vast fields of the Ndutu Area of the Serengeti.

On this tour we will explore Tarangire National Park, Ndutu Area, Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater.

10 Days Best of Tanzania Wildlife & Culture Safari

This is a combination of Wildlife and Cultural safari in Tanzania.

The 10 day tour visits the first class national parks in Tanzania, Arusha Naitional Park, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manayara, the world famous Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park.

COMBINED KENYA AND TANZANIA SAFARIS

  • 9 Days
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9 Day World Of Variety Kenya & Tanzania Tour

See 5 famous Parks & Reserves

An amazing 9 day (8 nights) safari exploring Kenya and Tanzania. 5 parks visited. Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Lake Victoria, Maasai Mara and Nairobi.

The Ultimate 14 day Kenya & Tanzania safari tour

Two full weeks East Africa safari adventure

An amazing two full week adventure – experience Kenya’s finest parks alongside Tanzania’s Serengeti. Tour includes Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara, Lake Victoria, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Amboseli,

Tarangire National Park

  • Economy
  • Standard
  • Luxury

Sangaiwe Tented Lodge

Located near the new Sangaiwe gate to Tarangire National Park with stunning views over Lake Burunge, Sangaiwe Tented Lodge offers travelers to Tanzania luxury tented accommodation, great service and fresh food.

Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge

Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge is built on the site of the old Tamarind Camp, in land we own and looking out on a flood plain that is seasonally a rich feeding ground for elephant and much else. There are 10 permanent tented cottages built in exactly the same style as the new Kirurumu Manyara Lodge cottages and the standards are the same high standards you have always been familiar with at Manyara.

Ang'ata Tarangire Camp

Ang’ata Tarangire camp has 8 Guest Tents including a 2 tent Family unit, a lounge and a dining tent. Each guest tent has an en-suite bathroom with shower, vanity desk and flush toilets. Depending on request a Kingsize bed, 2 Twin beds or triples are available.

Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Built to blend in with the vastness of its surroundings, Tarangire Sopa Lodge lies hidden among the kopjes, ancient baobab and grasses of the Tarangire National Park – home to the greatest concentration of elephants in Africa. Many can be seen around the lodge, allowing visitors a close encounter.

Osopuko Lodge

Osupuko is a Maasai word meaning “Virgin Land” or “Natural Paradise”.

Osupuko Lodges & Camps run and manage up-market properties offering very high standards of personalized quality services for local and foreign tourists.

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