Tarangire National Park

If you love elephants, then Tarangire National Park might just be the place for you! Located 118 km southwest of Arusha in northeast Tanzania, this park boasts an abundance of wildlife, including an enormous elephant migration each year. An often overlooked stop on a northern tour, the Tarangire River and its swamps are a prime migration route for many species. It is also home to 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in a single habitat in the world. The surrounding area offers some great cultural exploration as well. Visit a Maasai village or journey to see the Kondoa Irangi Rock Paintings while you are in the area.

Features:

Tarangire Elephant Migration

Tarangire National Park hosts an annual migration as exciting as the more famous Serengeti one, though it is smaller in overall numbers. In the dry season, many thousands of animals migrate into the park from the surrounding areas in search of the food offered by permanent water supplies. The migration includes wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, oryx, ostrich, and lions, but the most impressive is the number of elephants, up to 10,000, that gather in the park from July to October. From November, as the rains bring more plentiful food to the surrounding areas, the elephant disperse onto the plains to the east and southeast of the park.

Night Game Drive

Experience the thrill of a game drive at night under the stars. Many of Tanzania’s lesser seen creatures are nocturnal and are rarely to be viewed on day game drives. This is an extraordinary opportunity not to be missed. Travel in an open safari vehicle with canvas canopy driven by a professional guide. Please note this is an add-on to a safari package.

Wildlife:

This area is home to the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti.

It is the only Tanzania location where you might spot dry-country antelope such as fringe-eared oryx and long-necked gerenuk.

Pythons, lions, and leopards are often spotted up trees.

Facts:

• established as a national park in 1970
• size: 2850 sq km (1100 sq mi)
• location: 118km (73 mi) southwest of Arusha
• dry season: June - September

Accommodations:

Lodges, campsites, and tent lodges are available inside the park; additional accommodation is available outside the park.

Add-ons Available:

• Night Game Drive
• visit a Maasai village
• visit the Kondoa Irangi Rock Paintings