Elephant Country
Tarangire hosts one of the highest densities of elephants in Tanzania, with large family herds gathering along the river in the dry season.
Tanzania National Parks
Tarangire National Park
Ancient baobabs, the Tarangire River and some of Tanzania's largest elephant herds make this one of the most rewarding and underrated parks of the northern circuit.
- Location
- 118 km southwest of Arusha
- Known For
- Elephants & baobabs
- Birdlife
- Over 500 species
- Best Time
- June – October
Discover Tarangire
Where elephants gather beneath ancient baobabs.
Tarangire National Park lies 118 km southwest of Arusha and covers a total of 2,850 km². Established to conserve and protect wildlife, it is famous for the giant baobab trees with their peeled, debarked trunks, for acacia woodland that dominates the landscape and for hosting one of the highest densities of elephants anywhere in Tanzania.
It is a popular stop for travellers on the northern safari circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and the great Serengeti. The park extends into two Game Controlled Areas and wildlife moves freely throughout, so during the dry season herds of gazelles, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes and parades of elephants migrate into Tarangire's scrub and plains, where the last grazing land and the waters of the Tarangire River remain.
Why Tarangire
A northern circuit park with a character all its own.
Fewer vehicles, dramatic baobab country and wildlife that concentrates spectacularly in the dry season make Tarangire a highlight of any northern Tanzania safari.
Giant Baobabs
Ancient baobab trees, some many centuries old, rise above the acacia woodland and create the park's unmistakable landscape.
A Birdwatcher's Paradise
More than 500 bird species have been recorded, from the ostrich and the Kori bustard, the world's heaviest flying bird, to colourful barbets and hornbills.
Rare Dry-Country Species
Look for the long-necked gerenuk and the fringe-eared oryx, dry-country antelopes rarely seen in other northern parks, as well as the famous tree-climbing pythons.
Location
Where is Tarangire National Park?
Tarangire National Park is about 118 km southwest of Arusha city centre, 198 km from Moshi and 158 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport. The entrance gate is 7 km off the surfaced Arusha–Dodoma road, roughly 1 to 2 hours' drive from Arusha and about an hour from Lake Manyara.
The park is the heart of a wider ecosystem of about 20,500 km², defined by the long-distance movements of eastern white-bearded wildebeest and plains zebra. In the dry season, wildlife from the surrounding Maasai Steppe concentrates near the Tarangire River, the park's main source of water.
When to visit
Every season tells a different Tarangire story.
Tarangire is worth visiting all year round, but the experience changes dramatically between the dry and wet seasons.
Dry Season
The best time to visit. Wildlife concentrates along the Tarangire River and around Silale Swamp, with huge elephant herds and excellent predator sightings.
Short Rains
The landscape turns green and many animals disperse into the surrounding steppe, while birdlife and newborn animals bring fresh interest.
Green Season
Lush scenery, fewer visitors and superb birding, with migratory birds present and good general game viewing.
Long Rains
The wettest period, with some animals moving out of the park and certain tracks becoming muddy. Excellent value and very few vehicles.
What is the best month to visit Tarangire?
Dry-season months bring the biggest concentrations of wildlife, while the green season rewards birders and photographers who love lush landscapes.
Green and quiet, with good birding, newborn animals and pleasant game viewing.
A short dry spell between the rains, with lush scenery and many migratory birds.
Long rains begin; wildlife disperses and some roads can become challenging.
Usually the wettest month, offering lush scenery and very few visitors.
Rains ease and the park looks its greenest as animals begin to return.
Dry season begins and wildlife starts to gather along the Tarangire River.
Excellent game viewing, with growing elephant herds and great predator activity.
Peak season: huge concentrations of elephants, buffalo and plains game along the river.
Prime wildlife viewing as the landscape dries and animals stay close to water.
One of the best months, with dramatic gatherings before the short rains arrive.
Short rains refresh the landscape and herds begin to disperse into the steppe.
Green scenery returns, with good birding and fewer vehicles than the high season.
Explore the area
Discover the different faces of Tarangire.
From the river valley to the remote southern swamps, each area of Tarangire offers a different landscape and atmosphere.
Northern TarangireTarangire River ValleyThe park's lifeline, where elephants, buffalo, zebras and wildebeest gather in the dry season and predators follow close behind.
Central TarangireSilale SwampA vast seasonal swamp that stays green year-round, attracting elephants, buffalo and rich birdlife, and a favourite hunting ground for lions.
Northern TarangireLemiyon & Baobab PlainsOpen country studded with ancient baobabs, ideal for photography and sightings of giraffe, gerenuk and fringe-eared oryx.
Southern TarangireThe Remote SouthRarely visited woodland and swamps that offer a true sense of wilderness and a chance to explore far from other vehicles.
Wildlife
A park teeming with life in the dry season.
Tarangire is teeming with wildlife: large parades of elephants, herds of buffalo, wildebeest, impalas, zebras, hartebeest and eland are commonly seen congregating along the Tarangire River. Here, sightings of dry-country antelopes such as the gerenuk and the fringe-eared oryx are regular, a characteristic missing in most other parks.
Long, log-shaped and domed termite mounds offer refuge to dwarf mongoose, squirrels, snakes and monitor lizards, and food for starlings, hornbills and the red-and-yellow barbet. Tarangire is also one of the best places to look for the famous tree-climbing pythons, though seeing them is rare.
12 animals to look for
Elephant
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Along the Tarangire River and around Silale Swamp
Tarangire's star attraction. Family herds of dozens, sometimes hundreds, gather near water in the dry season.
1 / 12
Lion
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Silale Swamp and the river valley
Prides hunt buffalo and plains game around the swamp and river, and are sometimes seen resting in trees.
2 / 12
Leopard
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Riverine woodland and baobab country
Elusive but present, often resting in the branches of large trees near the river.
3 / 12
Buffalo
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Silale Swamp and the river floodplains
Large herds graze the swamps and floodplains, especially in the dry season.
4 / 12
Giraffe
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Acacia woodland across the park
Masai giraffes are a common sight browsing among the acacias and baobabs.
5 / 12
Zebra
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: River valley and open plains
Thousands of zebras move into the park with the wildebeest during the dry season.
6 / 12
Wildebeest
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: River valley and plains, mainly June to October
Part of the Tarangire ecosystem migration, arriving from the Maasai Steppe as the land dries.
7 / 12
Gerenuk
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Dry bush in the north and around the river
A long-necked antelope that stands on its hind legs to browse, a speciality of dry country.
8 / 12
Fringe-eared oryx
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Drier open country in the north
A striking dry-country antelope with long straight horns, rarely seen in other northern parks.
9 / 12
Python
Chance of seeingRare
Where to look: Trees and thickets near water
Tarangire is famous for tree-climbing pythons, though spotting one takes real luck.
10 / 12
Cheetah
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Open plains and grassland edges
Seen occasionally on the more open plains, especially in the dry season.
11 / 12
Ostrich
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: The driest open parts of the park
The world's largest and fastest-running bird wanders the drier plains, alongside the Kori bustard.
12 / 12
The Dry Season Gathering
When the river becomes a lifeline.
As the surrounding Maasai Steppe dries out from June onwards, thousands of animals move into Tarangire in search of water and grazing. Elephants, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles and giraffes concentrate along the Tarangire River and around Silale Swamp.
This seasonal gathering brings some of the densest wildlife viewing in northern Tanzania, with predators close behind and elephants digging in the dry riverbed for water.
Safaris to 中文
Tarangire safaris
Itineraries that include Tarangire, often combined with Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
Tanzania · 9 days
9-Day Ultimate Tanzania Luxury Safari (Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Mto wa Mbu)
Tarangire · Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 13 days
13-Day Exceptional Safari: Premium Northern Parks & 1 Southern Park
Tarangire · Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Nyerere
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 10 days
10-Day Exceptional Northern Tanzania Safari: A Luxury Tour by Air
Tarangire · Lake Manyara · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 5 days
5-Day Ultimate Luxury Fly-In & Out Prodigy
Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 7 days
7-Day Lion Safari Experience
Tarangire · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Lake Manyara
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 6 days
6-Day Elephant Safari Experience
Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 7 days
7-Day Classic Northern Tanzania Great Experience
Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 5 days
5-Day Classic Safari (Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Manyara)
Ngorongoro
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 5 days
5-Day Zebra Safari
Ngorongoro
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Stay in 中文
Where to stay in Tarangire
From classic tented camps beside the park to luxury lodges deep inside it, choose the stay that suits your style.
Silver tier
Tarangire, TanzaniaTarangire Simba LodgeA classic tented lodge among ancient baobabs beside Lake Burunge, where elephants come to drink at the in-house waterholBaobab & lake settingView lodge
Gold tier
Tarangire, TanzaniaTarangire Safari LodgeOne of Tarangire's original safari lodges, perched on a bluff above the Tarangire River with wildlife at your doorstep.River-view safari lodgeView lodge
Platinum tier
Tarangire, TanzaniaTarangire Kuro Treetops LodgeA luxury tented lodge perched atop an elevated kopje, overlooking the Tarangire River and the Silale valley deep inside Luxury treetop tentsView lodge
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The story behind Tarangire.
For generations, the Tarangire area has been home to Maasai pastoralists, whose cattle shared the land and its seasonal waters with wildlife. The great baobabs, some believed to be many centuries old, have long served as landmarks, shelters and sources of food and water for people and animals alike.
Tarangire was declared a national park in 1970 to protect the vital dry-season refuge of the wider Tarangire–Manyara ecosystem. Today, conservation work continues across the surrounding Game Controlled Areas and community lands, keeping migration corridors open so wildlife can move freely between the park and the Maasai Steppe.
Is Tarangire worth visiting?
Yes. Tarangire offers some of the best elephant viewing in Africa, stunning baobab landscapes and over 500 bird species, often with fewer vehicles than other northern parks.
How many days do I need in Tarangire?
A full day of game viewing is a good minimum, while one or two nights lets you explore further, including Silale Swamp and quieter areas of the park.
When is the best time to visit Tarangire?
June to October, when wildlife concentrates along the Tarangire River. The green season from November to May is excellent for birding and has fewer visitors.
How far is Tarangire from Arusha?
About 118 km, or 1 to 2 hours by road. It is roughly an hour from Lake Manyara, making it easy to combine with Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
What animals can I see in Tarangire?
Elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, gerenuk, fringe-eared oryx, tree-climbing pythons and over 500 bird species.
Can Tarangire be combined with other parks?
Yes. Tarangire is usually the first or last stop on a northern circuit safari with Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
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