Tarangire National Park, Tanzania Northern Circuit Safari Destination

Tarangire National Park Highlight: This park is best known for massive herds of elephants. You will often see these enormous creatures traveling in families and you will actually not miss the extraordinary care they take for their young ones.

Elephants tend to travel in packs and in the same paths year by year. When they see vehicles around and coming closer to them, they gather and surround their young ones to protect them and lead them on their way. At this point you will have an opportunity to simply sit and watch them.

The Tarangire river provides sanctuary for the largest elephant population in the Northern circuit Tanzania. This park is named after the life-giving river that offers the only permanent water for wildlife at the park.

During the dry season, a menagerie of different shapes and sizes of animals are attracted to the enticing waters. Long columns of elephant, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo and gazelle heading in great numbers to the receding banks of the river.

Tarangire also possesses many Baobab trees which are impressive trees that can live for hundreds of years. Animals can be found in the raining seasons, but the concentration of wildlife tends to be better during the dry seasons.

Location: 2.30 hours from Arusha and almost directly between Arusha and Ngorongoro Crater.

Tourist and Safari Activities: Game Drives, Bird Watching, Guided Walking Safari (from select accommodations only) and Night Game Drives (from select accommodations only)

Best Time to Visit: Minimum of 1 night but 2 is better.

Animals: Though cheetahs are rare, you’ll find pretty much all the animals you will see on safari except rhinos. Has more than 550 bird species!