Lesser Known Tarangire National Park in Northern Tanzania
Lesser Known Tarangire National Park in Northern Tanzania : Compared to the Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park in northern Tanzania is not as well-known as a safari destination in Tanzania. However, the Tarangire River’s tributaries and swamps serve as permanent water sources when the nearby shallow lakes dry up, drawing up to 250,000 mammals and a more diverse mix of ungulates during the dry season, which runs from June to October.
There are an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 elephants in Tarangire National Park making it a unique Tanzania safari destination for Elephant viewing . Other wildlife in the park include gazelles, ostrich outriders, fringe-eared oryx, hulking buffalo, zebra, hump-backed wildebeest, a variety of predators, and kongoni with long ears and short horns that resemble a samurai headdress move in and out of the park at different times and in different directions. The season-density wildlife populations are indeed spectacular, but the giants in Tarangire Park are the most astounding aspects of a nature tour.
This Northern circuit is inhabited by enormous baobab trees, medusa-headed monoliths that are frequently thousands of years old, and central riverbeds and marshes are home to hundreds of elephants. The park itself fronts the Great African Rift Valley escarpment and has 2850 square kilometres (1096 square miles) of grassland with acacia trees. Owned primarily by the Maasai, it is situated in an ecosystem ten times larger than Lake Manyara Park and is primarily made up of less strictly regulated Conservation Areas. Development is promoted while preserving indigenous populations’ traditional identities and striking a balance between ecotourism and wildlife protection. With several predators, such as the tree-climbing lion, cheetah, and python, who are typically observed lying in ambush for their prey along sturdy horizontal tree branches, the park is home to a large number of giraffe, lesser kudu, warthog impala, waterbuck, and dik dik throughout the year.
The Southeast plains are also hunted by African wild dogs, which were thought to be extinct in this region. Some of the frequently sighted nocturnal are aardvarks, pangolins, mongooses, hyraxes and a variety of brightly coloured lizards, the Tarangire is one of the birding safari in Tanzania destination with more than 550 bird species. The multitudes of insects that show up around lanterns at night are just one of the area’s attractions.
Although it is conventional sense to protect yourself against mosquitoes, the beautiful forms and patterns of moths, beetles, and butterflies more than make up for it. The “magic” lantern is a captivating night time spectacle on your Tanzanian safari with Focus East Africa Safari tour. It is accompanied by eerie, ghostly silk moths, brightly marked green flatid insects, and strange yet stunning oleander hawk moths that resemble disguised alien fighter planes.
The Best Time to visit Tarangire National Park
During the dry season which runs from June to October, when migrant game gathers around the wetlands and the Tarangire River valley, this is desirable time of year for an exciting safari in Tarangire. The park has a wide diversity of large mammals, migratory elephants can then be seen in herds of a respectable size. However, the timing of the rains affects the animal population.
Game will begin to disperse away from its lifeline in October if the short rains arrive earlier than usual, as the Tarangire River will not be the only available water source. At the same time, forage will begin to renew from the surrounding arid lands, giving herbivores plenty to eat from. If the long rains continue into the middle of the year, migratory animals may not return by June because interior water holes will not dry out. In order to survive, stalking predators follow their migratory prey. Rainfall is minimal from June to October and non-existent in July and August. For an exploring trip to Tarangire with Focus East Africa Safari tour, the weather is often great—it’s sunny and cooler.
Because to the dry weather, there aren’t many mosquitoes. On the plains and near waterholes, where herds of elephants have gnawed out dry riverbeds, the vegetation gets thinner and game is easier to observe. The Tarangire experiences mostly warm and dry weather all year round, with daytime highs of 75 to 85 F (24 to 30 C) and night time lows of 55 to 65 F (13 to 18 C). The month you are travelling will determine the temps. In the past, the warmer months are October through April, while the cooler months are May through September. With intermittent showers before the “long” rains from mid-March to the end of May, and occasionally sprinkling in early March and June, the “short” rains often fall in November and December.
The months with high rainfall is March, April, and part of May. These months also happen to be the slowest travel times, so lodging may be quite cheap while park fees, transportation, and activity charges remain the same. However, during these months the greenery is thick and full. Rainstorms are brief and spectacular, giving you lots of time to see wildlife, but you might need to take additional care to avoid mosquitoes and tsetse flies. Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved clothing, stay away from blue and black, take your prophylactics on time, and carry extra bug repellent.
The skies are breathtaking during the day, and sunsets are particularly striking. Temperatures and precipitation are at their lowest in July and August. It’s better to leave early in the morning before the major crowd arrives, as this is also when tourist activity is at its peak. There are plenty of lodging options at Tarangire that are well-located and away from the main tourist attraction. Warm additional gear is essential for morning and late game drives from June to September.
You are unlikely to encounter oryx or gerenuk during the “green” season, which runs from November to May. This is one of the best time of the year to go for game drive at Tarangire in northern Tanzania because you can visit the more isolated wilderness regions in the south, where numerous animals are present all year round, particularly in the Silale Swamp.
On a lucky day, you can spot a striped hyena here, or you might be shocked to witness a massive green tree python descend from its acacia tree . It is a great time to see strange insects and reptiles. With hundreds of species in breeding plumage on the marshes and large flocks of migratory visitors, this is the ideal time to go on a bird watching safari tour with Tanzania safari tours.
