Why is Tarangire National Park Underrated?

Why is Tarangire National Park Underrated?

Looking for a wildlife country? Consider Tanzania in your itinerary. This East African country is home to breathtaking destinations like Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, all known for rich wildlife and striking landscapes. And the best part is you can seamlessly combine wildlife safaris with a relaxing beach vacation in the Zanzibar Archipelago, making your trip unforgettable.

Despite Tarangire’s strategic location in the northern circuit, people often overlook it. People often skip it in favor of its famous neighbors: Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Even those who visit Tarangire don’t find it particularly captivating; they merely use it as a stopover before exploring the other two locations. As we know, it deserves better than that. Here are our reasons why we think this park is underrated.

Tarangire boasts the highest concentration of elephants.

Few parks compare to Tarangire’s elephant concentration. The park is home to about 1,000 elephants, the highest concentration in Africa. And it has won several accolades for this. African elephants are among the animals sought after by many safari-goers. They are recognizable members of the Big Five and the heaviest land mammal.

You can see elephants in other places, like Serengeti and Ngorongoro, but the elephants of Tarangire have unique features. To begin with, they form large herds of up to 300 elephants. Why is this? These tuskers combine several families to form ‘super’ herds led by a single or several matriarch leaders. So, you can see 300-strong herds in Tarangire, unlike in other parks where 30-strong herds are common.

Wildlife migration.

The Great Migration in the Serengeti overshadows Tarangire’s very own wildlife migration. And the best part? A variety of animal species participate in this lesser-known migration. The main drive is water—animals migrate from other locations to the banks of the Tarangire River. Here, they satisfy their thirst and shield their bodies from the intense heat.

Elephants are key animals to this migration. Their population increases by 40% in the dry season, indicating their migration from Lake Manyara National Park and other places. Other animals include zebras, buffalo, wildebeest, impalas, and giraffes. This movement of herbivores is joined by predators, including lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs. Numerous predatory actions are captivating to observe.

Home to the Big Five.

Tarangire is home to four animals that constitute the Big Five group—lion, elephant, buffalo, and leopard. Rhino is absent. This park offers the best views of these four animals; hence, it is a wonderful place to start ticking them off before heading to the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Crater for rhino sightings.

Night game drives.

As the sun dips into the African bush, another world is awakened—yes, the world of nocturnal animals. Nocturnal animals are best explored through night game drives. These peaceful night safaris explore the wilderness when it’s quiet and cool. However, in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, driving is only permitted during the day, not at night.

Tarangire permits night drives. You’ll have to book as early as 24 hours in advance. The journey starts at 8:00 p.m. and lasts for 1–2 hours. An expert guide will lead the way into the bush. You might see porcupines, jackals, wildcats, serval cats, and even big cats like lions and leopards.

Why is a night drive unmissable? Day game drives come with many distractions: maybe another vehicle or animal. However, a night drive narrows your focus to just a flashlight. Apart from viewing animals, you can also view the stars and listen to the sounds of nature, like a lion’s roar, the rustling of leaves, and ripples in the river.

Tarangire is a birder’s paradise.

If you love birds, then you’re in the right place. Ashy starling, yellow-collared lovebird, Fischer’s lovebird, lilac-breasted roller, Kori bustard, southern ground-hornbill, ostrich… are enough to make you grab your camera for a shot. In addition, Tarangire receives a myriad of migratory birds from Asia and Europe. The European nightjar, common cuckoo, Montagu’s harrier, and Osprey are examples.

Tarangire is easily accessible from Arusha.

Yes, every northern park is accessible from Arusha, but not like Tarangire. To be clear on this, you need 4 hours of driving to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and 6 hours to Serengeti National Park. However, for the case of Arusha, only 1 and a half hours is enough to get there. The drive is slow and often has plenty of scenes along the way.

For the case of flights, Tarangire has several flights to Kuro Airstrip, the only airstrip within the park. So, should you be in a hurry, book a 25-minute flight from Arusha Airport to Tarangire. Local airlines running this route include Air Excel, Auric Air, and Coastal Aviation.

Striking landscape.

Tarangire has varied landscapes, from open plains to closed woodlands. Ancient, giant baobabs dot the plains and create a characteristic landscape for this park. Local tribes near the park believe that some of these trees house the spirits of their ancient ancestors. Locals go there to pray for the best luck and rain. The giant Tarangire River cuts through the center, dividing it into two sections. A thriving riverine forest follows the course of the river. The southern part is more remote and has a swamp: Silale Swamp.

When to go to Tarangire?

Tarangire is wonderful all year round. But for the best game viewing, we recommend going there from June to October. There’s an incredible concentration of animals, as many of them migrate to the Tarangire River and Silale Swamp to drink. For birdwatching, you can visit it from November to May.

Start planning today.

And there you have it. Next time you think of a Tanzania safari, especially in the northern circuit, include Tarangire. So, where to start? We are here to help you explore this hidden gem. Let’s get in touch.