Tarangire National Park

Overview

Tarangire National Park, located in northern Tanzania, stands out as a premier safari destination. This remarkable park is famous for its immense elephant population and iconic baobab trees. It truly offers a unique and unforgettable wildlife experience. Covering approximately 2,850 square kilometers (1,100 square miles), this wilderness derives its name from the permanent Tarangire River. This river serves as a vital water source for countless animals, especially during the dry season. The park’s diverse landscapes and rich wildlife make it a must-visit.


What Makes Tarangire National Park So Special?

Many visitors ask what this stunning park is famous for. Its reputation primarily stems from the incredible concentration of elephants. Herds often number in the hundreds, particularly from June to October. During these dry months, a mini-migration occurs. Thousands of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and buffalo converge on the riverbanks. This attracts a variety of predators. Lion, leopard, and cheetah sightings are frequent, making game drives exhilarating. This park also boasts unique species like the fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk. These are not commonly found in other northern circuit parks. Birdwatchers delight in over 550 species, including the striking yellow-collared lovebird, making any visit to Tarangire National Park a birding delight.


Planning Your Tarangire Safari Adventure

Planning your visit to this Tanzanian gem involves considering costs. Entry fees for non-East African citizens are typically around $50 per adult for a 24-hour period. Additional fees apply for vehicles and potential concession fees if staying overnight within the park’s lodges. For instance, several comfortable lodges operate within or near the park, catering to various budgets. The drive from Arusha to Tarangire National Park is about 118 kilometers (73 miles). This takes approximately two to three hours, making it an accessible day trip or a multi-day safari extension.

The best time to visit this incredible wildlife sanctuary for optimal viewing is during the dry season. This period runs from June to October. The weather in Tarangire during this time is generally dry and sunny. This makes animals easier to spot as they gather around dwindling water sources. While the wet season (November to May) brings lush landscapes and excellent birding, the dry season guarantees prime big game action. A safari here truly offers an intimate encounter with nature, showcasing the best of Tanzania’s wildlife.

Safari Tours to Tarangire National Park

8 Days

Arusha City, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP

From $1956

Per person per tour

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7 Days

Arusha City, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP

From $1586

Per person per tour

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5 Days

Arusha City, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire NP

From $1069

Per person per tour

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9 Days

Arusha City, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP

From $2592

Per person per tour

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13 Days

Arusha City, Arusha NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar Island

From $2560

Per person per tour

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12 Days

Arusha City, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar Island

From $2467

Per person per tour

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15 Days

Arusha City, Arusha NP, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar Island

From $3005

Per person per tour

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11 Days

Arusha City, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP, Zanzibar Island

From $2156

Per person per tour

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9 Days

Arusha City, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP

From $2233

Per person per tour

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16 Days

Arusha City, Arusha National Park, Arusha NP, lake Eyasi, Lake Manyara NP, Lake Natron, Moshi Town, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP

From $4563

Per person per tour

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Accommodations in Tarangire National Park

Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge

Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge – Southern Serengeti, Tanzania Lake Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge

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Niyara Lodge Arusha

Niyara Lodge Arusha Niyara Lodge Arusha sits at the heart of Tanzania’s northern safari

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Ishasha Jungle Lodge

Ishasha Jungle Lodge is an eco-friendly wilderness retreat near the Ishasha sector of Queen

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Haven Lodge (Buhoma Sector)

Haven Lodge Buhoma Community is a welcoming, community-run lodge on the edge of Bwindi

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Ichumbi Hotel (Kisoro)

Ichumbi Hotel is a stylish and comfortable hotel on Mutolele Road in the heart

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Travellers Rest Hotel

Travellers Rest Hotel is a historic hotel in Kisoro, southwestern Uganda. It offers a

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Marafiki Safari Lodge

Marafiki Safari Lodge is a charming safari lodge near Queen Elizabeth National Park in

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The Haven – Eco River Lodge

The Haven Eco River Lodge is a peaceful riverside retreat in eastern Uganda, set

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Park View Safari Lodge

Park View Safari Lodge is a scenic safari lodge near Queen Elizabeth National Park

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Buffalo Safari Lodge

Buffalo Safari Lodge is a safari lodge near the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth

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FAQ about Tarangire National Park

  • Massive Elephant Herds: It boasts one of the largest concentrations of elephants in Tanzania, especially during the dry season. You can see herds of hundreds of individuals.
  • Baobab Trees: The park’s landscape is characterized by ancient, majestic baobab trees, which create a striking and picturesque backdrop for wildlife.
  • Tarangire River: This river is the park’s lifeline, especially during the dry season, attracting a huge array of animals that gather along its banks.
  • Less Crowded: Compared to some other northern circuit parks, Tarangire often offers a more serene and less crowded safari experience.
  • Diverse Birdlife: With over 550 bird species, it’s a paradise for birdwatchers.

Tarangire is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including:

  • Elephants: Its most iconic residents, often seen in large herds.
  • Other Herbivores: Wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, giraffes, impalas, elands, gazelles, waterbucks, and the less common fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk.
  • Predators: Lions (including the notable Silale Swamp lion pride), leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, caracals, honey badgers, and occasionally African wild dogs.
  • Birds: A phenomenal diversity of birds, from ostriches and Kori bustards to various raptors and colorful smaller species.
  • Dry Season (June to October): This is generally considered the best time for game viewing. As water sources diminish, animals congregate around the permanent Tarangire River, making them easier to spot. The vegetation is also thinner. This is peak tourist season.
  • Wet Season (November to May): The park becomes lush and green, offering beautiful photographic opportunities. While animals are more dispersed, it’s an excellent time for birdwatching as migratory birds arrive. You’ll also encounter fewer crowds and potentially lower accommodation rates. The “short rains” are typically November-December, and the “long rains” are March-May.

A full day (one night) is usually sufficient to experience the park’s highlights, especially if it’s part of a longer northern circuit safari. However, if you’re a keen birder or want to delve deeper, two days (two nights) would allow for a more relaxed exploration.

  • By Road: The most common way is by road from Arusha, the safari hub. It’s about a 2-hour drive (120 km) on a mostly paved road. Many safari itineraries include Tarangire as the first stop.
  • By Air: You can fly from Arusha Airport (ARK) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to Kuro Airstrip, which is located inside the park. Flights take approximately 25-45 minutes.

Park fees are set by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) and can vary by nationality (non-resident, East African citizen, resident) and age. As of my last update (July 2025), non-resident adult entry fees are typically around $59 USD per person per 24 hours. There are also fees for vehicles, camping, and specific activities like walking safaris or night game drives. It’s always best to check the latest official TANAPA tariffs or with your tour operator for the most current information, as fees can change. Fees are generally paid electronically (e.g., credit card).

Yes, Tarangire National Park is one of the few parks in Tanzania where guided walking safaris are permitted. This offers a unique opportunity to experience the bush on foot, learn about smaller creatures, tracks, and flora, and get a different perspective on the wildlife. These safaris are always accompanied by armed park rangers.

Yes, some lodges and camps within or bordering Tarangire offer night game drives. This is a fantastic opportunity to spot nocturnal animals that are not active during the day, such as civets, genets, bushbabies, and sometimes even predators on the hunt.

  • Game Drives: The primary activity, exploring the park’s diverse landscapes and spotting wildlife from a safari vehicle.
  • Birdwatching: Excellent opportunities year-round, especially during the wet season.
  • Hot Air Balloon Safaris: A truly unforgettable experience, offering panoramic views of the park at sunrise.
  • Cultural Visits: Some tours offer visits to nearby Maasai or Barabaig villages to learn about their culture.
  • Picnics and Bush Meals: Enjoying meals in scenic spots within the park.

Tarangire’s landscape is incredibly varied, featuring:

  • Grassy Savannahs: Open plains where herds graze.
  • Dense Woodlands: Dominated by acacia and the iconic baobab trees.
  • Swamps: Particularly in the southern parts, which are vital water sources and attract a lot of wildlife, including tree-climbing pythons.
  • Riverine Forest: Along the Tarangire River.
  • Termite Mounds: Numerous and often quite large, sometimes housing dwarf mongooses.

While Tarangire experiences its own localized migration of animals moving in and out of the park depending on the season and water availability, it is not part of the much larger Great Wildebeest Migration that occurs between the Serengeti and Maasai Mara. However, during the dry season, significant numbers of wildebeest and zebras do migrate into Tarangire from surrounding areas

Weguide African Safari on Trip Advisor

Here’s what our travelers have to say about their experiences with Weguide African Safaris

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Hiked Kilimanjaro (6 days) and went on a Safari (5 days Kilimanjaro Hike was amazing! Our guide (Mollel) and porters were all excellent. They were each knowledgable, encouraging and friendly. They took time to get to know us and understand our needs. They helped us feel comfortable with the challenge and enabled us to enjoy our trek from start to finish!Our Safari was equally outstanding! Again, we had terrific guides (Sam & Tembo). They, too, were knowledgable, accommodating and made each day a super fun adventure for all of us! They were incredible at tracking down all of the Big 5! They even found the black rhinos!The Value for the Money was unreal, as well. I would 100% recommend Soul of Tanzania to anyone who is looking for a once-in-a-lifetime Tanzanian experience!
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Shairanking F
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Unforgettable Safari and experience at its best Journey to Africa My friend and I did a 8 day Safari, starting in Tarangire NP, Serengeti central and South (Ndutu) with big Migration, Ngorongoro crater and Lake Tanganyika. All planning including our wishes and suggestions from Weguide Safari what is best for the time we were traveling were done with WhatsApp. The communication was very easy with very quick respondSo we had an excellent Safari with weguide africa safaris with nice, safe and quite large accommodations and tented camps, including good food.I think our guide Mollel will be the best guide you can find. He has a very good knowledge about animals and their behavior, wildlife and Tanzania culture. Besides he is helpful, friendly and a very good and save driver.We have seen all Big 5 and a great number of other animals living there.He even could find animals hidden under bushes or in trees in a great distance and getting closer we could watch them very, very nearby.My brother with family did the Safari before us with Guide Kennedy. and we all together have the same opinion that this Safari couldn't be topped.It was my best Safari I've done until now and I couldn't imagine getting something better. So much wildlife!!!!I would it recommend to 100%
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GreengatePeter
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SOLO TRIP TO TANZANIA SAFARI WITH WEGUIDE AFRICA SAFARIS ( 100% I RECCOMENDED WEGUID FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS) Tanzania as a safari destination has it all: if this is your first safari and your driving ambition is to get some amazing sightings and to rack up the big 5 as soon as possible then Ngorongoro Conservation Area is probably the best place in the world. Head for the Serengeti, however, if you have time for a longer safari and your goal is to take time to roam – moving as a nomad with the vast herds, or simply skitting across the savannah between the rock outcrops that are the lookout posts of the Serengeti prides. The Serengeti remains for me (alongside Botswana’s Kalahari) as one of the very best places in the world to experience the awe-inspiring vastness of the African wilderness. There is no feeling like being in the middle of the incomparable immensity of the savannah with no other vehicle in sight and a herd of wildebeest stretching as far as the eye can see towards the horizon.
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GoPlaces65996083400
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Tanzanian Romantic Safari for Couple Unforgettable honeymoon - safari & beach holidayOverall, great experience with WeGuide Celia has been extremely helpful in tailoring the itinerary for the safari and has assisted us all along the process.Our guide, Sam, and was always on time and truly did his best to show us all the possible animals within the visited parks. We've had nice lunches (with juice and wine) during the 5 days of Safari and the car was always sparkling clean in the morning when our guide was picking us up :) We would've appreciated our guide to be a bit more involved in the conversation (the answers we got to our questions about birds/animals weren't really detailed and we would've enjoyed talking/getting to know our guide a bit more, especially during our common lunches) but of course this didn't ruin our experience.Our safari was followed by a beach holiday in Zanzibar : Ceci has arranged a pick-up at the airport for us. The hotel (Z hotel in Nungwi) was also great and the honeymoon package made our holiday unforgettable.I can only recommend Soul of Tanzania and Tanzania in general. The safari is a magical experience everyone should have in a lifetime.
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phillip
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Viajero solo en la vida silvestre de Tanzania y safaris de experiencia en Zanzíbar Planeamos nuestro viaje a Tanzania junto con Cecie en weguide Safari. Le hemos dicho aproximadamente lo que queríamos hacer (lago Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti y Zanzibar) y ella sugirió el itinerario y el alojamiento que discutimos y adaptamos juntos. El Serengeti fue probablemente el más impresionante de los parques y tal vez si el tiempo hubiera sido un problema, me habría saltado el lago Manyara para ir directamente al Ngorongoro. (Aunque el alojamiento en el lago Manyara fue increíble, Escarpment Luxury Lodge). Todos los alojamientos tenían algo especial y terminar con un par de días de relax en Zanzíbar fue simplemente perfecto.
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Marion
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Great experience at Mara River (Serengeti) So nice to see and read about sam maasai guide. He was my guide when I visited Tanzania. I also had great game driving experiences, and yes, being patient definitely paid off time after time. We experienced elephants crossing the Mara River, and Sam explained how the matriarch makes the decision to cross and how the elephants would not all cross at once, rather cross in small groups of adults, babies, and elders. We stayed and saw group after group cross and come up the bak of the river directly beside our vehicle,. We also saw a group in the river stop and surround each other and then there was trumpeting by the herd on both sides of the river. Sam explained that they must have sensed danger like crockerdiles, and that they would reteat back; that’s exactly what happened and the trumpeting continued on both sides of the river for a while. When we returned to the Mara River Camp that evening, everyone was envious of our experience and commented how much they loved to have heard the elephants communicating. Like you and your son, we had great experiences every day. Love your photos and descriptions. It’s truly the trip of a lifetime
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Whistler
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Mikumi National park and Zanzibar island The Mikumi National Park is located in eastern Tanzania, some 100 kms south of Morogoro and 280 km west of Dar Es Salaam. It is next to the Selous Reserve and a few kilometers from the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The wildlife includes monkeys, lions, leopards, panthers, elephants, giraffes zebras, hipos, etc. Approximately 360 different species of birds have been spotted. The park is very popular and is easily accessible from Dar Es Salaam. It is specially equipped for bird watching. Greenery includes the miombo forest which is dominated by Brachystegia spp. The Combretum-Terminalia forest is common between the hills and the plains along the river.In this lower part dominated by Acacia spp, Adansonia digitata baobab and Sterculia appendiculata and the top of gallery forest and riparian dense scrub along rivers Mgoda, Kikobogo and Mkata. The ebony Dalbergia melanoxylon, Sclerocarya caffra, Cassia abbreviata flabellifer and Hyphaene Borassus Ventricosa, Balanites aegyptiaca and Ficus spp are all very close to each other. They are common and important to elephants and baboona. A truly unforgettable experience. with weguide afrkca safaris
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ASHLEY P
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"Zanzibar family trip excursion" "This was our first trip with WeGuide Africa Safari - I believe it's no coincidence that the Bradt Africa guides are simply the best ones on the market and that WeGuide Africa are extraordinary in the depth of their knowledge of the situation on the ground and in their capacity to coordinate and synchronise everything to make it an excellent trip for a family with young children In Zanzibar excursion .We stayed Luxury property at Zuri hotel in Zanzibar .I saw some of the most amazing sights and things in Africa, which I would not have found without the guidance of WeGuide Africa Safari . And for the unforseeable and unavoidable occasional hick ups, the team is there to help where they can.I hope WeGuide Africa Safari stays a well kept secret
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Wilton Backer
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conquérir le Kilimandjaro" super 7 jours via machame route Bonjour mes amis de TripAdvisor.Je m'appelle Xavier.Je viens de rentrer d'une randonnée INCROYABLE sur le mont Kilimandjaro avec weguide Africa Safaris. J'y suis allé avec Erick le guide et il était IMPRESSIONNANT. Erick m'a tellement aidé à me sentir à l'aise tout au long du voyage et il m'a fait me sentir plus fort simplement en étant en sa présence.Tout d'abord, weguide Africa Safaris m'a aidé à chaque étape du processus de courrier électronique pour planifier le voyage. Ils sont tellement professionnels et organisés et m'ont fait me sentir vraiment très à l'aise et bienvenu pour voyager dans un pays étranger. (je viens de la FR)Je savais que c'était la bonne entreprise pour moi juste par la manière organisée et professionnelle de leurs e-mails. Ils vous guident à chaque étape.Si vous essayez de décider avec quelle compagnie escalader le Kilimandjaro ou avec quelle compagnie partir en safari, C'EST LA SEULE. WEGUIDE AFRICA SAFARIS est vraiment incroyable avec de très bons prix aussi.J'ai escaladé le mont Kilimandjaro avec Erick The Guide et il était un professeur tellement spectaculaire avec qui partager le voyage. Il avait tellement de connaissances sur la montagne et il a un VRAI amour pour la nature et l'exploration. . Erick The Guide et tout l'équipage qui nous a accompagnés étaient géniaux. L'équipage de porteurs que nous avions avec nous était tellement sympathique et accueillant. Ils m'ont vraiment fait me sentir chez moi pendant tout le voyage.Je sais que beaucoup de gens ont peur de voyager à cause de COVID. Mais je ne pense pas que cela devrait vous empêcher de venir en Afrique.Si quoi que ce soit, je pense que c'est le moment le plus courageux et le plus spontané pour parcourir le monde.J'ai passé un très bon moment avec WEGUIDE AFRICA SAFARIS et je pense que c'est le moment idéal pour explorer le monde. Allez saisir cette chance et VOYAGEZ. Cela pourrait juste changer votre vie.Erick The Guide et weuide Africa Safaris - vous étiez tous les meilleurs et je vous remercie de m'avoir donné l'opportunité d'escalader le mont Kilimandjaro.Quiconque lit ces mots - weguide Africa Safaris est super sympa, super professionnel et super organisé et ils ont des prix imbattables. N'ayez pas peur de suivre votre cœur. Le monde est fait pour être exploré.Merci Erick et toute l'équipe de weguide Africa Safaris qui ont facilité mon voyage. Je suis très reconnaissant de vous avoir trouvé.
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XAVIER
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Tanzania wildlife familiy safari with weguide africa safaris great company in Tanzania The trip was definitely a wonderful experience. The guide was very good, and that is one of the most important parts of a trip like this.Ngorongoro and Serengeti are two fantastic places, and we had the rare privilege of visiting with very little tourism, really feeling and breathing the place.With my current experience, I will change the first part of the trip avoiding lake Manyara and the long transfer of the first day, and planning at least two safaris in the crater
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