Tarangire national park is another wildlife safari destination in Tanzania famous for the large herds of elephant and the elephant migration. Some of Tanzania’s most beautiful scenery and largest animal concentrations can be found in Tarangire National Park. Activities to do during a wildlife safari in Tarangire national park include game drives, guided nature walks and also bird watching.
1.Tanzania’s largest elephant population
The Tarangire National Park’s massive elephant population—which is actually thought to be the biggest in all of Tanzania—is one of the main draws that has helped it gain international recognition. You will watch multiple enormous elephant herds of roughly 300 animals per herd digging the parched riverbed of the Tarangire River in quest of underground sources of water to quench their thirst as the dry season from June to October advances and the landscape becomes more drier. Elephant herds swell throughout the dry months of June to October. The wildlife congregates near the river after leaving the Masaai Mara. This elephant migration is another major attraction of Tarangire national park.
On the other hand, the coming of the rains provides an abundance of pastures and water, which causes the animals to disperse across the park. However, due to the vast number of elephants that live here, it is still simple to detect these land giants even during the rainy season.
With a surface area of 2,850 square kilometers, this park provides habitat to a variety of wildlife, including zebras that forage in the dry river banks for underground streams and herds of up to roughly 300 elephants. Migratory wildebeest, eland, gazelle, impala, zebras, kudu, rhino, hartebeest, buffalo, and other smaller species congregate around the decreasing lakes. The antelopes of the dry area, such as the fringe-eared Oryx and long-necked gerenuk, are also frequently seen.Abandoned drifts (anthills) frequently serve as the home to gopher colonies.Similar to other parks in northern Tanzania, the main predators are usually hidden by the dense forest because they are always present but difficult to spot.
The baobab trees also popularly known as the Tree of Life, is another unusual sight that is frequently observed in Tarangire National Park. They are ‘gigantic’ in size and have trunks that can hold 300 and 1000 liters of water, respectively. They can live for up to 600 years and have a long lifespan. The edible seed of this tree serves as a substantial source of food for a variety of animals. Elephants, on the other hand, use the bark of these trees to sharpen their enormous tusks. Local legends claim that these trees could easily migrate across the African continent, but God became irritated by their aimless movement and decided to install them upside down in order to prevent them from ever moving again.
Enjoy spotting a diverse range of unique and colorful bird species. Tarangire’s numerous marshes are home to more than 550 different bird species. Tarangire is a well-known safari destination for bird lovers who are captivated for a considerable amount of time by birds. Some off the popular species here include: the crested francolins, hoopoes, yellow necked spurfow, hornbills, guinea fowl, steppe eagles, brown parrots, the gigantic lappet-faced vulture, white-bellied go away bird, bateleur eagles, mousebirds, Kori bustards, yellow-collared lovebirds, bee-eaters, lilac breasted rollers, swifts, hammerkops, striped swallows and starlings.
The park is made up of a vast network of swamps , mostly in Tarangire’s southern and eastern regions. Numerous birds and animals, including tree-climbing pythons, silale-swamp lions, African wild dogs, cape buffaloes, and even elephants, can be found in these swamps. the Donaldson-Smith’s nightjar, the Vulturine Guinea fowl, Some of the bird species that can be seen in this area include the Yellow-collared Lovebird, Great White Pelican, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Mouse-colored Penduline Tit, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Northern Pied Babbler, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Pink-breasted Lark, Ostrich, and Slate-colored Boubou.
6.The Poachers hide
Poacher’s Hide is a magnificent old baobab tree with a secret entrance and an interior cavern that was once used by poachers as a hiding place.
This ancient baobab tree, which can be found in the park’s northern regions, has a small covert opening on one side that leads into a chamber under its bark. It is rumored to have served as a hideout for local poachers, though it is now occasionally visited by bees or other animals. Several hundred meters west of the major north-south trail through the park, southwest of Tarangire Hill,
Massive baobab trees and colossal flocks of red-billed quelea birds are found in Lemiyon. This spotless region is nestled away at the park’s far northern extremity and is formed like a triangle. The huge baobab trees that tower alongside the road with their enormous silvered trunks and multitude of gnarled branches are the most outstanding type of vegetation in this area. Even those who are not birding enthusiasts will be amazed by the quantity of these strong flying predators in Lemiyon, which offers particularly good raptor viewing.
8.Masai community
Tourists have the opportunity to visit the masai community located in the neigbouring villages located near Tarangire national park and get immersed in their way of life as they explore their culture that is centered around their nomadic way of life.
Tarangire national park can be accessed by driving from Arusha, which takes about 2 hours.
The best time to visit Tarangire national park is during the dry season around June to October when wildlife species can be seen around the water holes in the national park. For activities like bird watching the best time to visit is around November to April.
