Why Tarangire National Park in Tanzania is Worth Visiting

Find out why Tarangire National Park in Tanzania is worth a visit. 

This lesser-known national park in Tanzania attracts fewer tourists than the famous Serengeti Park, yet Tarangire hosts abundant, diverse wildlife. 

Tarangire Park is an excellent safari destination for escaping the maddening crowds of Africa’s most famous wildlife parks while seeing plenty of animals. The southern part of the park is ideal for a more secluded wildlife safari with fewer people.

Where is Tarangire National Park in Tanzania?

Tarangire National Park is in northeast Tanzania, near Arusha. It is one of the wildlife parks on the Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit. A famous safari circuit that includes Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater.

Tarangire National Park is located in the Manyara Region, just south of Lake Manyara National Park. The Masai Steppe lies southeast of Tarangire Park and north and west of the Great Rift Valley Lakes.

Tarangire is a two-hour drive from the nearest domestic airport, which is Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha. Tarangire's location makes it an ideal add-on to safaris in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park.

What is Tarangire Park famous for?

Tarangire has a few claims to fame, which make it a destination well worth adding to your Tanzania safari on the northern circuit.

Tarangire National Park is best known for its big elephant herds. It is home to one of Africa's largest elephant populations. The population is also noted for its old tuskers - big bull elephants with impressive tusks.

Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park is also known for its walking safaris, particularly in the southern part of the park. It is one of the few wildlife parks in northern Tanzania that permit walking safaris. Tarangire is known for its vast diversity and high wildlife concentrations, particularly during the dry season.

Last but not least, Tarangire is renowned for the wildlife migration that occurs here in the dry season. Although not as massive as the Great Migration in Serengeti National Park, the wildlife migration in Tarangire is an extraordinary sight. It sees large numbers of wildebeests, elephants, gazelles, zebras, hartebeests, and buffalo migrate to the Tarangire River. This influx of herbivores attracts a variety of hungry predators.

How big is Tarangire Park?

The size of Tarangire National Park in Tanzania is approximately 2,850 km² (1,100 mi²).

It is the 6th-largest national park in Tanzania and part of the greater Tarangire ecosystem.

7 Tarangire Safari Highlights

Also known as 7 reasons why Tarangire safaris are totally worth it!

1. Large herds of elephants up to 300 strong (especially in the dry season)

2. Exceptional game viewing (especially in the dry season) with abundant wildlife, including herds of buffalo, antelopes, and other plains game

3. Frequent lion sightings and tree-climbing lions

4. Predators such as leopards, wild dogs, and cheetahs

5. Superb birding destination hosting over 500 bird species

6. Beautiful scenery with giant old baobab trees

7. Mobs of mongooses inhabiting old termite mounds

Other Tarangire Safari Activities & Attractions

• Night game drives and guided bush walks
• Walking safaris in the less-visited southern region of Tarangire Park
• Ancient rock paintings
• Hot-air balloon trips over the park
• Large red-earth termite mounds with packs of mongooses
• Cultural experiences in local villages

How much does a Tarangire Safari cost?

• The entry fee for Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, costs USD $53 per adult (over 16 years) per day.
• For children (aged 5 - 16 years), the Tarangire entry fee is USD $18 per child. For children under 5, entry to Tarangire is free.

There are Tarangire Safari day tours from Arusha. African Budget Safaris does not feature any of these short trips, but one of our favourite safari partners does offer day safaris to Tarangire Park at reasonable prices. The price of a group Tarangire day safari depends on the group size. For full-day Tarangire National Park tours with lunch, budget about 185 USD per person (group of 7) to 380 USD per person (booking for two). For more info or help booking, contact us.

A longer Tarangire Safari costs about USD 300 per person per day up to around USD 1,250 per night at luxury safari lodges. 

Our affordable Tarangire Safaris start at $1,225 per person for a 4-day camping safari and $1,525 per person for a 4-day budget lodge safari. Both of these budget Tarangire Safaris also visit Lake Manyara National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater on the northern Tanzania safari circuit (view these tours below).

Affordable Tarangire Safari Tours 

Here are the best Tanzania Safaris that visit Tarangire National Park, on a budget.

4-Day Tanzania Safari Tours to Tarangire & Beyond

• Budget Tanzania Camping Safari (from $1,225 per person)

• Budget Tanzania Lodge Safari (from $1,525 per person)

Northern Circuit Tanzania Safaris (Serengeti, Tarangire & more)

• Lodge Safari: 5-Day Tanzania Safari - Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire (from $1,775 per person)

• Camping Safari: 7-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari to Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti Park, and Tarangire National Park (from $1,990 per person)

• Lodge Safari: 7-Day Tanzania Safari to Serengeti & Beyond to Lake Manyara Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, and Tarangire National Park (from $2,150 per person)

These are just a few of our budget Tanzania Safaris that include Tarangire National Park. For more options, including combined Kenya & Tanzania Safaris, view our Tarangire Tanzania Safaris

Tarangire Safari Lodges & Tarangire National Park Hotels 

Tarangire Park features an excellent selection of budget, mid-range, and luxury safari lodges.

There are excellent tented lodges offering luxury ‘glamping’ accommodation in Tarangire Park. The national park also features campsites for budget-friendly camping safaris. Some of the more upmarket lodges offer honeymoon safaris with romantic extras.

In Tarangire National Park, accommodation is at safari lodges and camps. There are some good hotels near Tarangire National Park, but we recommend staying at safari lodges within or near the park.

Tarangire Park Wildlife & Conservation

Tarangire National Park is home to abundant wildlife. Plentiful sightings of elephants, wildebeest, and zebras are almost guaranteed.

You are almost sure to see many buffalo, hippos, giraffes, and various antelope species in Tarangire.

Lions are also commonly sighted in Tarangire Park, and if you’re lucky, you might spot cheetahs, leopards, and wild dogs.

In Tarangire Park, you'll see all kinds of antelopes, including waterbuck, dik-dik, eland, reedbuck, hartebeest, impala, gazelle, and both greater and lesser kudu. 

Tarangire is also home to hippos, pythons, monkeys, baboons, bat-eared foxes, black-backed jackals, and mongooses, as mentioned.

In terms of wildlife conservation, Tarangire National Park in Tanzania has achieved some success. Evidence of success includes the formation of the Tarangire Conservation Area. This protected area encompasses the national park and surrounding wildlife areas in the broader Tarangire ecosystem.

Birds of Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Tarangire National Park is a superb birding destination, hosting over 500 bird species. Species range from eagle and sunbird to lovebird and roller.

Best time to visit Tarangire National Park in Tanzania

The best time for a Tarangire Safari in Tanzania is during the dry season from June to October. 

At this time of year, the Tarangire River becomes the only water source in the area, attracting a wide range of wildlife and birds. The vegetation also thins out, which makes it easier to spot animals in the wild. The dry season is the best time of year to watch wildlife on safari in Tarangire Park. 

The best time for birding in Tarangire Park is during the wet season, from November to March.

How far is Tarangire National Park from Dar es Salaam?

Tarangire National Park is almost 800km (497 mi) by road from Dar es Salaam. The drive takes about 14 hours!

Most visitors fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport just outside Arusha. There are domestic flights from Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), near Dar es Salaam, to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Flights from Dar es Salaam take about 1.5 hours. A popular alternative is to fly from Nairobi to Arusha, which is also about a 1-hour flight.

The Kilimanjaro International Airport is only about 46km (29 mi) from Arusha. From Arusha, it is 140km (87 mi) to Tarangire National Park. The drive from Arusha to Tarangire takes a mere 2 to 3 hours.

When was Tarangire National Park established?

Tarangire National Park was established in 1970.

Why is the national park named Tarangire, and what does Tarangire mean?

The national park is named after the Tarangire River, which flows through its northern part. The word Tarangire means ‘river of warthogs’. And there are indeed plenty of warthogs in Tarangire.

The Tarangire Safari Experience

Tarangire is one of the most underrated safari destinations in Tanzania. It offers a more exclusive safari experience than the better-known African parks. It is relatively uncrowded when compared to the famous parks.

The Tarangire safari experience is less commercialized, especially in the southern part of the park and out of high season. Thus, Tarangire is a superb choice for a more authentic safari on Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit.

Find out more in our Tarangire Safari Guide. Or get in touch to book an affordable African safari to Tarangire National Park in Tanzania.

Landia Davies Content Manager

Landia is a nature and animal lover. This South African woman avoids crowds and has worked in the African safari industry for over 16 years!