Why is Tarangire National Park Tanzania, worth a visit? (Tarangire Safari Guide)

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

This lesser-known Tanzania national park attracts fewer tourists than the famous Serengeti Park yet Tarangire hosts an abundance of diverse wildlife species. 

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 located?

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.

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

Tarangire National Park Tanzania by Deborah

Tarangire is a two-hour drive from the nearest domestic airport and can be accessed via 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 National 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 the largest populations of elephants in Africa. The population is also noted for its old tuskers - big bull elephants with impressive tusks.

Tarangire elephant Tanzania by Lourdes Castro

Tanzania’s Tarangire Park is also famous for its walking safaris, especially in the southern part of the park. It is one of the few wildlife parks in northern Tanzania where walking safaris are permitted. Then, Tarangire is known for its wide diversity and high concentrations of wildlife, particularly in the dry season.

Tarangire Wildlife Safari in Tanzania by Tomas Malik

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 Park, the wildlife migration in Tarangire is an extraordinary sight. It sees large numbers of wildebeests, elephants, gazelles, zebras, hartebeests, and buffaloes migrate to the Tarangire River. This influx of herbivores attracts a variety of hungry predators.

Hunting lion in Tarangire, Tanzania safari by Christoph Strassler

How big is Tarangire National Park?

The size of Tarangire National Park in Tanzania is about 2850km² (1100mi²).

It is the 6th largest national park in Tanzania and forms 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)

Elephants Tarangire National Park, Tanzania by Phil Kates

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

Tarangire buffalo herd, Tanzania by Nina R

3. Frequent lion sightings and tree-climbing lions

Lions Tarangire National Park, Tanzania by Deborah

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

Leopard Tarangire National Park Tanzania by Phil Kates

5. Superb birding destination hosting over 500 bird species

Tarangire birdlife, lilac-breasted roller by Christoph Borer

6. Beautiful scenery with giant old baobab trees

Tarangire National Park baobab by Jorge Lascar

7. Mobs of mongooses inhabiting old termite mounds

Tarangire mongoose on termite mound by Nina R

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 small children, younger than 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 number of people per group. For Tarangire National Park full-day tours with lunch, budget for about 185 USD per person (group of 7 people) 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 1250 per night at luxury safari lodges. 

Our affordable Tarangire Safaris start at $1225 per person for a 4-day camping safari and $1525 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 $1225 per person)

• Budget Tanzania Lodge Safari (from $1525 per person)

• Private Tanzania Safari - Camping & Lodge (from $2352 per person)

Northern Circuit Tanzania Safaris (Serengeti, Tarangire & more)

• Lodge Safari: 5-Day Tanzania Safari - Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire (from $1775 per person)

• Camping & Lodge Safari: 6-Day Tanzania Private Safari to Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park and Tarangire Park (from $4494 per person)

• Camping Safari: 7-Day Tanzania Wildlife Safari to Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti Park, and Tarangire National Park (from $1990 per person)

• Lodge Safari: 7-Day Tanzania Safari to Serengeti & Beyond to Lake Manyara Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, and Tarangire National Park (from $2150 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

Lions in Tarangire Park, Tanzania by Antje Schultner

Tarangire Safari Lodges & Tarangire National Park Hotels 

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

There are fantastic tented lodges that provide 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 Tarangire National Park hotels near the national park, but we recommend staying at safari lodges in and around the park.

Tarangire Park Wildlife & Conservation

Tarangire National Park is home to an abundance of animals. Plentiful sightings of elephants, wildebeest, and zebras are almost guaranteed.

Tarangire Park Zebras, Tanzania Safari by Chris Parker

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

Tarangire safari giraffes, Tanzania by Jorge Cancela

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

Tarangire safari lions in Tanzania by Marcel Oosterwijk

Tarangire cheetah, Tanzania safari

Tarangire leopard, Tanzania Safari by Jonathan Wisner

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. 

Waterbuck, Tarangire Park in Tanzania by Christoph Borer

Dik dik antelopes in Tarangire, Tanzania by Megan Coughlin

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

Baboons, Tarangire Safari Guide by Andrey Filippov

Monkeys, Tarangire Safari Guide by Christoph Borer

Mongoose, Tarangire Safari by Megan Coughlin

In terms of wildlife conservation, Tarangire National Park 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 love bird and roller.

Tarangire birds, crowned plover by Deborah

Sunbird in Tarangire Park, Tanzania by Nigel Voaden

Best time to visit Tarangire National Park 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 an array of wildlife and birds. The vegetation also thins out, which makes it easier to spot animals in the wild. The dry season is thus the best time of year for watching wildlife on safari in Tarangire Park. 

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

Tarangire birding, hamerkop by Christoph Borer

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 the Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) near Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). The flights from Dar es Salaam take about one and a half hours. A popular alternative route is to fly from Nairobi to Arusha, also about a 1-hour flight.

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

When did they make Tarangire National Park?

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 the northern part of it. The word Tarangire means ‘river of warthogs’. And there are indeed plenty of warthogs in Tarangire.

Tarangire River warthogs, Tanzania by Christine Olson

The Tarangire Safari Experience

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

Tarangire Safari, Tanzania by Ray Rui

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 about Tarangire National Park. Or get in touch to book an affordable African safari that visits Tarangire National Park Tanzania.

Elephants, Tarangire Safari by Jorge Cancela