Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park takes its name from the Tarangire River, the water source that shapes where animals move, above all in the dry season. It lies south-west of Arusha on the northern safari circuit, and the scenery is quite different from the Serengeti: grassland, woodland, seasonal swamps and scattered baobab trees.

Elephants are the park's best-known residents. You may find herds moving through the savanna, feeding under the trees or gathering at the river. Lion, leopard, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and several kinds of antelope live here too.

From June to October, when water dries up across the surrounding country, the river and the permanent pools draw animals in from far around, which makes for excellent game viewing. The great baobabs rising above the grass, with elephants and giraffes below them, give Tarangire a look of its own, and the varied habitats make it a rewarding park for birdwatching.

Because it is close to Arusha, Tarangire works well as a day trip or as the first stop of a longer safari on to Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Most guests arrive by road.