John Hemingway said, “If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa.” Magic that overwhelms the soul with the fresh breath, ever changing landscapes, varied vegetation types, people so kind and hospitable, yet all this found in one package dubbed the African Safari.
African safaris are not far from South African safaris, as most of the tourists to the continent head to South Africa’s Kruger national park, or just want beach relaxations at the famous Cape Town. Others probably visit Zimbabwe for the world’s largest waterfalls; Victoria falls.
In the recent years, the tourist numbers to East Africa have highly raised. This is one African region that has relatively unknown destinations. But from the time Tanzania’s Serengeti national park and the Ngorongoro crater ranked among the ten wonders of the world, thousands of tourists have been hitting the country to behold on these world ventures.
Visiting Tanzania would be equal to Serengeti national park safaris. For its big five experience, (lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos and elephants) and the Great migration of the wildebeests.
However, one rarely visited national park in Tanzania, yet with so much to explore is Tarangire national park. Covering approximately 2850 square kilometers, this amazing park is located in Northern Tanzania, just south of Lake Manyara.
Tarangire national park is famous for its huge herds of elephants, travelers here oftenly see big elephant families. The forests made of giant baobab trees and the rugged landscape which is incredibly diverse makes Tarangire stand out from all other destinations in the Northern circuit safari in Tanzania.
For travelers who want that much further off the beaten track experience, getting into Tanzania’s real wild areas, Tarangire national park is the perfect destination for you. The good news is that it’s an all year round destination, tourists can visit the park anytime though the best time would be the summer time.
Wildlife. Tarangire is a home to all Tanzania’s most beautiful animals except the rhinos. From the dik-dik, lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, gazelles, zebras to the towering African Giraffe and many others, nothing you can fail to see in the park. Tarangire also has endangered species that cannot be found anywhere else in the country except here; the fringe-eared oryx with its graceful horns, the towering greater kudu, and the tiny Ashy Starling.
More about wildlife, Tarangire national park homes Tanzania’s largest population of elephants. Herds of more than 300 elephants and quite a good number of wild cats that no tourists ever visited the park and failed to spot a lion or leopard.
Migration. The park is one of the few national parks in Africa where the great migration of the wildebeests takes places. Between June and November every year, Tarangire hosts the great migration of the wildebeests, zebras and gazelles. Even if the scene is not as impressive as in Serengeti national park. Also Tarangire river literary becomes the only water source to the migrating animals, which attracts several predators like lions and leopards who prey on them.
Bird life. Tarangire national park has a variety of habitats and food sources, making it a popular destination for birds as well as bird watchers. With over 500 bird species, Tarangire is the best birding spot in Tanzania. Birders here spot the yellow-collared lovebirds, lilac breasted rollers, mousebirds, swifts, striped swallows, starlings, bee-eaters, hammerkops, plovers, Kori bustards, bateleur eagles, steppe eagles, and the gigantic lappet-faced vulture among others.
Travelers to the park still get to visit the different ecosystems, tour the Kolo Rocks Art site, do camping, guided nature walks and other thrilling activities in the park.
The best options of accommodation are situated outside the pack, from super budget lodges, midrange to high end luxury lodges. However, even in the park, there are campsites and camping tents for those who want to sleep in the wild.
The right way to go on a safari in Tanzania is to go to Tarangire national park. It’s a full package of all African wonders that you would wish to explore.
