Tarangire National Park
The Tarangire National Park is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania, after Ruaha, Serengeti, Mikumi, Katavi adn Mkomazi. It is located in the Manyara Region.
Tarangire park lies to the South East of Lake Manyara and covers approximately 2850 sq km, with the Tarangire river running across the park providing the only source of water for the wild animals during the dry season.
The hilly landscape is dotted with vast numbers of Baobab trees, dense bush and high grasses. The park is famous for its tree climbing lions. Other common animals include waterbuck, giraffe, and olive baboons.
Landscape and Vegetation
Tarangire National Park has regions of quite dense bush, but with high grasses and old baobab trees instead of the green forests of Manyara. The land is hilly and dominated by the impressive valley of the Tarangire River, which attracts good numbers of migrant animals during the dry months, especially between July and September.
Wildlife and Game Viewing in Tarangire National Park
During the dry months the concentration of animals around the Tarangire River is almost as diverse and reliable as in the Ngorongoro Crater, but the ecosystem here is balanced by a localised migration pattern that is followed by most animals other than the lions, who don’t tend to abandon their territory.
There are a fantastic number of colourful birds in Tarangire National Park throughout the year, with likely spots including the Paradise Whyder and endearing Yellow-collared lovebirds.
Migration Patterns and When to Go
The animals mostly disperse during April and May, when there is widespread greenery, vegetation and standing water to encourage all the grazers further afield.
In June, the eland and oryxes begin to return, followed by the elephant towards the end of the month. Tarangire is a great spot for elephant gatherings at the end of the rainy season in June, and zebra and wildebeest return together through July. By mid-August all the animals are congregating around their last reliable water source, the Tarangire River. The calving season falls in the early months of the year, through January, February and March.
