The Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater may get all the buzz on the Tanzania safari scene, but Tarangire National Park should also be on every safari-goer’s list. It’s famous for two things, and rightly so. First off are the amazing Tarangire National Park elephants — wow.
The other stars of the landscape here are the mighty baobab trees.
Elephants Everywhere
I’m a huge fan of trees, as my camera roll will attest, but I’m going to guess that most people will want to come here for the elephants. There are so many of them! We encountered dozens. One herd was at a watering hole …
… many were out in the grass …
… and several crossed the road right in front of us.
I can’t guarantee that it’s always like this, but during my visit in mid-January, they were all over the place. We saw them putting both grass and mud on their backs to keep cool.
There were also plenty of calves in the mix, from the small …
… to the smaller!
I could watch baby elephants all day long.
Mammal Multitudes
While the elephants are the stars of the show, Tarangire has many more mammals. We saw impalas …
….dwarf mongooses …
… baboons …
… waterbuck…
… and giraffes.
We also saw a lion climbing a tree! But it was so far away that my video does not do it justice — these lion tracks on the road will have to be the substitute:
A Bevy of Birds
There are also all sorts of birds, including this fairly common (but aptly named) superb starling …
… the wildly-topped helmeted guineafowl…
… and one of my new favorite birds, the lilac-breasted roller.
It was at Tarangire that I first became enamored of weaver bird nests.
Breathtaking Baobabs
And then there are the baobab trees … I know they’re not everyone’s thing, but I thought they were magnificent.
For a sense of perspective, here’s how large they can grow:
But the tree beauty doesn’t stop at the baobabs; wide acacia tree canopies stand out in the midst of stunning, empty landscapes.
Termite Topography
Another feature of the topography is the plethora of giant termite mounds (which often play host not only to termites, but to mongooses and snakes).
The rolling hills here are wonderful. This is the view from the picnic area, which overlooks the park’s namesake: the Tarangire River.
The picnic area comes complete with a troop of food-stealing vervet monkeys.
If you like elephants, trees, and more, I highly recommend that you include Tarangire on your safari itinerary. What an amazing place!
Wondering where to stay near Tarangire? I was so enamored of the Gran Meliá Arusha that I wrote an entire post about it.
Planning a safari? Check out this post on the essentials.
7 responses to “Get Ready for Elephant Paradise: Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park”
I agree with you. The Baobob trees are as stunning as the elephants although I wonder how some people don’t value the elephants either. Can’t imagine the world without elephants. I was surprised to hear that a herd of elephants are a “pride”. Are they gay? chortle. Dennis
Oops — wrong word! The elephants are in a herd. I was confusing them with the gay lions.
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