Tarangire National Park

The annual wildebeest migration spans further than just the Serengeti. You can also witness the wildebeests, zebras, gazelles and alpha predators make their annual trek through Tarangire National Park.

Tarangire National Park

Tarangire National Park, located in the Manyara region, is the sixth largest national park in Tanzania. The park’s name originates from the Tarangire River that crosses the park. This river is the main source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire Ecosystem during the annual dry season. The long-distance migration of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles define the region’s ecosystem. And it’s no wonder. Over 2 million wildebeests cross through during the annual migration.

During the dry season, thousands of animals come from wet-season dispersal and calving areas to concentrate in Tarangire National Park.

Tarangire Safari: Wildlife

If Tarangire National Park had a mascot, it wouldn’t be a wildebeest. It would be an elephant. This park is famous for its high concentration of elephants year round.

Possibly its most famous resident was the oldest-known elephant to give birth to twins. But although that elephant was the oldest, she wasn’t the only elephant mom to birth twins in Tarangire. There was a recent twin birth in the Tarangire National Park of Tanzania. These stories serve as a great examples of how these amazing animals can beat the odds.

You probably won’t see twin elephants born on your Tarangire safari, but you can expect to see lots of wildlife of varied species.

Park visitors in the dry season can expect to see the results of the annual migration in the form of zebra, wildebeest and cape buffalo.

Throughout the year, you may catch a glimpse of some of the park’s other residents: waterbuck, giraffe, dik dik, impala, eland, Grant’s gazelle, vervet monkey, banded mongoose, and olive baboon.

Predators in Tarangire include the lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal, honey badger, and African wild dog.

Tarangire is also home to more than 550 bird species, making the park a haven for bird enthusiasts.

And if you’ve ever seen a seemingly unbelievable photo of a towering termite mound, there’s a chance that shot was taken at Tarangire National Park. The park is famous for the termite mounds that dot the landscape. While you’re there, keep your eyes open. Abandoned termite mounds may be home to dwarf mongoose.

Tarangire Landscape

Tarangire may be as famous for its baobab trees as it is for its resident elephants. But you may not know that there are actually 8 types of baobab trees in the world (six are in Madagascar). The type you’ll find in Tanzania is called Adansonia digitata, and it’s the largest of all the 8 types.

If this interests you at all, the Tarangire National Park is the best place in the world to get a look at these massive baobab trees. And they are rather remarkable. In the peak of dry season, a baobab tree can store up to 100 thousand liters of water. And it shrinks and expands depending on the season.

If you do visit during the dry season, you may find elephants wherever you find baobab trees. The elephants know that these trees are a source of water in an otherwise dry area. Elephants can easily remove the tree bark and nosh on the refreshing, sponge-like inner core of the baobab tree.

You may visit Tarangire National Park for the wildlife or termite mounds, but don’t neglect these trees. Well, to be honest, you won’t be able to miss them. But while you’re there, take some time to appreciate this unique work of nature.

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