Attractions in Tarangire National Park

Wildlife Migration in Tarangire

Every year, from June to November, during the dry season, Tarangire experiences a wildlife migration, although less spectacular than the annual migration of wildebeests in the Serengeti, nonetheless attracting a sizable number of animals. Since the Tarangire River is the only supply of water in this region of the country, which is largely dry, a significant number of wildebeests, elephants, gazelles, zebras, and hartebeest, as well as numerous predators like lions and leopards, come to drink and graze along the river’s banks.

The giant baobab Tree

Another notable element in Tarangire National Park is the baobab tree, also referred to as the “Tree of Life.” Over time, the baobab has changed to fit its environment. It is scrumptious, which means that during the rainy season, water is collected and stored in its enormous trunk. It has a trunk capacity of from 300 to 1000 litres of water. This allows it to produce fruit that is rich in nutrients during the dry season when other plants are dry and unproductive. It earned the nickname “The Tree of Life” as a result.

Baobab trees live for roughly 600 years, and based on local folklore, they used to roam around the African continent. God, however, became upset with them due to of their aimless wandering and chose to plant the upside-down as a means of controlling their movement.

The Elephant population and other wildlife

Tarangire National Park is well-known for its large elephant populations, with the highest elephant population in Tanzania. Over 300 elephants can be found in large herds in Tarangire National Park’s plains and along river banks where the waters have receded. At Tarangire National Park, around 3000 elephants freely graze and amble over the area in big groups. Tarangire National Park’s elephants are gregarious creatures. seeing such massive elephant groups roaming and feeding unrestrainedly at Tarangire National Park. Tarangire National Park is a terrific location for incredible elephant viewing because you don’t get to see enormous herds of elephants in one spot every day.

Together with much other wildlife, visitors can witness waterbucks, lions, buffalo, giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, spotted hyenas, tree-climbing lions, vervet monkeys, kudu, dik-dik, and impalas while on Tarangire National Park safaris.

Birds in Tarangire

Tarangire National Park is one of Tanzania’s top birding destinations, with over 550 distinct species of rare and colourful birds. Tarangire’s birds live in a vast network of marshlands that are mostly found in the southern and eastern areas of the park. These bird species include Lilac-breasted Ropers, Hoopoes, Hornbills, White-bellied Woodpeckers, Yellow-necked Spur Fowl, Helmeted Guineafowl, and Crested Francolin. Go-away birds, Brown parrots, barbets, mousebirds, striped swallows, starlings, hammerkops, bee-eaters, cordon bleus, and owl plovers are just a few of the bird species you might see. Raptor species include the enormous Lappet-faced Vultures, the tiny Pigmy Falcon, the Bateleur Eagles, the Steppe Eagles and others. The stocking-tailed ostrich, the largest bird in the world, the Kori bustard, the heaviest bird to fly, and smaller groups of hornbills can all be found in the dry regions of Tarangire National Park.

The swamps

Swamps are abundant in Tarangire National Park and serve as crucial water catchment regions as well as fantastic habitats for a wide variety of wildlife. Swamps are primarily found in the southern and eastern parts of Tarangire National Park and are fed by the majestic Tarangire River, which runs northwest and empties into Lake Burunge.

Many species, including lions, leopards, wild dogs, and several reptiles including crocodiles and rock pythons, can be spotted while on a game drive through Tarangire National Park’s Silale, Gurusi, and Larmakau marshes. Several animals come to Tarangire National Park’s swamps to drink water because they serve as a big sponge collecting water during the wet season and preserving it during the dry.

Tarangire River

The Tarangire River is a crucial element of Tarangire National Park. It provides water for the ecosystem of the park and is a great area to watch wildlife because animals congregate there to drink water, particularly during the dry season. Several animals, including a big proportion of elephants, congregate along the Tarangire River to drink water and escape the sweltering sun. Elephants can be seen burrowing in the sand close to the Tarangire River in an effort to locate underground water. Wildlife from many different species, including leopards, lions, wildebeests, zebras, buffaloes, and gazelles, can be seen on the banks of the Tarangire River.

Poacher’s Hide

The poacher’s hide in Tarangire National Park is situated a hundred meters to the west of the park’s primary north-south track, southwest of Tarangire Hill. The Poacher’s Hide is a famous old Baobab tree that was originally utilized by poachers as a hideout. It has a slightly hidden entrance and a secret cavern.

The Poacher’s Hide baobab, which has a diameter of around 10 meters and is considered to be older than 300 years, is one of Tarangire National Park’s oldest trees. You can enter the Poacher’s hide through a small opening in the tree at any time. The hideout can house twenty or even more hunters and herders and has a vast interior.

Lemiyon Triangle

This stunning location is tucked away in the far northern section of the park, forming a triangle zone. The giant baobab trees that tower alongside the road with their enormous silver trunks and the plethora of gnarled branches are the most stunning type of vegetation in this area. Even people who are not birders will be astonished by the sheer number of these potent avian carnivores in Lemiyon. Lemiyon is home to vast red-billed quelea flocks and huge baobab trees.

Kolo Rock Art Site

The Kolo Rock art site, located just outside Tarangire National Park, features stunning displays of ancient rocks. The world heritage-listed Kolo rock art site is open to the public. The Kolo rock art site displays ancient rocks as well as a variety of artefacts left behind by the prehistoric hunter-gatherers who were Tanganyika’s original inhabitants before the country was renamed Tanzania.

Kitibong Hill

In Tarangire National Park, a particularly lovely area known as Kitibong Hill is habitat to very enormous herds of Cape buffalo and a unique wild dog. This area provides excellent viewing of cape buffaloes tossing their heavy outfoxed horns and brimming through the area’s acacia plains. In the Kitibong Hill area, the amazing African wild dogs can be seen running in packs of 6-20. African hunting dogs are resolute hunters with a mottled pattern of different coloured fur covering their bodies which mimics a tie-dye T-shirt.

Matete Woodlands

The Tarangire National Park’s Matete Woodlands are a fantastic tourist destination and a great place to see wildlife, especially leopards and the endangered Oryx antelope. The tall elephant grass and prickly reeds that cover the riverbanks on the region’s western side gave rise to the name of the Matete woodland region. It is Tarangire National Park’s best region for leopard sightings, with these enigmatic cats’ “leopards” plainly visible on the branches of acacia tortillas trees.