Tanzania / Northern Safari Circuit / TarangireTarangire
Elephants and Baobabs Along the Tarangire River
Two to three hours from Arusha, the first or last park of most northern safaris: baobab-dotted savannah along the Tarangire River, with some of the biggest elephant herds in Tanzania in the dry season (June to October), when the river is the only water for miles. Lions, leopards, tree-climbing pythons and over 500 bird species. Quieter than the Serengeti; tsetse flies can bite in the wooded parts, so wear light colours, not blue or black. Park fee about US$59 a day in peak season.
Highlights
- Elephant herds at the Tarangire River
- Giant baobab trees
- Lions and leopards in the dry season
- Silale swamp birdlife
- Sundowner on the river bluffs
- Maasai village visit outside the park
Things to do
- Full-day game drive along the Tarangire RiverMorning · 7h
- Picnic lunch under the baobabsAfternoon · 1h 30m
- Sundowner on the river bluffEvening · 1h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: June – October
Worth knowing
Long Rains: Muddy Tracks, Some Camps Closed
April and May are the long rains: heavy downpours most afternoons, muddy and sometimes impassable tracks, and some camps and lodges closed. The animals are still there (Ngorongoro Crater is good all year) and lodges cut their rates by a third or more, but allow extra time on the roads and pick a lodge that is open.
- Christmas and New Year peak — The busiest fortnight of the year in Zanzibar and on the northern circuit: lodges set peak rates and minimum stays, Zanzibar resorts add gala dinners, and Kilimanjaro climbs fill. Book lodges, bush flights and the climb by September or October.