Best Time to visit Tarangire National Park
Best Time to visit Tarangire National Park : Tarangire National Park can be reached primarily in one of two ways: by plane or by road.
By air
To get to Tarangire, flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) is the most convenient method. This is situated 29 miles (46 km) from Arusha. Another option is to fly into the close-by Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) and then make arrangements for a domestic flight at the Arusha Airport (ARK).
You can also choose to fly into Nairobi, Kenya, and then continue your journey with one of the buses that run between Arusha and Nairobi if you’re looking for a reasonably priced flight. If you choose an early pick up, you can travel to Arusha in the late afternoon. In most situations, your tour guide will pick you up at the airport and arrange for any additional transportation needed after that.
Chartered flights
Charter flights are another option for getting from Arusha to Tarangire, Serengeti, and back. It will only take you two hours to travel comfortably from Arusha to the entrance gate, and just 7 kilometres of that distance are on unpaved roads. It is rather simple to drive from Tarangire to the nearby Ngorongoro Conservation Area or Lake Manyara National Park. One of the parks in northern Tanzania is called Tarangire and is thought to be more of a seasonal park. Migration occurs frequently within the Greater Tarangire environment.
During the dry season, which lasts from June to October, enormous herds of animals are drawn towards the Tarangire River. The elephant population figures right now are likewise astounding. Among the northern Tanzanian parks, Tarangire receives almost no tourists, yet its southern section has a distinct feeling of undiscovered Africa. Tarangire, which has a land size of 2,600 square kilometres, is located about south-east of Lake Manyara National Park. It has a mountainous terrain with a scattering of Baobab trees, dense bushes, and tall grass.
There are several reputable internet retailers and websites that provide accurate information on the price, schedule, and type of aircraft that operate flights into Tarangire National Park. Some of the most highly endorsed sites recommend flights safaris to many locations and for the most recent information, particularly with regard to domestic flights. Coastal Aviation, Air Tanzania, Safari Air Link, Precision Air, ZanAir, and Regional Air are a few of the domestic carriers you can use. Please be aware that the available charter flights have a weight limit, so you should ask your tour operator how much luggage you may bring at once.
By road
The travel to Tarangire National Park from Arusha is around 140 kilometres, and it takes three hours to get there. Unfortunately, a lot of people think of a safari in Tarangire as being solitary. However, if you visit this area in the dry season, you can see incredible Tanzania wildlife, especially if you explore the southern section of the park. The Serengeti and the Ngorongoro crater are undoubtedly visited alongside Tarangire, which is a part of the well-known northern safari circuit. The majority of the safaris on this circuit begin in Arusha town.
Other nearby parks
As there are adequate access roads and charter planes that link to these destinations, a safari to Tarangire can easily be combined with a visit to the nearby national parks. A road trip of about 110 kilometres and 2 hours and 50 minutes will get you from Tarangire National Park to Lake Manyara National Park. Another option is to drive the approximately 3 hour distance (140 km) from Tarangire to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
On a lengthier Tanzania safari itinerary that includes visits to other national parks, the Tarangire National Park can also be visited as a day trip; however, if you choose to spend the night, there are several lodging alternatives available, including lodges and tented camps, for different price ranges.
The best time to visit Tarangire National Park
The greatest times to see wildlife in Tarangire National Park are in the middle and at the conclusion of the dry season, which lasts from late June to October. During the wet season, the majority of the animals leave the park, making wildlife viewing less enjoyable.
The optimum time to visit Tarangire National Park is from June to October which falls in the dry season, this is the time when the animals congregate around the Tarangire River. This time of year has the ideal weather for seeing wildlife because there is less rainfall throughout that period.
In Tarangire National Park, the best periods to see animals are in the middle and at the end of the dry season, which lasts from late June to October. Wildlife watching is less enjoyable during the wet season because most animals leave the area.
The best time to visit Tarangire National Park is during the dry season, from June to October, when the animals concentrate around the Tarangire River. Given that there is less rain during this time of year, it is the perfect time to see wildlife.
Wild animals are abundant in Tarangire National Park because they are drawn to the area’s permanent water sources. Many different species of animals congregate here after travelling great distances to satisfy their thirst in the waters of the Tarangire River and the nearby seasonal marshes.
The river banks become crowded as a result of the large number of animals in the migrating herd as well as other local species including zebras, gazelles, and wildebeests as well as impalas. The diminishing ponds and waterholes are crowded with numerous giraffes, hartebeests, and buffaloes. Given the abundance of prey, predators like lions and leopards are drawn to the area. The River Tarangire Banks are overrun with birds, making the Park an excellent location to observe and be in awe of the rich fauna.
The fact that the various wild species inhabiting Tarangire migrate in a cyclical rhythm all year long is fascinating. In fact, the soil in Tarangire is deficient in phosphorus, which drives the many wild species to leave this designated wildlife refuge and venture outside the park’s boundaries in search of phosphorous-rich pastures. The Maasai pastoralist community, who for many years coexisted with these large migratory animals, own the majority of the surrounding territory. These Maasai people generally do not kill any kind of wild animal, instead relying heavily on their cattle for survival. In spite of this, the increase in overall human population compelled them to gradually switch to crop cultivation, necessitating the need for more farmland, which over time increased pressure on the park’s limits.
Regardless of the season (dry or wet), the park is most well-known for its enormous elephant population. Elephants of all sizes can be seen in overwhelming numbers relaxing in the shade of trees or even digging as they search for underground water sources. These powerful giants can be seen crossing the Tarangire River before they cover themselves in the brick-red soil that makes up Tarangire National Park.
The most prevalent tree species close to the banks of the Tarangire River are fever trees, which border its clay shores. The trees, which resemble ghosts, thrive in clay soils with poor drainage, where other tree species virtually ever grow. In the past, explorers and travellers called them “Fever Trees” since they were mistakenly believed to induce malaria because many campers in the vicinity contracted the disease. Even still, the association was merely coincidental because mosquitoes that spread malaria also loved the same wet conditions found along riverbanks.