Game drives in Tarangire national park
Game drives in Tarangire national park : Tarangire national park is a safari destination in the northern part of Tanzania which is famous for its large herds of elephants.
Game drives are among the wildlife viewing activities which tourists engage in as they explore Tarangire national park and its attractions. The game drives in the national park are carried out in the morning, afternoon or evening.
The national park is part of the northern safari circuit of Tanzania which also includes other destinations like lake Manyara national park (home to tree climbing lions), Serengeti national park (oldest national park in Tanzania) and the Ngorongoro conservation area where the world’s largest inactive and unfilled volcanic caldera is found.
During game drives around Tarangire national park, the tourists enjoy an experience of spotting wildlife species and seeing the baobab trees, savannah plains, floodplains and swamps which make up the national park.
While engaging in morning game drives, many wildlife species such as elephants, buffalos, antelopes, zebras and many others can be spotted as they graze around Tarangire national park since they are active during the morning.
To engage in activities such as game drives park entrance fees are among the requirements to access Tarangire national park. Park entrance fees charged for Tarangire national park for nonresidents is 53 USD for adults and children are charged 17.7 USD.
Game drives in the park are also carried out for a full day and involve driving around the national park for the whole day in search of the different wildlife species at the destination.
Before engaging in the game drives and other activities in Tarangire national park, tourists are briefed about their safaris and also given information on what the dos and don’ts while exploring the national park.
The different wildlife species which can be spotted during game drives in the park include lions, leopards, buffalos, elephants, gazelles, buffalos, elands, hartebeests and many others.
Wildlife viewing in Tarangire national park can be carried out at different times of the year and the dry season from June to October is recommended for game viewing activities since the wildlife species can be spotted around water points in the national park.
Tarangire national park is named after Tarangire river which flows through the national park. Different wildlife species can be spotted around the river during safaris especially in the dry season since the Tarangire river is a major water source for the wildlife species.
Apart from engaging in game drives around Tarangire national park, the national park is also a birding paradise with over 600 bird species which can be seen at different locations in the national park.
During game drives in Tarangire national park, tourists are encouraged to follow rules such as staying on track while viewing the wildlife species, avoiding noise, avoiding littering, not feeding the animals among others. Following the rules which are provided during briefing during safaris in the national park ensures that the tourists enjoy their game drives and also conserve the environment in the national park.
Game drives and other activities around Tarangire national park can be carried out by individuals and also in groups. Safaris to the national park can be organized by tour operators who help to plan these different activities and other details for the safaris around Tanzania such as Focus East Africa tours.
Some of the activities which are carried out during safaris around Tarangire national park are organized for guests by the lodges in the national park which include luxury lodges, midrange lodges and budget lodges.
Lodges around Tarangire national park include Tarangire Sopa lodge, Baobab tented camp, Mbali Mbali Tarangire river camp, Tarangire Kuro treetops lodge, Tarangire safari camp, Kirurumu Tarangire lodge, Maramboi tented camp, Maweninga camp, Nimali Tarangire lodge among others.
Other activities which are carried out during safaris in Tarangire national park include the following;
Bird watching
Tarangire national park is known for being home to over 600 bird species which include endemic bird species, non-endemic bird species as well as migratory birds such as ashy starlings, red and yellow barbets, yellow necked spurfowl, yellow collared lovebird, rufous tailed weavers, red billed hornbills, northern pied babbler, pelicans, ostriches, lilac breasted rollers, francolins, kingfishers and many others.
Bird watching in Tarangire national park can be carried out in locations such as in the woodlands, the swampy floodplains and many other places. The time of the year which is recommended for birding is during the months of November to March.
Guided nature walks
Guided nature walks around Tarangire national park give the tourists a closer interaction with their natural surroundings. Tourists can also enjoy seeing wildlife species such as elephants, zebras, buffalos among others on foot while engaging in nature walks around the remote areas of the national park.
This activity in the wild is also a way for the tourists to learn more about the flora and fauna in Tarangire national park and this information can be provided by the ranger guides who are present during the guided nature walks around the national park.
Guided nature walks can be carried out in the morning and also at any other time of day around Tarangire national park.
Community walks
Visiting the neighboring communities around Tarangire national park such as the Maasai people is another safari activity which is carried out by tourists.
This activity involves interactions with the locals and getting to know more about their way of life, culture and traditions, food preparation, visiting traditional homesteads and many other aspects about the different tribes living around Tarangire national park like the Maasai who are known for their nomadic way of life.
How to get to Tarangire national park
Tarangire national park which is located in Tarangire national park can be accessed by both flight and also by driving from Arusha.
Flights to Tarangire national park can be got from Arusha airport to Kuro airstrip using different airlines such as coastal aviation.
Visit Tarangire national park and enjoy wildlife viewing and engaging in different activities during a safari.
