Tarangire National Park lies 120 km south of Arusha, along The Great North Road highway, and is very popular for day trips from the town. Tarangire offers a wide variety of wildlife in its area of 2,850 sq. km. As in all ecosystems, the vegetation and the types of animals you find are closely correlated. The principal features of the park are the flood plains and the grassland, mainly comprising of various types of acacia trees, and a few scattered baobabs, tamarind and the sausage trees.

The only source of year-round water for the local fauna is the river that bears the park’s name, the Tarangire. Animals that migrate to the Tarangire River return after the Maasai Steppes dry up in June, making Tarangire National Park the second-highest concentration of species after Ngorongoro. The greatest time to see game in Tarangire is between June and October during this time frame. Zebras, wildebeest, lions, leopards, waterbucks, giraffes, elephants, gazelles, impalas, gerenuks, smaller kudus, and the stunning fringe-eared oryx are among the most frequent creatures in the park. If you’re lucky, you might be able to see the park’s fabled tree-climbing python, as well as the endangered larger kudu and roan antelope. Walking safaris are also offered in the southern part of the park.