Why Tarangire Instead of Serengeti?

While Serengeti is the most famous safari park in Tanzania, it’s often crowded. Tarangire is just as beautiful but far less touristy. The two-hour drive from Arusha was bumpy but worth every second.

What Makes Tarangire Special

• Known as “Elephant Paradise” for good reason
• About 50,000 elephants throughout Tanzania
• Almost 10% live in this relatively small park
• Park size: approximately 3,000 square kilometers
• Less crowded than Serengeti but equally spectacular
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Animals We Saw in Tarangire

The Big Five:

1. Lions – We found a whole family chilling near the road. The guide got a tip from another guide (that’s how it works in Tanzania). The family had many male youngsters, and they put on quite a show for us, walking all around our vehicle.
2. Elephants – SO MANY elephants! We saw about 50 in one group, and they came incredibly close to our jeep. Watching them walk in formation reminded us of that scene from The Jungle Book. Throughout the park, elephants were everywhere – truly living up to the “Elephant Paradise” name.
3. Buffalo – We spotted these massive animals with their large, sharp horns. Despite looking like tame cows, they’re one of the Big Five and can even defeat lions with their powerful horns.
   
   

Other Amazing Wildlife we spotted:

• Mongooses right in the parking lot
• Waterbucks and antelopes
• Zebras (including adorable babies)
• Warthogs (Pumba and his family!)
• Red-billed hornbills (Zazu from The Lion King!)
• White-headed buffalo weavers
• Giraffes
• Ostriches
• Southern ground hornbill (endangered species)
• Marabou storks
• Helmeted guinea fowls
  
  

Best travel time:

January is baby season! Almost every animal we saw had little ones – from lion cubs to baby elephants. Absolutely adorable.