Tarangire Day Trip
Elephant herds and baobabs, out and back in a long day. Best from July to October, when the river is the only reliable water for miles.
Private day trip1 / 4
Overview
Tarangire is about two hours from Arusha, so a long day gives you a full morning game drive, lunch in the park, and a slower afternoon along the river before the drive back.
In the dry season, July to October, the Tarangire River is the main water in the area, so animals concentrate along it and the elephant herds can be very large. The rest of the year it is still a good day, greener and quieter, but the animals spread out and you work harder to find them.
Highlights
- Along the riverIn the dry season the river draws animals in from miles around.
- Baobab countryThe park's great baobabs stand over the grassland along many of its tracks.
- Lunch in the parkThen a slower afternoon drive before the trip back to Arusha.
Itinerary
Pickup: 6:30, from your Arusha hotel. From Arusha: about 2 hours each way.
Numbers show the order of stops; the gold line is the route, not the exact road. Parks shaded. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, Natural Earth.
About Tarangire
Tarangire is a park of baobabs and seasonal swamps along the Tarangire River, about two hours from Arusha. In the dry months the river is the main water for a wide area, so animals tend to gather along it, and it sees far fewer vehicles than the Serengeti.
Today
Pickup from your Arusha hotel at 6:30 and about two hours to the park gate, then a game drive through the morning. Lunch in the park, then a slower afternoon drive along the river. Back at your hotel by about 18:30.
Price
One guide price per person, confirmed for your dates.
Price on request
- Low · Apr–May
- Mid · Nov–mid Dec, Jan–Mar
- Peak · Jun–Oct, 20 Dec–10 Jan
Included & not included
What your price covers, and what to budget for separately.
Included
The park's entry and conservation fees for the day, paid by us in advance.
Lunch during the day, in the park or on the way.
Return transport from your hotel, with an English-speaking guide who stays with you all day.
Collected from your hotel in the morning and taken back at the end of the day.
Water in the vehicle through the day.
Not included
- International flights. Flights to and from Tanzania are booked by you. We will suggest arrival and departure times that fit the trip.
- Visa. Paid by you, usually online before you travel. Visa information
- Travel insurance. A condition of travelling with us. It must cover medical treatment, emergency evacuation and repatriation.
- Tips. Always your choice, for your guide at the end of the day. How tipping works
- Personal spending. Drinks other than water, souvenirs and anything personal.
Packing
A warm layer for the early start, a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses, light-coloured clothes (tsetse flies here are drawn to dark blue and black), insect repellent, binoculars, and your passport for park entry.
Visa
Most nationalities need a visa: $50 for a single entry. US citizens pay $100 for a multiple-entry visa. Apply online before you travel to avoid the queue on arrival. Fees and rules change, so check with the Tanzanian embassy in your country.
Questions travellers actually ask
For elephants and baobabs, yes. A night in or near the park adds the early morning and the late afternoon, which are the best hours, but a day gives you the heart of it.
Possibly. Tarangire has lions and other predators, but sightings are never guaranteed. Elephants are the park's most reliable sighting, especially from July to October, though nothing is certain.
They are around in parts of the park, and their bites are irritating rather than dangerous for visitors. Light clothes and repellent help, and your guide knows where they gather.
It is twelve hours, about four of them on the road. Older children usually manage well; for younger ones, Arusha National Park is a shorter day.
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