Tarangire Day Trips

4.2/5 – 338 Tarangire Reviews

Part of Tanzania’s legendary Northern safari circuit, Tarangire National Park is a brilliant wildlife destination, even if you only have a day at your disposal. Even in such a short space of time you can get a taste of the park’s many attractions, which include giants such as elephants and baobab trees as well as big cats. Yes, Tarangire deserves much more than just 1 day. But a 1-day Tarangire safari is one of the best things you can do in Tanzania. And there is no doubt whatsoever that 1 day in the park is a whole lot better than no days at all. Or to put it another way, if you only have 1 day to spend on safari, there are few better places to do it than here in Tarangire.

1-20 of 70 one day tours and day trips to Tarangire National Park

5 Questions About Tarangire Day Trips

Expert

Answered by

Anthony Ham

Anthony has written nearly 150 Lonely Planet guidebooks, including ‘Tanzania’ and ‘East Africa’. He writes about Tanzania and the wider region for publications worldwide. He is author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’, which is partly set in Tanzania, and ‘The Man Who Loved Pink Dolphins’.
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How can I find a reliable operator for a day trip in Tarangire National Park?

“Your first stop when looking for a reliable tour operator to organize your 1-day Tarangire safari should be SafariBookings.com. When it comes to researching and planning your safari, SafariBookings can teach you just about anything there is to know about Tarangire National Park. This is largely thanks to the reviews and descriptions of the park that you’ll find on the website by some of Africa’s most experienced safari experts. SafariBookings is just as valuable when it comes to choosing the safari operator who will organize your trip. That’s because it gives you access to reviews by other safari-goers who have actually traveled with the operators in question and provide honest reviews of their performance based on firsthand experience.”

What can I expect from a day trip in Tarangire?

“In its simplest form, your day trip to Tarangire National Park will involve you traveling to and from the park, in between which you’ll most likely explore the park on a guided game drive. Such a game drive usually takes place in an open-sided 4WD safari vehicle, and you’ll be taken around Tarangire to look for animals by a guide and a driver. These will be the basics of your day trip. It's also worth remembering that a 1-day Tarangire safari will not include an overnight stay in the park. Instead, you will travel to and from Tarangire from elsewhere, and it all happens on the one day. The rest of the details will depend on where you’re traveling from and how much you pay (flying to and from Tarangire is much more expensive than traveling by road), among other variables.”

Which animals can I expect to see on a 1-day safari in Tarangire?

“Large herds of elephants (and even bigger baobab trees) are the undoubted highlights of any visit to Tarangire and you’re almost certain to see both on your 1-day safari. Other possibilities include wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland. Of the predators, lions are commonly seen (the Silale Swamp pride inhabits the park’s south), and you might also see cheetah and/or spotted hyena while you’re here. That said, your chances of seeing many of these species are limited if you’re only here for a day. Indeed, as a general rule, staying for such a short time means that you will limit your chances of seeing all of the incredible wildlife that Tarangire has to offer. You’re unlikely to see them in just a single day, but other Tarangire specials that you could spot include fringe-eared oryx, gerenuk, python and mongoose. If you see an African wild dog on your day here, you’ve really hit the jackpot.”

Where should I be based to do a day trip in Tarangire?

“The simple answer to this question is that the closer to Tarangire you begin and end your day, the more time you’ll have to explore the park itself. That’s because the farther away you are from the park at the start of the day, the more time you’ll need to spend traveling to and from (rather than in) the park. Obviously, if you fly to and from Tarangire as part of your day trip, the quicker you’ll arrive and the later you can leave, although flying will increase the cost of your trip considerably. It's worth checking with any prospective safari tour operators exactly what they mean by a day trip. It is possible, although rare, that some tour operators will consider it a day trip if you stay just outside the park, spend the day inside the park, and then return to your accommodation at the end of the day. Much more likely is that you’ll begin your day in Arusha and either return there at the end of the day or continue on to Mto wa Mbu or Lake Manyara after visiting Tarangire and before nightfall.”

How much does a Tarangire day trip cost?

“Expect to pay at least US$200 to US$250 for your Tarangire day trip, although prices can go much, much higher than that. It is actually rare for operators to offer a stand-alone 1-day Tarangire safari. In most cases in which you’ll visit Tarangire on a day trip, the time you spend in Tarangire is part of a broader safari itinerary or trip that takes in other parks or attractions. Where that’s the case, it can be difficult to separate out the cost of the Tarangire part of your overall safari. When calculating the cost of your safari, always make sure that you understand what is included in, and excluded from, any prices quoted by a safari operator. As a general rule, the following should be included: transfers, park entry fees (US$50/15 per adult/child per day), meals, drinks, guide, driver, vehicle and any game drives.”

Tarangire Reviews

4.2/5 338 Reviews

Expert

Stephen Cunliffe –

Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.

Land of the giant tuskers

5/5

Named after the Tarangire River, which is a magnet for wildlife at the height of the dry season, this national park is well worth a visit. Tarangire is rightfully famous for its elephants – especially the giant tuskers (which have thus...

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Expert

Gemma Pitcher –

Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.

A dry season must

4/5

I love Tarangire, but remember that this is a seasonal park – if you’re after mammals you’ll need to visit during the dry season (June-November) to get the best out of it. It’s nice and accessible – only two hours from Arusha –...

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Antal Bekefi –

Reviewed: Nov 13, 2024

5/5

One of the smaller parks, we saw lots of elephants, lion, eagle, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, monkeys, different birds. It is a mix of the beautiful baobab trees and bushes. Nice picnic area, relatively close to Arusha.

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Paul Grimaldi –

Reviewed: Nov 3, 2024

5/5

The scenery is very varied, undulating, dramatic, barren, verdant. Plenty of wildlife. The Maasai are fascinating and their herds of cattle, goats or donkeys become a familiar part of the landscape.

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Eric Barter –

Reviewed: Oct 21, 2024

4/5

Tarangire National Park felt smaller than the other two. Maybe it was. It was our first day so we didn't know that this park was smaller, so this did not affect my day at all. This park has many animals as well. Because of the size, we saw...

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Jennifer –

Reviewed: Sep 8, 2024

5/5

This was our first day and first park and it was the best of the whole trip. We saw so many animals and really close to the vechile. Lions right beside the road , just lying there and not worried at all about the vechiles. Really best...

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Tarangire Day Trips

1-Day Tarangire Trip

1-Day Marvelous Trip to Tarangire National Park

1-Day Trip from Arusha to Tarangire National Park

1-Day Tarangire National Park Advanture

1-Day Private Safari to Tarangire National Park

1-Day Explore Tarangire

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1-Day Tarangire Day Trip

1-Day Game Drive in Tarangire National Park

1-Day Elephant Paradise Tarangire National Park Tour

1-Day Private Tarangire NP Safari

1-Day Tarangire Adventure Escape

1-Day Day Trip Wildlife Safari to Tarangire

1-Day Arusha - Tarangire National Park

1-Day Trip from Zanzibar to Tarangire Then Zanzibar

1-Day Tarangire National Park Day Trip

1-Day The Best of Tarangire National Park

1-Day Budget Tarangire Safari

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5 Questions About Tarangire Day Trips

Answered by

Anthony Ham

5 Questions About Tarangire Day Trips

How can I find a reliable operator for a day trip in Tarangire National Park?

What can I expect from a day trip in Tarangire?

Which animals can I expect to see on a 1-day safari in Tarangire?

Where should I be based to do a day trip in Tarangire?

How much does a Tarangire day trip cost?

Tarangire Reviews

Land of the giant tuskers

A dry season must