Tanzania safari | Tarangire National Park | Baobab
Tarangire National Park, which is home to thousands of elephants, is symbolised by the baobab tree. Dispersed among acacia forests and palm trees, this 'upside down' tree is the ideal hiding place for small mammals and reptiles. The large diversity of birds, in particular birds of prey, makes this a paradise for bird lovers. Tarangire National Park is an excellent alternative for those who don't have enough time to visit Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater.
The sun has baked the earth a deep red colour in Tarangire National park and in the dry season the Tarangire River is merely a very thin stream. Nevertheless, elephants and various hoofed animals including Beisa Oryx, whose ears are fringed with hair, and gerenuk travel for hundreds of kilometres to reach the water. This park also has the largest concentration of game outside the Serengeti's ecosystem, which is a walking buffet for animals of prey. In the rainy season, the migratory animals spread across an area of 2,600 km2 and graze from the green plains.
An incredible 550 bird species inhabit the ever-green swamps. You will not find another breeding place in the world that houses so many different birds in a single habitat. This makes it a true paradise for bird lovers. You might even get to see the Kori Bustard (the heaviest bird capable of flight) in the drier areas and small groups of Southern Ground Hornbills rummaging for food. This is also home to a brightly coloured dwarf parrot, which is distinguished by its yellow collar.
All in all Tarangire National Park lends itself excellently to guided walking safaris and because Tarangire is one of the least visited national parks, you'll really feel as though you're entered an undiscovered part of Africa.
You can also take day trips from here to Masai and Barabaig villages, and go and see the hundreds of prehistoric rock drawings at nearby Kolo (on the way to Dodoma). The dreadlocks of the dancers in these drawings are still distinguishable, as is the upright fur of their prey. Blood-red paint was used to immortalise scenes like these on the smooth rocks.
