2 days The Crater & Lake Manyara
Two parks, one night, no wasted driving. The crater on the first day while the light is good, Manyara on the way back to Arusha.
Wildlife & Culture
Tarangire in a Day
Two hours from Arusha to the biggest elephant population in northern Tanzania, standing among baobabs along a river that never quite dries.
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At a glance
- Destinations
- Tarangire National Park
- Best for
- Wildlife safari
- Travel style
- Budget · Drive
- Activity level
- Easy — most of the day is spent in a vehicle or on a boat
- Best time to travel
- June to October is usually the best window for a single day in Tarangire, when wildlife gathers near the river. In the rains the landscape is greener and animals range more widely, which changes what a short visit can cover.
- Start and end
- Arusha, there and back
Why this journey
- Elephant herds along the Tarangire river
- Baobabs — the densest stand on Northern Tanzania
- A full day of game driving, not a morning
- Under two hours from Arusha each way
- Good birding: hornbills, bee-eaters and raptors along the river
Day by day
In the dry season the Tarangire river is the only permanent water for a long way, and the animals come to it. That concentration is what makes a single day here worth the drive, in a way it would not be in the Serengeti.
Morning departure
— Begin your adventure with an early morning pick-up from your agreed location in Arusha and enjoy a scenic drive to Tarangire National Park.
Full-day game drive
— Experience an exciting full-day game drive through Tarangire National Park, famous for its vast elephant herds, diverse wildlife, and natural landscapes.
Baobab trees & the Tarangire River
— Discover the park's iconic giant baobab trees and the year-round Tarangire River, a vital water source that attracts a wide variety of animals and birds.
Wildlife & birdwatching
— Observe elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and many other species. Tarangire is also one of East Africa's premier birdwatching destinations with hundreds of bird species.
Picnic lunch
— Enjoy a delicious packed lunch at the scenic Matete Picnic Site while surrounded by the beauty of the park.
Return to Arusha
— Relax on the drive back to Arusha, where you will be dropped off at your agreed location.
Stay and travel
A day trip, so there is no overnight stay. You start and finish at the agreed pick-up point.
A 4×4 with a roof hatch and a window seat for everyone, driven by your guide throughout.
Camps fill, and roads change with the rains. Where something has to change we substitute at the same level and tell you before you travel, not after.
Included and excluded
What is included
- Every activity named in the day-by-day
- Accommodation as listed, or a similar alternative if a camp is full
- Meals as noted against each day
- Transfers between the agreed pick-up and drop-off points
- Park, reserve and conservation area fees
- An English-speaking Tanzanian driver-guide
- A 4×4 with a roof hatch, or the vehicle the route calls for
- Drinking water through the day
- Government taxes
Not included
- International flights, airport taxes and visa fees
- Travel, medical and baggage insurance
- Personal spending — drinks, laundry, telephone
- Tips for your guide and crew
- Anything not listed as included
Practical information
- Visas, insurance and tipping
- A visa is arranged before travel or on arrival. Travel and medical insurance is a condition of booking. Tipping is customary and we will suggest a range rather than set one.
Related journeys
Every route here can be changed
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