Tarangire National Park 365

Named after the river that crosses it, Tarangire National Park’s 2 850 square kilometre footprint is dotted with magnificent baobabs and is home to some of the country’s largest concentrations of wildlife. It’s also a relatively less-frequented park, so you’re likely to feel as though you’re the only ones there.

Landscapes are varied, and range from marshes to grasslands, accounting for the diverse wildlife. Expect to see incredible herds of elephant and buffalo, as well as huge numbers of zebra, wildebeest, gemsbok, waterbuck and giraffe. You’re also likely to enjoy good predator sightings, including some tree-climbing lion, leopard and cheetah. Bird enthusiasts can expect a fruitful experience, in particular around the swamp areas and riverbanks – Tarangire is home to more than 550 species.

The park is also easily accessible from Arusha and the better-known parks like Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, which makes it a bit of a mystery that Tarangire isn’t busier.