Tarangire National Park: Elephants under baobabs, two hours beyond Arusha.

With children

Children under 5 pay no park fee, those aged 5 to 15 pay 15 USD plus tax. With four to six hours of driving there and back and around five hours of game driving it is a long day, but quite manageable from around eight years old. Elephant herds up close usually thrill children more than rare big cats.

Malaria

Tarangire lies in a high-risk area, as does Arusha. The German Federal Foreign Office advises consistent protection against mosquito bites by day and night and considers tablets advisable in high-risk areas; falciparum malaria accounts for over 99% of cases. Get travel-medicine advice on prophylaxis for your whole stay.

Self-drive

Possible, and the road from Arusha is tarmac. On top of the park fee, hire cars up to 2,000 kg pay a 40 USD vehicle fee, and a guide is available for 20 USD per group. Plan the return so that you are back before dark: the German Federal Foreign Office advises against overland driving after sunset, and the park gates close at 18:00.

Limited mobility

You travel in a 4x4 with a pop-up roof, and the step up is high. The only walking is at the picnic site, and the tracks in the park are dusty and bumpy. The tour is generally not suitable for wheelchair users, but is manageable with limited mobility if you are steady on your feet.

What to wear

Tarangire is tsetse country. The flies are particularly drawn to blue and very dark colours and bite through thin fabric, so medium-weight long clothing in khaki, olive or beige is the best choice; leave blue and black in your suitcase. Mornings are cool in the open vehicle, and it gets hot from late morning. Add a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

What to wear? Read the safari clothing guide →

Photography

Elephants under baobabs and along the river can often be photographed with a medium focal length, while a telephoto lens of 200 mm or more pays off for lions and birds. The best light is just after arrival and from 15:00. In the dry season it is dusty, so a bag for the camera helps.

Budget

A day safari from Arusha is hard to find for under 170 USD per person, and alone in a private vehicle you pay 430 to 650 USD. You can save with shared tours from 175 EUR. Tarangire's park fee is 50 USD, compared with 70 USD in the Serengeti.