Tarangire National Park

Tarangire's defining features are its ancient baobab trees and the Tarangire River, the only permanent water source in the region during the dry season, drawing enormous elephant herds that can number several hundred animals in a single riverine stretch. The park sustains year-round populations of oryx, eland, and lesser kudu rarely seen in the Serengeti, and hosts one of East Africa's highest concentrations of breeding birds — over 500 species recorded. Its relative proximity to Arusha makes it a frequent first stop on northern Tanzania circuits.