Tarangire National Park is known for having the greatest concentration of wildlife outside of the Serengeti eco-system. Named after the river that crosses through it, this park at 1,100 square miles located southwest of Arusha, is sometimes sadly missed by those heading for the more well known of the National Parks in Tanzania. Yet we can highly recommend it for its elephant migration, quiet authentic atmosphere and fantastic birding opportunities. During the dry season, the river is the only source of water for many animals, with thousands migrating to it from the nearby Lake Manyara National Park. The landscape here is diverse, with a mix of habitats that are unique to the area and not found anywhere else: hilly landscapes are dotted with vast numbers of baobab trees, dense bush and high grasses. Herds of up to 300 elephants congregate here, whilst migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala and eland can also be seen, with the accompanying predators following along behind. On drier ground you find the Kori bustard, the heaviest flying bird; ostriches, the world's largest bird; and small parties of ground hornbills blustering like turkeys.

The park is also famous for the termite mounds that dot the landscape. Those that have been abandoned are often seen to be home to dwarf mongoose.

The swamps, an oasis of green year round, are where you will find over 550 bird species, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world. It is a birder's dream with frequent sightings of yellow-collared lovebirds, which can be seen during a game drive alongside the river.

Tarangire's pythons climb trees, as do its lions and leopards, lounging in the branches where the fruit of the sausage tree disguises the twitch of a tail.