Tarangire national park or Lake Manyara safari
Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park are both safari parks which are located in the northern part of Tanzania. Among the unique features of Tarangire national park is the Tarangire river which in the dry season (June to October) is the source of water for the different wildlife species in the national park.
The dry season is also a good time to engage in a safari to Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park during a visit to Tanzania. These national parks can also be visited during any other month of the year.
Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park are often compared when deciding which destination to visit when in Tanzania. Both these safari destinations of Tanzania however offer unique wildlife viewing experiences and have different attractions.
Depending on what your interests are during a safari in Tanzania, you can choose to visit Tarangire national park or Lake Manyara national park.
Size of the national parks
Lake Manyara national park and Tarangire national park are smaller in size compared to other wildlife viewing destinations in the northern part of Tanzania.
In size Lake Manyara national park covers about 325 square kilometers and Tarangire national park covers 2850 square kilometers. Because of the size of these national parks, you can also engage in a short safari around the safari destinations while visiting Tanzania.
A safari to Lake Manyara national park and Tarangire national park can be as short as 1 day or more. You can also combine a safari to these national parks with other destinations of Tanzania like Serengeti national park and the Ngorongoro crater.
Activities carried out during safaris in Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park include the following;
Game drives
During game viewing experiences in Tarangire national park, wildlife species which can be seen include large herds of elephants, buffalos, kudu, gerenuk, buffalos, giraffes, lions, leopards, gazelles, zebras, klipspringers among others.
The different wildlife species which can be seen during a safari around Lake Manyara national park include tree climbing lions, hippos, giraffes, impalas, zebras, vervet monkeys, elephants, buffalos among others.
Game drives are among the many activities which are done during safaris in Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park. Morning and afternoon game drives are carried out in both these parks and in Lake Manyara national park, game drives are also carried out during the night.
Night game drives around Lake Manyara national park involve exploring the diverse habitat in search of nocturnal wildlife species. There are also full day game drives done during Tanzania Safaris.
Bird watching
Tarangire national park is also home to numerous bird species and is a good birding location in Tanzania with over 600 bird species. You can also visit Lake Manyara national park for a birding safari including the flamingos which can be seen along the shores of Lake Manyara.
Bird watching is best done during the months from November to March when migrant bird species can also be seen around the national parks. Some of the bird species which can be seen during a safari around Lake Manyara national park and Tarangire national park include hornbills, pelicans, bee eaters, barbets, kingfishers, storks, crowned cranes and many others.
Nature walks
A unique way to explore Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park is by engaging in nature walks which are done on foot.
This safari activity involves exploring the wilderness and getting a closer view of the national park. A ranger guide joins the tourists as they engage in their nature walk in the national parks and explains how to track the wildlife species and also provides information about the destinations and their attractions.
In Lake Manyara national park, canopy walks are among the activities carried out during safaris. The treetop walkway is a suspended bridge where the canopy walks are done and it is about 18 meters off the ground and you can enjoy views of the canopy and also encounter wildlife species such as black and white colobus monkeys and baboons along the way.
Cultural tours
Cultural tours are also done during safaris around Tanzania and they involve interactions between the local communities and the tourists as they visit Lake Manyara national park and Tarangire national park.
The Maasai are among the people who tourists interact with during their visits to Tanzania. A cultural also involves visiting the homesteads, enjoying traditional dance performances, seeing local arts and crafts and getting to know more about the way of life of the locals.
Park fees for Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park
Park entrance fee is among the costs incurred during a safari to Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park.
In the peak season, the park entrance fee for Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park is 59 USD in the peak season and 53 USD in the low season for nonresidents. East Africans and Tanzanians during their safaris to these national parks are charged park entrance fee of 11800 Tshs.
Children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged park entrance fee of 17.7 USD to visit Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park and children below the age of 5 are not charged park entrance fees for safaris around Tanzania.
How to get to Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park
To get to Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park for a safari, you can get flights to Kilimanjaro international airport which is an airport in Tanzania where you can also access other national parks in the northern part of Tanzania.
From Arusha, Tarangire national park is located about 120 kilometers and Lake Manyara national park is 130 kilometers. Lake Manyara national park is found in the Great Rift Valley and during a safari, you can enjoy beautiful views of the scenery around the destination.
Visit Tanzania and engage in a safari around Tarangire national park and Lake Manyara national park for amazing wildlife viewing experience all year round.
