Compare day safaris and multi-day trips to Tarangire National Park, departing from Arusha and Moshi with prices from $200. Most tours include park fees, lunch, and a professional safari guide in a 4x4 vehicle.
Free Cancellation Full-day Tarangire safari from Arusha in a 4x4 jeep with an English-speaking guide, lunch and water included.
Free Cancellation Shared-group day safari from Arusha: about 9.5 hours with 6 hours of game drives, breakfast and lunch included.
Free Cancellation Private 12-hour day trip from Moshi to Tarangire with hotel pickup, lunch, and about 12 hours in the park.
Free Cancellation Full-day game drives in Tarangire from Arusha with picnic lunch, hotel pickup, and safari vehicle.
Free Cancellation 8-hour Tarangire day trip from Arusha with a certified guide, park fees, transport, and hot lunch included.
Free Cancellation Full-day (11h) private Tarangire safari from Arusha with picnic lunch, park fees, and hotel pickup included.
Free Cancellation Full-day private 4x4 trip from Arusha to Tarangire with lunch, water, and all park fees included.
Free Cancellation Full-day private 4x4 safari to Tarangire from Arusha, with lunch, binoculars, WiFi, and English or French guiding.
Free Cancellation Hotel-to-hotel 12-hour day trip from Arusha to Tarangire with lunch and park fees included.
Free Cancellation 3-day joined group safari covering Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire, with camping gear and meals included.
Read what travelers share about their experience visiting Tarangire National Park — from practical tips to personal highlights.
Almost every Tarangire tour is a day trip out of Arusha: two hours on tarmac to the gate, then six to eight hours of game driving between the river and the baobab plains. You ride a 4x4 with a pop-up roof and an English-speaking driver-guide who spots as well as drives. The park sits 121 km southwest of Arusha and covers 2,850 km² of woodland, swamp and granitic ridge at about 985 m elevation.
From June to October the Tarangire River is the only reliable water for miles, and breeding herds — sometimes 300 strong — line its banks alongside big tuskers. Bulls dig drinking holes in the river sand with feet and trunks. A 2000 census counted 2,385 elephants inside the park, and the population has grown rapidly since.
The park's signature trees live up to 3,000 years, with trunks over 100 ft in circumference. Elephants strip their fibrous bark, leaving deep score marks you can read from the track. They silhouette best in the last hour of light before the 6 pm gate closure.
Between July and October, wildebeest and zebra pour into the park from wet-season ranges outside it and crowd the swamp fringes with buffalo and elephant herds. Lions, leopards and wild dogs follow the herds in. Few visitors know this migration exists, so you'll share it with a handful of vehicles at most.
Tarangire is one of the few TANAPA parks running night drives — US$50 per adult, booked through park HQ, typically from about 8 pm. With a ranger and a spotlight you can catch genets, civets, bushbabies and leopards on the move. Day tours don't include it, so arrange it separately or overnight in the park.
Yellow-collared lovebirds, ashy starlings and rufous-tailed weavers are near-endemic and common in the Acacia woodland. Secretary birds, open-billed storks and crowned cranes work the swamp edges. November–May adds migratory species on top of the resident count.
A guided walk with an armed ranger costs US$20 for one to four hours (US$25 beyond that). On foot you read tracks, inspect termite mounds sheltering dwarf mongoose and pangolins, and finally grasp the scale of a baobab. Book ahead with park HQ — a ranger is US$20 per group per day.
Tarangire day tours run US$200–400 from Arusha, and every tour listed here carries the same 24-hour free cancellation window. What varies is what's bundled — and the park-fee question is where a cheap tour gets expensive.
Join-group day trips cost US$200–380 and run about 9.5 hours door to door, with roughly 6 hours inside the park shared with other travelers. Private day tours run 10–12 hours at US$250–400 with your own vehicle and pace. A 3-day group camping safari covering Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Tarangire starts at US$738.47.
June to October is peak season; August has the highest wildlife density and the most vehicles, while June and late September deliver similar game with fewer cars. Campsites, night drives, walking safaris and balloon flights all require prior arrangement with park HQ ([email protected], +255 739 222 685), so book those weeks ahead, not days.
Entry costs US$50 + 18% VAT per adult per day in peak season (about US$59 at the gate), US$45 + VAT in low season. Some tours include all fees and taxes in the price — the US$400 private Moshi trip and the US$250 Wildlife Safari Adventure do. Others, like the US$200 shared trip, list fees as an exclusion. Ask your operator in writing what's covered.
All ten tours listed here allow a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure. Fees paid directly to TANAPA at the gate are non-refundable, so cancel through the operator, not the park.
Tarangire sits on the northern circuit: Lake Manyara's gate is 70 km away via Makuyuni, Ngorongoro's crater rim about 150 km, the Serengeti roughly 225 km. The 3-day group safari covers three parks with camping gear, meals and all entries included, with free pickup from any hotel or airport. Many travelers stop at Mto wa Mbu market town en route.
Night drives (US$50 adult, US$25 child), walking safaris (US$20–25) and sunrise balloon flights are booked separately from standard game drives — none appear in the day-tour inclusions. All three need advance arrangement, and the balloon carries a US$40 per-trip TANAPA fee built into operator pricing.
Several tours list wheelchair-accessible transport, and game viewing is almost entirely from the vehicle, so wheelchair users can see most wildlife without transfers. There are no adapted vehicles for hire at the gate, though, and walking safaris and balloon flights aren't accessible. One Arusha day tour (US$274) even carries binoculars and on-board WiFi.
Children under 5 enter the park free, ages 5–15 pay the child rate, and night drives accept 5–15-year-olds at US$25. Walking safaris require children to be 12 or older per the TANAPA tariff. Infants ride on an adult's lap on most tours, and several operators offer infant seats.
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| Shared Group Day Tour | Private Day Tour | Private Tour from Moshi | 3-Day Group Safari (Ngorongoro, Manyara, Tarangire) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | About 9.5 hours, ~6 hours in the park | 10–12 hours door to door | 12 hours, ~4 hours driving each way | 72 hours, camping or lodge |
| Best for | Solo travelers and tight budgets who don't mind sharing | Families, photographers and anyone who wants to set the pace | Travelers based in Moshi or near Kilimanjaro | First-timers doing the northern circuit in one booking |
| Includes | Guide, lunch and water; park fees sometimes extra (US$200 trip) or included with breakfast (US$380 Kilita trip) | Private 4x4, guide, lunch, water; most include all fees and taxes | Private vehicle, all fees, guide in English, German, French or Spanish | All three park entries, camping gear, meals, drinking water, airport transfers, sleeping bags |
| Price from (US$) | 200 | 250 | 400 | 738.47 |
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Gates are open daily from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm — a few sources, including Frommer's, state 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Vehicles may not drive inside the park after dark, and the 6 pm closure is enforced strictly, so time your exit or hold a sleep-over permit.
A day-trip permit covers 12 daylight hours and a sleep-over permit 24 hours; both allow multiple gate entries within validity. If you sleep outside the park, you pay entry again on each visit.
From Arusha, it's 121 km to the main gate on tarmac the whole way via the Great North Road through Makuyuni and Minjingu — about 2 hours. Nearly all visitors arrive on tour vehicles, which also handle the foreign-vehicle park fee (US$40–150 per day) and gate paperwork.
From Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), count on roughly 160 km and 3 hours via Arusha; operators typically pick up arrivals for a first-day drive to Tarangire or Karatu.
June to October is the window. The long dry season thins the vegetation, drops the mosquitoes and forces wildlife onto the Tarangire River and Silale Swamp — the only reliable water — including elephant herds reported up to 300 strong.
July to October brings the Tarangire migration of wildebeest and zebra into the park. August has the highest wildlife density and the most vehicles; June and late September–October give you similar game with fewer cars. Pick those if you hate queues at a sighting.
Skip mid-March to May if game is your priority: the long rains turn tracks to mud, grass grows tall and much of the wildlife disperses to calving areas outside the park. Trade-off — entry drops to US$45 + VAT, and birding peaks November–May with migratory species.
A full day covers the river circuit. Most guides recommend 1–2 nights (2–3 days) to do the Silale Swamp and the quiet southern ridges properly.
Game viewing is almost entirely vehicle-based, so wheelchair users can see most wildlife without leaving the vehicle when booking an operator experienced in assisted transfers. Several tours on this page list wheelchair-accessible transportation. There are no adapted vehicles for hire at the gate, and gates, picnic sites and most lodges have uneven ground with few step-free rooms — arrange accessible accommodation well ahead.
Seniors: very manageable. A standard visit means sitting in a safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, with any walking optional. The challenges are the 2-hour drive from Arusha, bumpy tracks, 38°C midday heat in January–February and 15°C dawn drives in July. Tarangire is a year-round malaria zone, so consult a travel doctor about prophylaxis.
Children: common first-safari choice. Under-5s enter free, ages 5–15 pay the child rate, night drives take 5–15-year-olds at US$25, and walking safaris require age 12+. Elephants wander through lodge grounds, so supervise children at all times.
Picnic sites sit inside the park — most day tours stop at one around noon for a packed lunch. Accommodation inside the boundary runs from public campsites (US$30 per adult per night) to special and seasonal campsites (US$50 low season, US$60 peak, prior booking required) and private lodges, which add a US$40 per-adult-per-night hotel concession fee on top.
Payment is strictly electronic — credit card, pre-loaded TANAPA Smart Card or the TanapaGo app. Cash is not accepted anywhere at the gate, and a passport or ID is mandatory.
The speed limit is 50 km/h, with a TSh 50,000 fine for overspeeding and TSh 200,000 for vehicles causing an accident. Animals have right of way; hooting, revving or animal calls to get their attention is prohibited.
Drones are banned in all TANAPA parks without permits from both the aviation authority and the park — processing takes months and is rarely granted to tourists. Unauthorized flying risks confiscation, fines and expulsion. Commercial filming costs US$250 per person per day; private video shooting adds US$100 per group per day.
It depends on the tour. The US$380 Kilita join-group trip and the US$250 Wildlife Safari Adventure include entrance fees; the US$200 shared tour lists all fees and taxes as an exclusion. The fee itself is US$50 + 18% VAT per adult per day in peak season — about US$59 at the gate — so confirm in writing with your operator before paying.
Expect 8 to 12 hours door to door. The drive is 121 km on tarmac, about 2–2.5 hours each way, leaving roughly 6–8 hours inside the park for game drives. The 12-hour day-trip permit covers the full daylight window, so the longer tours use all of it.
Yes, two ways. A private 12-hour day trip from Moshi costs US$400 with all fees included and guides in English, German, French or Spanish — but the drive is roughly 4 hours each way. Alternatively, the US$200 shared tour lets Moshi guests add a transfer fee to Arusha, where they join the group.
Every tour listed here gives a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure. Fees paid directly to TANAPA at the gate are non-refundable, so any cancellation should go through the tour operator rather than the park.
Yes for the river circuit — a full-day game drive uses the 12 daylight hours of the day-trip permit and covers the main elephant and baobab country. Most guides still recommend 1–2 nights to explore Silale Swamp and the quieter southern ridges properly. On a 5-day northern-circuit trip, travelers typically spend 1–2 nights here alongside Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
Book for June through October, when the river and Silale Swamp are the only reliable water and breeding herds — reported up to 300 strong — gather along the banks. August has the densest game and the most vehicles; June and late September–October offer similar sightings with fewer cars. Book dry-season dates well ahead.
Several tours list wheelchair-accessible transportation and surfaces, and since game viewing happens almost entirely from the vehicle, wheelchair users can see most wildlife without leaving it. There are no adapted vehicles for hire at the gate itself, and accessible lodge rooms are scarce, so book an operator experienced in assisted transfers and arrange accommodation early.
Yes. Children under 5 enter the park free, ages 5–15 pay the child rate (US$15 + VAT for non-East-Africans), and many tours provide infant seats or let infants ride on an adult's lap. Night drives accept ages 5–15 at US$25; walking safaris require children to be 12 or older.
No. Night drives (US$50 adult, US$25 child, starting around 8 pm) and guided walks (US$20 for 1–4 hours, US$25 longer) are booked separately through park HQ, with a ranger at US$20 per group per day. If you want either, stay overnight inside or near the park, since gates close at 6 pm.
Group join-in tours cost US$200–380 and suit solo travelers and tight budgets, but you share the vehicle and the pace. Private tours run US$250–400 with your own 4x4 and driver-guide, and most bundle all park fees — better for families and photographers. If you're combining Tarangire with Ngorongoro and Manyara, the 3-day group safari at US$738.47 splits costs across travelers and includes camping gear, meals and all three park entries.
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This is a full-day Tarangire safari run from Arusha in a 4x4 safari jeep, with an English-speaking guide and shared departure — you join other clients rather than booking the vehicle privately. Lunch and drinking water are included. The base pickup is Arusha. If you're staying in Moshi, you can be picked up there, but you'll pay a transfer fee for the round trip to Arusha, where the safari actually starts. Budget for that before you book from Moshi. Not included: park fees and taxes, plus alcoholic drinks. Those entry fees are paid separately on the day, so bring them in cash. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
This is a join-group trip, so you share the vehicle with other travelers rather than booking it privately. It runs about 9 hours 30 minutes door to door from Arusha, with roughly 6 hours of that spent inside the park on game drives. A professional English-speaking guide drives and spots throughout. Pickup is from hotels in Arusha — be ready 10 minutes before your scheduled time and keep your phone on for coordination. If you're staying outside the main pickup area, the operator sends instructions in advance. Breakfast, lunch, and park entrance fees are all included. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
This is a private, 12-hour day trip out of Moshi, built around a single long game drive: roughly 4 hours of driving gets you to Tarangire, and you'll spend the rest of the day inside the park tracking its large elephant herds among the baobabs. Because the vehicle is yours alone, the pace is yours too — you can linger at a sighting or move on whenever you like. Pickup is at your hotel entrance. Your guide will be wearing Msafiri Tanzania branding, and the safari car carries the same name on its side and back, so finding them is straightforward. Guides work in English, German, French, or Spanish. Included: private transport, bottled water, lunch, and all fees and taxes. Bring your own snacks; alcohol and anything else is on you. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
German, English, French, Spanish
Game drives run from morning until late afternoon, with the park closing at 6pm — you can stay the whole day if you want. Travel is in a safari-built vehicle with complimentary mineral water on board, and an English-speaking driver-guide leads the trip. The day works like this: morning game viewing, a stop for a picnic lunch at a site inside the park, then afternoon game drives. Baobabs line much of the drive. Pickup and drop-off are included anywhere within Arusha town, whether hotel or private house. Picnic lunch and guide service are covered; gratuities are not. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
Suricata Safaris runs this as a full 8-hour day trip from Arusha, with the drive to the park taking about 2.5 hours each way. A rep meets you at your hotel reception holding a sign with your name, does a quick meet-and-greet and introduction, and from there the day is game driving inside the park. The itinerary is one long stop: Tarangire itself, roughly 480 minutes of it. That's most of the day on game drives with stops for lunch. Included are a certified English-speaking safari guide, transport, park fees, and a hot lunch — so the main extras you'd pay yourself are drinks and tips. Anything else the operator lists simply as "other," so confirm specifics before booking. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
An 11-hour day trip from Arusha: about two hours of driving each way, with the rest spent on game drives inside the park. Pickup covers hotels in the Arusha area, or you can meet the driver at the Arusha Shoppers Center, where he waits at the main entrance with a name sign. Guides speak English. Everything essential is in the price: private transport, park entrance fees, a picnic lunch, bottled water, and a professional safari guide/driver. Alcohol isn't included, and nor are a couple of unspecified extras — ask the operator what "Other" covers before you book. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund. If time allows on the return leg, the tour adds a stop at Materuni Waterfalls and a Kilimanjaro viewpoint, but this depends on the day's timing — don't count on it.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
A 10-hour private day trip that starts with early pickup at your Arusha hotel or the airport, then drives south to Tarangire National Park. You travel in your own vehicle with a driver-guide, so the pace and stops are yours to set. By noon you arrive at a picnic site inside the park for lunch, and the afternoon continues with game viewing before the return to Arusha. All park fees and taxes, lunch, and bottled water are included. Guides are available in English, German, Italian, French, and Spanish. Not covered: anything listed as extras, so check before booking what meals or items beyond the stated inclusions you might need. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Pickup time is agreed with the operator in advance, so confirm it the day before.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
German, English, Italian, French, Spanish
A full-day private tour from Arusha with roughly eight hours inside the park, traveling in your own vehicle with a driver-guide who speaks English or French. The inclusions are unusually complete: all park fees and taxes, lunch, bottled water, on-board WiFi, and a pair of binoculars to share. That last one matters more than you'd think — cheetahs and leopards here take patience to spot, and the difference between a speck in the grass and a confirmed sighting is usually optics. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English, French
This is a full-day trip: pickup at your Arusha hotel, a 2-3 hour drive to the gate, a game drive inside the park, and back the same evening — 12 hours door to door. Timing matters here. The dry season is when to go, because animals crowd the Tarangire river then and sightings get about as reliable as in the Ngorongoro Crater. Most game in and around the park follows a localized migration pattern, so where the herds are depends on the season rather than luck. Guides work in English, German, French, or Spanish. Lunch, bottled water, and soft drinks are included, along with all park fees and taxes — nothing extra to pay at the gate. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
German, English, French, Spanish
Three days, three parks: Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara and Tarangire. You travel as part of a joined group, which keeps costs down and splits them among the travelers. Pickup and drop-off are free from any hotel or airport in the area — just confirm your safari and your accommodation preference in advance. Your driver-guide speaks English, French or Spanish. Game drives are all included, plus a walking safari if the itinerary lists one. Camping equipment and sleeping bags are provided, and meals are covered too — breakfast, lunch and dinner, with drinking water and wine. Bath towels come along as well. If you haven't booked a place to stay, the operator allocates hotels or lodges; accommodation is included for three nights before and after the safari. The parks sit in varied vegetation — woodland and evergreen groundwater forest — so you'll move between different terrain across the three days. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English, French, Spanish