Tarangire National Park or Lake Manyara National Park

Tarangire National Park or Lake Manyara National Park. Most travelers do wonder whether to visit Tarangire National Park or Lake Manyara, while planning their Tanzania safari tour. Both Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park are 2 separate Tanzania national parks linked by a natural game corridors.

Travelers planning their Tanzania safari tour anytime of the year usually are torn between skipping either 1 or both of the parks, with a few travelers opting to visit both parks even if just for a detour. Travelers planning their Tanzania safari in the northern circuit of Tanzania wonder if visiting either park is really worth it, well yes, irrespective of the time you have both Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park offer some of the most beautiful Tanzania safari experiences. Tarangire National Park, as well as Lake Manyara National Park offer intimate Tanzania safari experiences given their sizes, as well as a variety of safari activities away from limiting travelers to the usual game drives only that is common practice in both Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater Tanzania.

Tarangire National Park is one of the recently established Tanzania national parks covering about 4,160 square kilometers. Though usually overlooked by travellers, unfairly at that as well, Tarangire National Park is an amazing Tanzania safari park that has a number of attractions and safari activities that travelers can enjoy while on a Tarangire National Park safari. With the Tarangire River existence which is a source of water to the animals and all other wildlife in Tarangire National Park, thus attracting large concentrations of the same from the surrounding Masai Steppes, increasing the animal concentration in the park.

Tarangire National Park has nine distinct vegetation zones within the park include riverine grasslands, swamps and the savanna woodland which makes the park a beautiful space hosting variety of wildlife therein. The huge baobab trees dot the savanna grasslands of the park. wildlife in Tarangire National Park include large herds of elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, wild dogs, Grant Gazelle, zebras, wildebeests, Lesser Kudu, giraffes, among so many others. Tarangire National Park is also one of the few protected areas where Oryx can be seen, as well as over 500 birds in Tarangire National Park.

To enjoy the amazing wild game and other attractions in Tarangire National Park, travelers can do different activities including game drives, guided walking safaris, hot air balloon safaris and so much more.

Lake Manyara National Park on the other hand lies in the Great Rift Valley just at the foothills of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Lake Manyara National Park is a small Tanzania national park measuring about 325 square kilometers, beautifully tucked away and almost missed by travelers as just like Tarangire Park, is overlooked.

Lake Manyara National Park vegetation is of distinct zones including groundwater forest where towering mahogany trees and acacia trees grow, grassy glades, extensive marshland reeds, scrubland, as well as a 230 square kilometers Lake Manyara which covers more than 3 quarters of the park size. Lake Manyara National Park also inhabits a considerably high population density of elephants especially calves; tree-climbing lions which are the most sought after attraction in Lake Manyara Park, as well as the large flocks of pink flamingos usually seen on Lake Manyara.

Other wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park to look out for include giraffes, leopards, buffalos, bushbucks, gazelles, baboons, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, reedbucks, among so many others. Birds in Lake Manyara National Park can also be spotted while on a Lake Manyara National Park safari anytime of the year, including migratory birds. Birds in Lake Manyara National Park include the Sacred Ibis, Grebe, Cormorant, Pelican, and Flamingos among so many others.

Wondering whether to choose between the two? The above are the different aspects of both parks. I would however do recommend that you visit each park, even if for just a couple of hours say on a full day game drive in Lake Manyara National Park or full day game drive in Tarangire National Park. Whether you choose  however, be sure that you shall have a variety of activities to enjoy while on your Tanzania safari tour. Other activities to enjoy if you choose visiting Parks include guided walking safaris, hot air balloon rides, cycling in the communities, community tours, canoeing on Lake Manyara, canopy walk in Lake Manyara National Park, as well as visiting hot springs. Both Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park are amazing Tanzania safari destinations for families with children enjoying the different activities available!

Irrespective of which park you choose to incorporate on your Tanzania safari package, be sure to get in touch with a reputable tour operator to help you plan a memorable Tanzania safari tour, also visiting the most sought after Serengeti National Park as well as Ngorongoro Conservation Area.