Our first destination was Tarangire National Park (named for the river that crosses the park). Established in 1970, the park covers about 1,100 square miles. It is known for its abundance of elephants, baobab trees and birds.
The park entrance was a 2 hour drive from Arusha, where we had stayed the previous night.
Our safari vehicle was a Toyota Land Cruiser with a pop-top roof. While renowned for being rugged and reliable, the major benefit to the Land Cruiser is its easy customization, maintenance and availability of spare parts.
The Lolkisale Camp is situated right in the heart of the Tarangire National Park. The safari tents were luxurious, the food delicious and the service exceptional.
African bush elephants are the largest elephant species on the African continent.
Leopards like to climb trees, especially during the day, for their cat naps.
Tanzania supports the largest population of giraffes in the world.
Tarangire is home to the playful and intelligent Vervet Monkeys, often seen jumping between trees.
There is believed to be 250 lions in the park.
The world’s largest bird, the ostrich is a common sight in the park’s open grassy plains.
One unique safari was a night drive. Our Maasai guide used a flashlight to locate animals in the dark. Our Maasai found an African wildcat during his search – a very rare sight (despite it looking like a house cat).
Birdlife in Tarangire is also amazing, with over 500 species of birds in the park.
Male weaver birds build intricate woven nests in acacia trees. Females inspect the built nest and determine whether it is an acceptable place to start a family.
Our days spanned from sunrise…
… to sunset, as photography moments are best in the golden light!
While the photographers were busy, I took some video with my iPhone.
