Tarangire National Park: The Elephants' Paradise

No surprise here, but I woke up early today. It is our big day: officially the start of our safari! I’m lost in thought, writing the blog, and hear stirring next to me in bed. My mind automatically assumes it’s Kate, who I’ve spent the last 2 weeks traveling with. Until I hear a fart. Nope, definitely not Kate.

After breakfast, we meet our new friend for the next 8 days: Edward, our safari driver and guide. He welcomes us to make ourselves at home in the Land Rover – we are free to use the Wi-Fi, ice box full of drinks, wipes, bug spray, binoculars, and a welcome gift (a Maasai blanket and t-shirts).

If yesterday was about getting here, today was about why we came. We left Arusha heading into our first real safari day—Tarangire National Park. A lot of safaris start here because it is the closest national park to Arusha - about a 2½‑hour drive. But it never felt like just a drive. There was always something interesting to see.

In reference to the food he’ll be serving us during the safari, Edward takes the first opportunity he gets to ask me a question. “Kristi, why do you not eat fish? I am Maasai and we do not eat fish. Fish are like snake.”

Then the roads got dustier and bumpier. The buildings thinned out. The colors changed. Our anticipation started to get bigger, even before we saw anything.

And then, we passed through the gates of Tarangire National Park, and the day shifted.

Edward gave us a bit of assurance: “The animals get close, within one meter. Don’t worry if they get close. I know how to be safe.”  Whew, I trust him and have faith we won’t make the news (or your Instagram/TikTok reel).

 

The first moment you realize a safari is something different

We entered Tarangire National Park through a gate - only for humans. The wildlife isn’t fenced in. They have no border and can roam freely across the lands. Edward tells us a fascinating fact: predators know they are safe in the park. They are protected. The grass is long in the park, which helps the predators hide and sneak up on their prey. Herbivores, like the wildebeest, are smart and know they are safer outside the park, where the grass is shorter. The grazing animals eventually have to return to the park for food and water.

Barely a minute after entering the park, I spotted my first animal: zebra. “Ahh yeah,” Edward said, nonchalantly like it’s nothing. Apparently they are quite common. 

 

I love them for their sharp contrasting coloring. Did you know zebras sleep standing up?

Zebras spoon each other, facing opposite directions, for safety. They are attacked from the back so this way they can see predators approaching.

Next we stop to see why a couple of jeeps are staring at a termite mound - they are everywhere throughout the park. However, this one had a young python popping its head out.

African rock pythons are the largest snakes in Africa.

We haven’t driven very far yet. Jeeps kept passing us in both directions, kicking up a cloud of dust in their tracks. They were driving with intention, like they were headed to the prize. But Edward drove slowly, scanning in a way that made it obvious we were not in charge of what happened today. I realized he wasn’t taking us to the animals. We were going to look for them.

And that’s a completely different feeling.

It doesn't feel like much time has passed before we come across a family of elephants. That's no surprise—Tarangire is known for them. Unlike many animals that move with the seasons, elephants stay here year-round.

We were so close you could hear the elephants' gentle steps through the tall grass and the surprisingly loud ripping sound as they tore it out by the trunkful.

For lunch, we stop at the picnic area. It is the only time we are allowed out of our vehicle (other than at our hotel for the night). Edward brought an amazing hot lunch. The monkeys invited themselves. Edward said that they are clever and know how to recognize people: if a driver is not sitting at a table, they will steal the food.

 

Fun Fact:

Tsetse flies are attracted to blue and black colors. Blue-and-black cloth traps are commonly placed around parts of Tanzania's national parks and conservation areas to attract and kill the flies.

I’m wearing the exact color blue that attracts them.

 

The looking

It feels like we are driving all over the 2080 square kilometers of the park. At one point, Edward (our guide) quickly stopped the vehicle, grabbed his binoculars, and just stared into the distance. I can barely contain my anticipation. What are we about to see? “It’s just a tree. It looked like a leopard,” he said. That is exactly the game my eyes have been playing on me all day.

There’s a rhythm to a game drive that no one really explains ahead of time.

You sit/stand in the jeep.
You watch.
You think you see something.
You’re wrong.
You look again.

There were stretches where we didn’t see anything at all.

It is a bit frustrating because I know there are thousands of animals out there. I was using all my might to will them to appear. But they just weren’t showing themselves.

And instead of feeling disappointing, it started to feel… normal.

We were just driving through this huge landscape, rooftop open, dust in the air, the three of us quiet in that shared way where you don’t want to break the moment—even if technically nothing is happening.

And then something does.

Or doesn’t.

And either way, you keep going. I don’t want to look at my watch because I don’t want the day to end.

We ended the day at Tarangire Sopa Lodge, inside the park. While wild animals can wander nearby, we are greeted by monkeys and dozens of rabbit-like rodents.

After dinner, we were walked back to our room by a lady with a flashlight. She used it to scan between huts and out into the dark distance. It made me wonder – what would she do if she saw something? Hit it with her flashlight?

 

The best way I can explain today

Today wasn't about seeing "a lot."

It was about learning how to be here.

How to slow down. Pole pole.

How to notice.

How to wait for something instead of trying to make it happen.

And honestly, I think that's what safari is going to be.

Not:

• Look, another animal.

But:

• Look closer.
• Wait longer.
• Realize how much you weren't seeing just a minute ago.

 

Logistics:

-      -    While we did have the jeep in front of us stop to get out and go the bathroom behind the jeep, Edward asked us to give him 20 minutes warning if we needed to go.

-      -    When we checked into the hotel, they let us know that dinner was at 7:30pm and we needed to stay on the paths. During dinner they closed the mosquito nets around our bed and sprayed for insects. Hot water was only available 6-10pm and 6-10am. Breakfast started at 6:30am. (That meant 6am shower, 6:30 breakfast, then 7am checkout and safari - that is a tight schedule.)

-      -   At some point after I booked our trip, I realized I should’ve given Greg time to adjust to the jetlag. He had been traveling for 35 hours and was adjusting to a 10-hour time change. I only had a 1-hour time change and a couple short flights.