The Treasures of Tarangire

Less famous than Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire nonetheless qualifies as one of the finest parks in Tanzania.

Location: Eastern Tanzania, near Lake Manyara, in the Rift Valley.

Size: About 1,000 square miles.

Landscape: Beautiful broad expanses of woodland savanna with acacia, sausage, tamarind and fever trees; grasslands studded with ancient baobab trees in the northern section.

Wildlife: Abundant and diverse, including, among many others, leopard, lion, giraffe, hunting dogs, warthogs, several types of antelope, baboons and elephants, which often assemble in herds of 100 or more. It's even possible to spot a giant python, perhaps climbing a tree at the edge of a swamp. The park has more than 300 bird species, including ostrich and kori bustard.

Migrations: The Tarangire River, the only source of water in the region, attracts spectacular migrations of elephant, wildebeest, zebra, oryx, eland and buffalo during the dry season.

Touring: Although Tarangire is at its greenest and scenic best during rainy season, the best time to see the wildlife is in dry season (June to October and December to March), when viewing the animals is easier and there are more of them in the park.

Facilities: A lodge, two tented camps and campsites; park headquarters. Roads and tracks are sometimes impassable during wet season.