You’ll be able to see migrating elephant when staying at Kuro Tarangire.

Kuro Tarangire | Tarangire National Park One Of Tanzania’s Best Safari Lodges

Imagine six stylish tents in the heart of the African wild. Picture them at an unfenced, authentic camp overlooking an elephant walking trail and the dry, sandy Tarangire River, navigated by thousands of animals. This is Kuro Tarangire, one of Tanzania’s best safari lodges, in Tarangire National Park.

The place

I feel myself relaxing in the warm rays of the Tanzanian sun, throwing off the stresses of a city life that feels a million miles away. I can’t help inwardly congratulating myself on my choice of accommodation. Kuro Tarangire, with six light and breezy safari tents, is the essence of an authentic camp, raised carefully each dry season in a grove of riverine forest on the banks of the Tarangire River. The wonderful safari lodge is out of the way in Tarangire National Park – second only to the Serengeti in its concentration of wildlife – making it secluded and private, but it’s well situated for prime game viewing. There’s an elephant trail a stone’s throw from camp, plus the Silale and Gursi swamps are nearby.

I feel myself relaxing in the warm rays of the Tanzanian sun, throwing off the stresses of a city life that feels a million miles away. I can’t help inwardly congratulating myself on my choice of accommodation. Kuro Tarangire, with six light and breezy safari tents, is the essence of an authentic camp, raised carefully each dry season in a grove of riverine forest on the banks of the Tarangire River.

The wonderful safari lodge is out of the way in Tarangire National Park – second only to the Serengeti in its concentration of wildlife – making it secluded and private, but it’s well situated for prime game viewing. There’s an elephant trail a stone’s throw from camp, plus the Silale and Gursi swamps are nearby.

The room

I wake up in the night to the sound of a lion roaring, an awesome vocalisation of territorial power. Though this is our first safari in Africa and we’re separated from the outdoors by mere canvas, I know that our camp is under armed patrol. I snuggle more deeply into my thick duvet, enjoying lying in my partner’s arms. Later, I head to our en-suite bucket shower, feeling very adventurous ahead of our game drive. We’ll be looking out for the herds of migrating elephant and other animals that move across the park – from the hills in the west to the shrinking swamps of the eastern side and between the north and south along the river line. We chose Kuro Tarangire in large part because of its location on the Tarangire River – the only source of water for animals during dry season, which means we’re almost guaranteed to see the park’s migratory elephants and other wildlife … We might even spot the mighty lion whose roar I’d heard this morning. Once warmly dressed, I switch on the bedside lamp and wake my partner with the coffee and biscuits that have been delivered. The bush is alive with the trills of birds (there’s over 550 in the reserve) and I think I hear the distant yelp of a jackal. It’s a powerful feeling to know we can walk straight out of our tent and into the African wild. We meet our guide at the lodge, which is a large wooden-framed slatted building, thatched on the roof and open to the sides with an expansive lounge and dining hall. It sports woven-grass mats, chairs covered in hides and sofas to lounge on. We drive out, discovering evidence of the night’s activities through animal prints along the river, before driving across the park’s baked dusty red earth to find the elephant.

I wake up in the night to the sound of a lion roaring, an awesome vocalisation of territorial power. Though this is our first safari in Africa and we’re separated from the outdoors by mere canvas, I know that our camp is under armed patrol. I snuggle more deeply into my thick duvet, enjoying lying in my partner’s arms.

Later, I head to our en-suite bucket shower, feeling very adventurous ahead of our game drive. We’ll be looking out for the herds of migrating elephant and other animals that move across the park – from the hills in the west to the shrinking swamps of the eastern side and between the north and south along the river line.

We chose Kuro Tarangire in large part because of its location on the Tarangire River – the only source of water for animals during dry season, which means we’re almost guaranteed to see the park’s migratory elephants and other wildlife … We might even spot the mighty lion whose roar I’d heard this morning.

Once warmly dressed, I switch on the bedside lamp and wake my partner with the coffee and biscuits that have been delivered. The bush is alive with the trills of birds (there’s over 550 in the reserve) and I think I hear the distant yelp of a jackal. It’s a powerful feeling to know we can walk straight out of our tent and into the African wild.

We meet our guide at the lodge, which is a large wooden-framed slatted building, thatched on the roof and open to the sides with an expansive lounge and dining hall. It sports woven-grass mats, chairs covered in hides and sofas to lounge on. We drive out, discovering evidence of the night’s activities through animal prints along the river, before driving across the park’s baked dusty red earth to find the elephant.

What sets it apart

Kuro Tarangire is a seasonal camp that’s open from mid-June to mid-November, when large  numbers of animals make their annual migration through the area, so you have a very high chance of witnessing incredible wildlife sightings. At the end of the season the camp is packed up, without any trace that it was ever there. There’s also an elephant trail right in front of camp, so elephant can be seen here most days – a definite highlight. Walking safaris with Thomas, our guide, were particularly special. He had such incredible knowledge of the variety of animals passing through that we left feeling like we really got to know the wildlife of Tarangire National Park, both large and small.

Kuro Tarangire is a seasonal camp that’s open from mid-June to mid-November, when large  numbers of animals make their annual migration through the area, so you have a very high chance of witnessing incredible wildlife sightings. At the end of the season the camp is packed up, without any trace that it was ever there.

There’s also an elephant trail right in front of camp, so elephant can be seen here most days – a definite highlight. Walking safaris with Thomas, our guide, were particularly special. He had such incredible knowledge of the variety of animals passing through that we left feeling like we really got to know the wildlife of Tarangire National Park, both large and small.

At a glance

  • Authentic tented camp with six Meru-style safari tents near the banks of the Tarangire River in Tarangire National Park.
  • Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, sundowners and bush picnics.
  • Children from eight are welcome, and one family tent is available. Only children from 12 can go on walking safaris.

  • Authentic tented camp with six Meru-style safari tents near the banks of the Tarangire River in Tarangire National Park.
  • Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, sundowners and bush picnics.
  • Children from eight are welcome, and one family tent is available. Only children from 12 can go on walking safaris.

Prices

  • Not only do African safari lodge prices shift with the seasons, they also change based on your length of stay, room type, travel party composition, special offers, if your trip involves stays at sister lodges – and for more reasons besides.
  • It’s worth noting that depending on your itinerary, your lodge cost will make up about 75–85% of your total safari trip cost.
  • Our safaris are tailor-made to match your personal safari dream, we’d be delighted if you’d allow us to create a bespoke proposal for you.  Simply enquire now – our quotes are complimentary and obligation-free.
  • However, to help you get an idea of safari lodge prices we’ve created three safari-lodge categories with various price ranges, to find out more click here.

  • Not only do African safari lodge prices shift with the seasons, they also change based on your length of stay, room type, travel party composition, special offers, if your trip involves stays at sister lodges – and for more reasons besides.
  • It’s worth noting that depending on your itinerary, your lodge cost will make up about 75–85% of your total safari trip cost.
  • Our safaris are tailor-made to match your personal safari dream, we’d be delighted if you’d allow us to create a bespoke proposal for you.  Simply enquire now – our quotes are complimentary and obligation-free.
  • However, to help you get an idea of safari lodge prices we’ve created three safari-lodge categories with various price ranges, to find out more click here.

When to Go

This is a wonderful time to visit northern Tanzania, with the vegetation initially lush after the rains, but then dying back, making the wildlife that much easier to see. Temperatures are cooler (although the days are warm and sunny). With the wildebeest herds assembling to make the perilous crossing of the Grumeti River, this is the busiest time of the year here. Tarangire is a great option now, with locally migrating wildlife concentrating along the Tarangire River, or take in the tree-climbing lion and beautiful seasonal waterfalls at Lake Manyara.

The long dry spell between the rains sees the vegetation cycle being repeated: lovely green grass immediately after the rains subsequently starts to wither. As food and water become scarcer, game concentrates around waterholes, making wildlife viewing particularly easy in January. Wildebeest calving in January and February on the southern Serengeti short-grass plains means a glut of kills – it’s the best time for predator action. Away from the Serengeti, this is an ideal opportunity to see resident game in the Ngorongoro Crater and at Lake Manyara, and birders will enjoy spotting migratory species.

These are perhaps not the ideal times to visit northern Tanzania as they represent the two peaks of the wet season – the long rains in April and May; the short rains in November. This does mean however that you’ll be sharing the game reserves and national parks of northern Tanzania with far fewer people, and there’s still plenty to see. During the long rains, the Great Wildebeest Migration moves north in the Serengeti, through Seronera towards the Western Corridor, while in November the herds return from the Masai Mara.

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