GUIDE ON MBALI MBALI TARANGIRE RIVER CAMP IN TANZANIA

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Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp occupies a spectacular position on a steep bluff overlooking an outlet of the Tarangire River, just outside the Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. It is an incredible place to enjoy the varied moods of the Tarangire, in the wet, when the storm-fed river is in torrent, or in the dry, when elephants dig for water and minerals in the sandy river bed. It is a dream location for a vacation in Africa if you want a real bush experience with breathtaking scenery, grass plains spotted with giant baobab trees and wildlife outside your door.

Dik-diks pick their way daintily along the river gorge. Red-beaked hornbills splash in the bird baths. Pearl-spotted owlets roost in the trees, a genet softly prowls by the path in the evening, and lion let out their deep lunged roar in the distance. Your Tanzanian safari is reality with AfricanMecca.



The entrance to the national park gate is less than three miles as the crow flies, and as the road loop, that trip to Tarangire takes you through pockets of Maasai villages on your way. The park is a haven for thousands of elephants and other mammals who retire to the rivers and marshes of Tarangire from July to October as shallow soda lakes dry up elsewhere in the Great African Rift Valley. In February thousands of wildebeest and zebra produce their young and hundreds of rare or beautiful birds breed in the marshlands.

Accommodation At Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp

20 well-kept, permanent tents with grass-thatched roofs spaced out along the edge of a steep riverbank, presented as an affording unique accommodation on your adventurous holiday in Tanzania with wonderful views of extensive lightly wooded plains where giraffe and lions wander at will. Extended stilted viewing decks have patio chairs and tables.

From your living accommodation, with mosquito-netted four-poster bed, luggage rack and bedside tables, you can see the river, or depending on orientation, distant views of edges of Mount Meru and possibly Kilimanjaro on a clear day as you watch the sunrise without even getting out of bed. One distant tent built around a baobab tree is especially suitable for AfricanMecca honeymooners on safari in Tanzania.



Eight double, eight twin and four family tents all have en-suite bathrooms, with flush toilets, wash-hand basins and showers. Constant running water is from a borehole. Bottled water is provided for drinking. Hot water is only available in the evenings upon your return from your safari game drives allowing you to freshen up before dinner. There is a large, open dining room, bar and lounge, with an external deck featuring a swimming pool, sun-loungers, chairs and tables. A Maasai gift shop is found by the main lodge. Battery and phone charging facilities are available.

Solar power at Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp is augmented by generators as little as possible. A small public toilet block is close by. Laundry service is available, but there is no baby-sitting service, and the camp is not suitable for less able visitors touring Tanzania (read more on other places to stay in Tarangire National Park).

Safari At Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp

Because Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp is within a 60,000 acre private Maasai concession area, activities such as off-road and night drives are permitted in those leased portions. These are conducted in comfortable, 4 x.4, customized vehicle, adapted for game-viewing and photography safaris with lifting roofs affording 360 degree vistas. Skilled AfricanMecca guides use onboard communication for unique information on game movements (read more on best time to visit Tarangire in Tanzania). Cool-boxes keep drinks and picnics in optimum condition.



Within the national park, you must stick to the roads, but the wildlife are comfortable with vehicles and lion often saunter arrogantly alongside traffic, or olive baboon sit aggressively in the way, waiting for gifts of food – not recommended. Early morning or late afternoon drives are equally productive. Vast herds of elephant can be counted on to parade across the savannah while rare dry land visitors such as spiral horned oryx or swan-necked gerenuks can often be seen.

The jade-green marshland attracts many avian treasures, from bizarre giants like the stocking-laced ostrich, the tatty, brown female looping her long neck down to oversee a dozen or more miniature selves around her long legs, to the cheeky Paradise Whydah, abdicating all parental responsibility cuckoo style as she deposits her eggs in a Pytilia nest. Fascinating cultural visits are possible to Maasai or Datoga stockaded villages and a hot-air balloon safari can also be taken as dawn lightens the plains and life stirs on the African wilderness as it has since prehistoric man began his long trek towards civilization.

Dining At Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp

After the dawn chorus reveille, breakfast tea or coffee is served in the airy dining room, followed by fruit, local cheeses, fresh baked breads, cereals and yoghurt or hot meals cooked to order, including pancakes and eggs. A generous picnic lunch is on offer for those contemplating an early full day tour to Tarangire, or a main meal, with crisp salads and delectable desserts are prepared in camp. After a welcome siesta, afternoon tea may be taken on a higher viewing deck to catch the cooling breeze as impalas nibble the riverside grass and mongooses whisk along the rock face.



Sundowner cocktails, traditional when traveling in Africa, with peanuts and popcorn nibbles can be enjoyed around a campfire on the lower decking outside as golden light bathes the magical landscape. In the wet, you can watch dramatic electrical storms from the bar and lounge decorated with wildlife information on stylish paneling. You can be sure of excellent company and attentive service.

Dining on your Mbali Mbali Tarangire River Camp safari is an adventure in itself, with armed guards from the Maasai tribe conducting you to and from the dining room where you will be served a delightful set menu of culturally inspired dishes, including salads, soups, roasts and grills. AfricanMecca vegetarian guests will enjoy their own special options of superlative dishes of fresh and cooked vegetables prepared in unforgettable African safari style and served in traditional pots over candle burners.

Related Pages

1. Tarangire Safari Park Guide	2. Best Time & Weather To Visit Tarangire
3. Tarangire Map	4. Safari Lodges, Camps & Hotels In Tarangire