Tarangire National Park & Lemala Mpingo Ridge
Tarangire National Park is an amazing place and I only wish we had more time to spend amongst the Baobab trees! Elephants, giraffes, water bucks, baboons, birds, hyenas, and even lions! We saw a lot in Tarangire and it was here that we had some of the closest interactions and witness some of the most interesting behaviors.
Unfortunately, this was also the ONLY place where we ran into active Tsetse flies. And like all the warnings say - they bite and it hurts! My partner was wearing dark-brown pants and definitely took the brunt of the fly attention because of it. Around the park you’ll see squares of black and dark blue cloth (about the size of a stop-sign) that are in place to attract the Tsetse flies so they bother visitors less.
Mpingo Ridge Lodge was by far the most serene and luxurious lodging we stayed at during our time in Tanzania. It was on a similar level to Manyara Kilimamoja, but with all-inclusive drinks! They also have additional activities including a walking Safari if you have the opportunity to stay there long enough to take advantage of their extra offerings. The views from the ridge are amazing with the best sunrises and lots of bird activity!
