[1] The river rises in the Wasi Highlands, falls down the eastern Kondoa Escarpment.

It then turns west and then south, before terminating at its river mouth on Lake Burunge.

[1][2] Much of the Tarangire River headwaters in the Irangi Hills headwaters area is forested with Miombo woodland habitat trees and lower plants, that are designated for protection within the Salanka, Bereko, and Isabe Forest Reserves.

In the wet season, rainfall in the Irangi Hills and throughout the catchment causes a high rate of flow with rapid rises and falls in water level.

It is highly variable, with a mean total annual rainfall of 656 millimetres (25.8 in) (coefficient of variation = 36.4%, range 313–1,322).