Jambo, Douglas! Asante Sana for coming to planDisney with this question. I love talking about my adventure on the
Wild Africa Trek. While you are interested in seeing the lions on this safari, we spotted something so rare: my teenager smiling!
The whole experience was phenomenal! This
Enchanting Extra had been on my wish list for years, and just last month, that dream came true. I did not know what to expect, so each step of the tour was a surprise.
Our guides, Kathryn and Alex, helped with our gear and led us to the backside of
Kilimanjaro Safaris. We hiked trails and met Animal Care Experts at several stops. They were so engaging and interesting, sharing their knowledge and answering questions about the animals.
The most thrilling part was crossing bridges over hippos and crocodiles. The views were stunning, and the ability to see these animals from this perspective was unparalleled.
After the time on foot, we boarded an open-air truck and took a ride through the Kilimanjaro Safaris. I have done the regular Guest tour more times than I can count. In the morning. In the evening. In the summer heat. In the rain. While each one is different, none compares to this. There were 12 of us taking the tour, and the driver could take us where the adventure led. When passing through the area where the giraffes live, we stopped and watched these magnificent creatures for a while. These were the animals I was most excited to see, and they were so close, my jaw dropped. Breathless!
We stopped at the small building you can see on the safari (and if you are like me, wondered what it was for) and enjoyed a treat. They called it a "snack," but it was so much more than that. The culinary creations are prepared exclusively for this tour by chefs at
Boma and
Jiko. Even my kids were adventurous and tried everything. And there was POG Juice! My heart was happy!
After the snack, we returned to the truck and continued the safari, which included seeing the lions! Our tour started at noon, so they were seeking shade and taking afternoon naps, but we managed to spot them.
I would say that the tour offers a great deal of flexibility, allowing the guides to create unique experiences. Some of it depends on factors like the weather and the animals, so there is no guarantee of what you will see along the way. I would tell the guides you are all about the lions. Kathryn and Alex asked us about our interests as we were gearing up. I want to think that is why we spent so much time with the giraffes, but it was a perfect time with them so close to the truck path, and each of us on the tour
oooohing, aaaaaahing and snapping selfies!
Speaking of photos, the guides take pictures on the tour, which are included for download through PhotoPass. They took pictures of us and the animals we saw. I appreciate simple things like the photos are the birds and turtles and ostriches and other animals
we saw – not stock photos.
Douglas, I hope you have a wild time at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and that your tour is as memorable as mine was. If we can help with any other questions, please cruise back by
planDisney. We're always happy to help.
Uende Salama!
Jana