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Today we are going to go on an adventure to Animal Kingdom and we are going to do their Wild African Trek. You might be thinking to yourself Kelcey you’ve lost your mind I’ve never heard of this and I will say the same because before I did it this was something I didn’t even know existed!
So, before we dive into the tour here are some things you need to know. This is an extra cost and is a private VIP tour with close encounters and exotic African wildlife! You have to be 8 or older to do this tour and be at least 48 inches tall. It’s one of the most popular tours at Walt Disney World because you can get up close with the animals. This adventure is 3 hours long and takes you on foot and truck through trails that are hidden, bridges that are suspended in the air, and scenic overlooks of the safari. During your tour, you’ll stop for lunch in the middle of the savanna to look at amazing views of the safari animals. When you first arrive, you will check in right next to the entrance of the Kilimanjaro Safari. Here you will meet your guides and go over the rules. You will also get your gear here which includes a safari vest, an earpiece so you can hear your tour guides, a name tag, and a keepsake water bottle. You can bring your phone but it has to be strapped into your vest and they provide the straps but everything else has to be stored in lockers. After we did the safety briefing, we were off to our first stop which was the Gorilla Falls Expedition Trail.
After this, we made our way into the woods and we were heading for the savanna. Our first stop was the Hippos. We were joined by their caretakers who shared some fun facts with us. They brought the hippos snacks and only one hippo was hungry that day. We were able to get closer to these amazing animals but our tour guides locked us in to the tethered strap which allowed us to walk to the edge without falling in. Being able to see the safari from backstage was so cool. We got to see many different angles and walked over the noisy bridge the guides drove over on the safari vehicles.
After spending some time with the Hippos, we started back on the trail where we arrived at a tower and our first suspending bridge. Our guides got up locked into the harness and across we went. This bridge was the highlight of the trip for me. It does bounce and sway and planks are missing but that’s what made it so fun. This is one out of two bridges you cross over and this one took us over the hippos. The second bridge takes you over the crocodiles. You can cross the bridges at your own pace and stop to take videos and photos which I encourage doing because the views up here are breathtaking.
After crossing both bridges we got the chance to get up and close to the crocodiles. Like we did with the hippos we got tethered in so we could get close to the edge without falling in and that is a habitat you don’t want to fall into and become a snack to those hungry crocodiles.
After this, we were back on the trail and this time, we were heading to our very own safari vehicle. We drove on the same path as you would on the regular safari but this time you get to pull over and learn more about the animals. My favorite was the giraffes because you get so close to them. After this, we headed to a private lunch right on the savanna. These come in metal tiffins. Inside these, we found chicken wraps, hummus, mini pitas, shrimp, fruit, olives, pickles, and air-dried beef and prosciutto. We also got POG juice which if you’re a Disney fan you know how amazing POG juice is.
While your guides get your lunch ready you can take photos of the amazing view and take photo pass photos with a photographer. When you’re on the savanna you can appreciate the amazing views but when you’re on the savanna you get to appreciate how amazing the views and animals are. This is not something you get to observe while on the safari because you’re going through it so quickly. This was such an amazing adventure and one of the best tours I’ve ever done at Disney World. We learned so much about the animals and got to see them in a special way that not everyone gets to see. Your tour guides take photo pass pictures while you're on the trail and at the end of the tour they give you a code to download your pictures. If you want to get up close and personal with the animals and see these amazing views then I highly suggest this tour because it’s one you will never forget.
