Looking over the Savanna after an African inspired lunch
If you have been to Disney’s Animal Kingdom you know about the Kilimanjaro safari, the safari tour that takes you into the savanna in a large amusement park style jeep.
Disney is now offering a private secluded tour, a kind of behind the scenes adventure called the Wild Africa Trek. This adventure has a maximum of 12 people and you are accompanied by two guides plus will meet with other trainers and cast members during your journey. So the personalized service and ability to ask one on one questions is phenomenal on this tour.
The tour begins behind Tusker House restaurant – check in podium near Dawa Bar.
After you meet your guides you will be suited up with a harness. There are a few places you will clip in your harness during the tour so after a quick weight check and harness fitting you can will drop your personal items off in a locker and meet up with your small group.
Everything is provided, from the equipment, locker, drinks and even photographs, so you can lock up your camera too in the locker. A photographer will take photos of you and the group as well as the animals to document the entire adventure.
The tour kicks off with a welcome session and a really great fresh squeezed fruit juice medley. You also will cross a test bridge so you learn how the carabineer works and get a feel for what the rope bridge part of the trek will be like. Now this test bridge is only a few feet off the ground, but it gives you a slight heads up of what to expect.
Disney Tour Headset
You are also setup with a headset and given a metal water bottle with the Wild Africa Trek logo on it, filled up with cold drinking water. The headsets are made up of an earpiece and volume control box so you can hear everything the tour guide is saying not matter where you are in the group.
During our tour we did have a headset die and the guide simply pulled out a new one and replaced it instantly on the spot.
You are then off by foot through the Animal Kingdom park and walk through the aviary.
During this part of the tour you are walking with other park guests and your guide is explaining the birds and other small animals as you make your way to the Savanna.
After a few minute walk your guide will unlock a gate and lead you out of the Animal Kingdom parks public areas and into the jungle.
This is a true experience. From this point on there are no paved walkways, you are walking on a trail in the woods. You quickly come across a large pond at the bottom of a bluff. As you look maybe 12 feet below you will appear a Hippo. 
This is where you will clip in your harness to a rail behind you so you can walk to the very edge and see the hippos below. An additional guide here explains everything about the hippos while tossing lettuce and other vegetables down to feed them. All this time photographs are being taken of you and the animals.
There are several stops along your jungle tour and the next main one is crossing over the rope bridges. These bridges are strung high in the tree tops and cross over a gorge where you will see some of the safari vehicles driving on the muddy tails below.
Now minutes before we climbed up to make this crossing the sky’s opened up and poured on us and my camera. Another reason I should have left it in the locker. Also this is a good reason to bring a small plastic bag if you are carrying a camera at Disney World.
Crossing the Rope Bridge during the Disney Wild Africa Trek
I have to say the bridge crossing was a little daunting. With the pouring rain, wet bridge boards and then a pit of 12 foot crocodiles under you, it can creep you out a little.
We did have someone in our group that had an extreme fear of heights and they made it across just fine. It is perfectly safe and you are harnessed in on a cable that runs above your head.
You then all meet up at the pit of crocodiles. These crocs are massive and you are about ten feet above them standing on a sandy bluff just inches from the edge. You again are clipped in with your safety harness so you can not fall over the edge.
You also can appreciate these animals from afar, the harness allows you to walk to the edge or stay back at all these animal locations.
After a short jungle walk you come to a clearing and there is a private jeep like truck waiting there. You take off your harness and board the truck. The vehicle has benches along all the sides and you can comfortably fit 12 people and two guides. Binoculars are provided during the ride in the African Savanna adding that little something extra.
One thing that is very nice is that you will pull over and up close to many of the animals. When the vehicle stops you can stand up and take photographs which is something you can not do on the regular Kilimanjaro safari ride. Also the guides talk about each animal and for example will tell you about the different kind of giraffes and how to tell them apart.
Your Guided Tour of the Savanna
After you ride on the savanna you are taken to an African themed hut. This is a covered space with an expansive raised deck. You will be served an African inspired meal, more of a snack, and refreshments. This gives you time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. You can take photos, watch the animals and just lounge and talk with friends.
There are also restrooms here.
After your meal you are driven back to a drop off point and just a short walk with your guides back to the base camp to get your belonging.
The entire experience is around 3 hours, highly personalized and well worth the cost for this type of tour.
You also will get a CD full of photographs in the mail about four weeks after you return home.
Related Articles:
MouseChat.net has a show and photo gallery about Disney’s Wild Africa Trek
How to Book the Disney Wild Africa Trek Tour:
Contact Pixie Vacations
Phone: 678-815-1584
Email: Info@PixieVacations.com
Get a Disney Vacation quote
Wild Africa Trek Tour Quick Bits:
Price: $189 + tax (Price can vary by season and time of day)
Length: 3 Hours
Age: must be 9 or older
Times: Daily at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00
Other: You must be able to walk and under 350lbs
