I want adventure in the great wide somewhere
-Belle, Beauty and the Beast
The past month has been quite the whirlwind. From shooting arrows in San Francisco to zip-lining deep in the wilderness of Kissimmee, I’ve definitely satisfied my craving for adventure.
Last week, a group of 20 bloggers embarked on a series of nature-themed adventures in celebration of Disneynature Chimpanzee, which just opened in theaters yesterday. Many of us took risks, conquered fears, checked off items on our bucket lists, and participated in once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We were awestruck by the beauty of the outdoors and inspired to make a difference.
To celebrate the release of Disneynature Chimpanzee, we spent the day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The day began with a celebration to honor five organizations for their work connecting kids to nature. After the red carpet premiere of the film and interviews with Dr. Jane Goodall, The McClain Sisters, and the filmmakers, we were treated to a very special, behind-the-scenes experience at the animal theme park…Wild Africa Trek.
As a mom and a lover of all things Disney, I frequent the parks for those moments…those magical experiences that are forever etched in my mind. This private adventure into the Pangani Forest and the African savanna expanded my perspective on the types of memories that families can create.
For three hours, an experienced and incredibly knowledgeable guide will take you on a private, thrilling expedition where you’ll get up close and friendly with some of the most exotic species native to Africa.
Once you’ve donned the appropriate gear (don’t worry, your guides will take you seamlessly through the process), you’ll walk through the park to get to the Pangani Trail where your trek begins. At this point, you would never know you’re in the park…it’s rugged and wooded, hence the requirement that all participants wear close-toed shoes.
The first animal encounter is with the hippos. Every single time I see a hippo, I think about the guides at Disneyland (Jungle Cruise) and how they tell you that when a hippo wiggles it’s ears, it’s ready to attack. I know…random. In all seriousness, these creatures are impressive in size and stature. The guides hook you up so that you can get as close as possible to the ledge without any danger of falling (they are located just 10 feet below you).
I spotted these Vultures while walking across the rope bridge. They're totally real!
The strangest insect I've ever seen!
Next comes the most thrilling part of the trek. You’ll climb up to cross a series of rope bridges, some of which have boards missing. Ten feet below rests a group of Nile crocodiles. But don’t worry, you’re hooked up to the cable above and safety is a top priority with the guides.
Once you’ve safely made it across the bridges, you’ll get one more up close encounter with the crocodiles before plunging back into the forest.
After a short walk, your guides will take a group photo with the savanna in the background and you’ll remove your safety vest for the VIP safari.
If you’ve frequented the park, you might remember that there is an attraction called Kilimanjaro Safaris Expedition which takes you into the 100-acre African savanna for spectacular views of giraffes, lions, elephants, and more. Unlike this attraction, your guide will stop for animal sightings during this VIP safari and even go off-road.
In the middle of the safari, you’ll stop at the boma (that’s Swahili for gathering place), for a light snack. In the mornings, guests are served “breakfast” like items including yogurt with granola, melon, dried fruit, and fig bread. The afternoon menu includes curried chicken salad, tandoori shrimp, and sun dried tomato hummus. There are two tiers of snacks layered in a metal canister and your guides will also provide “Jungle Juice” which is a mix of passion fruit, orange, and guava. The food is delicious and actually quite filling for a snack.
After approximately 30 minutes, you’re back on your safari to continue encounters with lions and other animals.
Your safari concludes in the same place Kilimanjaro Safaris Expedition does and then you’ll head back to the original starting point for one last group photo. Your guides will also ask you to choose a conservation effort to support (Big Cats, Elephants, White Rhinos, or a General Fund) since the park will donate a portion of the fees you’ve paid to the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund.
Three hours is the perfect duration for this type of experience. I loved the fact that the trek is small (limited to just 12) because it allows for a much more personal, exclusive, immersive experience. The animal views are spectacular, the hikes are rugged but very doable, and the rope bridges provided just the right amount of thrill without ever feeling unsafe.
Here are a few of my personal tips and recommendations after experiencing Wild Africa Trek:
1. Bring a camera. Despite the fact that you’ll get a professional photo CD in the mail within a week as part of the trek, you’ll want your own personal photos to capture your experience. Just be sure any camera you bring has a strap that can be secured. I brought my Nikon D90 and a Flip Cam on the trek.
2. Wear comfortable, casual clothing and close toed shoes. Remember that you’ll be hiking (it’s mostly flat) and trekking through rugged terrain. You’ll also be walking across several rope bridges so dress accordingly.
3. Bring as little as possible. Lockers will be provided, however, anything that can’t be attached to you will have to stay behind, including mobile phones.
4. Use the restroom before the trek. It will be about 2 hours before you’ll have access to another.
5. Tell your guide if you have food allergies.
6. Consider choosing a morning tour. It goes without saying that it can get quite warm and humid in Florida so a morning trek might be optimal if you’re not accustomed to the heat.
The cost of Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is $189 and from May 29th through August 25th, 2012, you can save $50 on tours beginning at or after 11:45 am. Pricing can vary by season so be sure to check the website or call the park for details.
Photo Credit: Walt Disney World
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to experience Wild Africa Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Travel expenses also covered.
Photos: Rockin’ Mama unless otherwise stated
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I’m dying over the picnic lunch – very glamorous. The photos are really awesome too- you are really making me want a trip to Florida!
Looks like such fun! Love that pic of you too my friend!
Wow! That looks MUCH cooler than I thought it would be. Great tips, too.
This was such a fun adventure! I really loved when stopped at the Boma for the snack. A beautiful view and the food was delish!
Great pictures you captured. I want to go again someday and take my family.
Such pretty pictures, it looks like you had a fantastic time!!
How much fun! They did a great job with the canopy bridges. In Ghana they look really similar (probably a lot higher, but you can’t tell since the Disney team knows how to work it) – Only the Peace Corps put ours in (in the 1970s!) …It was an AMAZING experience and I’m glad I did it…however, these days those Disney ones look darn good and I would feel much better sending my kids there than Ghana.
We had to skip our trip to Disneyworld next month because we’re going on an African Safari in February. I was SO bummed out specifically because I’m going to miss out on the Animal Kingdom. My husband said, “honey, you’re going on a real Safari in Africa….it’s better!” As much as I am excited out our African Safari…it’s different. I want the Disney Magic Safari! It’s something that doesn’t compare to anything else (or so I’ve heard)
So, ya! JEALOUS
RAWR lol What an amazing fun time that was!
Kas
Love your photos. I went on this last March at DisneySMMoms and adored the experience. We did a tour first thing in the morning and the animals were great, though the giraffes seemed to be hiding and that lion is almost always asleep when we are there. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.
I absolutely loved the Trek and the food, was simply amazing.
Looks like you had a great time. The photos are amazing too! I’ll have to try out the Wild African Trek the next time I go to Florida for sure!
wow what an amazing experience I will definitely do that with my kids when they are all old enough
I love that so many of our photos look similar because we were taking pictures at the same time. 🙂 That was SUCH fun day. Loved everything about it!