Animal Kingdom has always been my favorite park at Disney World. My husband and I spent our honeymoon here many years ago and my favorite thing to do was to go on the Safari. This week, I was invited back as a Monkey Kingdom Blogger and had the opportunity to not only Screen Monkey Kingdom (which is in theaters, now!) but visit Animal Kingdom. In all my times at Animal Kingdom I had never heard of the Wild Africa Trek. I wish I would have heard about it before, because it is truly an amazing experience.
When you first arrive at the Disney Animal Kingdoms Wild Africa Trek, the cast members will help you put on a vest and harness which you will wear for the first half of the adventure. You will also receive a water bottle that hooks to your vest and an audio headset so you can hear your tour guide. One great thing about this tour is that your guides take lots of photos of the adventure and these are included in your cost. So, if you don't want to bring a camera, you don't have to!
This tour is really fun because it takes you behind the scenes to different areas that you would not be able to go if you were just visiting Animal Kingdom. In the photo above, you can see the Safari Car. With this tour you are able to go on the opposite side of the water and see an up close feeding of the hippos! Did you know that the hippo is one of the most dangerous animals in the animal kingdom? After seeing his big, strong teeth, I completely believe it! We were able to watch as he was fed lettuce.
While on the tour we were able to see some of the birds in the aviary as well as the monkeys on our way backstage to the hippos. Check out that guys teeth!
One of the most amazing parts of the Wild Africa Trek is that you get to walk over these amazing rope bridges. The first bridge takes you over the Hippos and the second takes you over the alligators. I will be completely honest with you. I was scared to death for this part. I was trying to put on my brave face, but I am not a fan of heights.
Especially when the wood slats are missing or really spread apart. There is a net underneath, though and remember that you are hooked to a harness above, so you are completely safe. I am happy to say, that my fears went away the moment I stepped on the first step and realized that it was incredibly sturdy! Here are some photos of my alligator friends right below me. Pretty amazing! 
Your guides do a great job making sure that you have multiple photos of not only the wildlife, but also of all of the guests on the tour. Here I am on the bridge:
After the bridge, you return your harnesses and get on your Safari Truck to view all of the animals. This takes your through all of the animals that you see with the regular safari. The benefit of going on the Wild Africa Trek is that you get to stop the truck and take more time to take pictures. Even though we went on our Trek in the heat of the day, I was very happy with all of the animals that we saw. Many of them seemed to be out and about, enjoy their day. Here are some photos that I was able to capture on the Safari part of the Trek.
The trek took about 3 hours total. They do an amazing job and making it special, unique and memorable. One stop that you make while on the trek is for an African-inspired snack break. The regular menu includes the following items:
- Chicken curry salad
- Sun-dried tomato hummus and mini pita
- Marinated tandoori shrimp
- Smoked salmon roulade with dill
- Air-dried beef and prosciutto
- Fresh fruit marinated in mint and ginger
I don't eat fist or red meat, so I was able to request a Vegetarian snack. This included couscous, humus, fruit salad, bread, tofu and more. It was very delicious and I enjoyed sampling many flavors that I probably wouldn't have chosen to eat otherwise. The Orchid with your meal was also edible! My personal favorite was the fruit and the couscous.
I truly had an amazing experience on the Wild Africa Trek. I conquered my fears, I saw amazing animals up close, I learned new things and I experienced new foods. I would definitely recommend checking out the Wild Africa Trek next time you visit Animal Kingdom.
Thank you to Disney and our wonderful Tour guides, Jason and Joe. Asante Sana! For more information about the Disney Animal Kingdom's Wild Africa Trek, visit them online at Wild Africa Trek.
I received an all expense paid trip to Orlando as part of the Monkey Kingdom Event. In exchange, I agreed to share my experiences. All opinions are my own. Disneynature Monkey Kingdom is in theaters now!
Hi, my name is Melissa! I live in Spanish Fork, Utah. I'm happily married to Rob, and together we have five wonderful kids. Our family loves to embark on adventures, often in our RV, exploring the great outdoors. I'm an avid reader and a big fan of Hallmark movies – they always have a way of lifting my spirits. Hiking is another passion of mine; there's nothing like the tranquility of nature. I have a sweet tooth for chocolate and a love for Mexican food, both of which make life a little more delicious. In my downtime, I enjoy playing games with my family, creating memories and sharing laughter. Life is an adventure, and I'm here to enjoy every moment of it! I'm the blogger and creative mind behind the blog A Sparkle of Genius! Check out our posts on recipes, crafts, kid stuff, printables, travel and more!