kilimanjaro safari disney wiki

Kilimanjaro Safaris

A Truly Wild Adventure

Explore the Harambe Wildlife Reserve, home to over 30 species living in 110 acres of picturesque open plains, shady forest landscapes and rocky wetlands. Your rugged safari vehicle is driven by an expert guide, who helps point out animals and shares fascinating wildlife facts during this extraordinary 18-minute expedition.

Unique Animal Sightings Spot a lounging hippopotamus nestled in a peaceful pond. Behold a regal lion sunbathing on a rocky perch. Drive past a towering giraffe grazing on the tall trees or a white rhino relaxing in the cool mud. Other amazing animals you may encounter include cheetahs, crocodiles, elephants, painted dogs, zebras—and so many more!

Since animals have minds of their own, every expedition is a unique and unforgettable experience. Be sure to keep your eyes open and have a camera ready—you never know what you’ll see on a Kilimanjaro Safaris outing.

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Complete Guide to Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom

Board a safari truck and get your cameras ready! Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom gives you the experience of a real-life African safari, but at Walt Disney World.

As you travel through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve you will learn about conservation, the importance of taking care of animals, and, of course, get the chance to see amazing creatures, like elephants, hippos, and giraffes.

Now, let’s explore our guide to Kilimanjaro Safaris .

In this article

Kilimanjaro Safaris Quick Facts

• Location : Animal Kingdom, Africa
• Height Requirement : None
• Suitable for: Everyonest
• Attraction Length: 18 minutes
• Do we recommend? Definitely a high priority attraction you must experience.
• When to Visit : Typically at opening/within the first hour, or later in the day toward park closing.
• Lightning Lane Available: Yes
• Scheduled Refurbishments
• Tip(s) : Visit first thing in the morning at park open. The line gets really long, really fast, and the animals seem to be out more in the morning. The next best time to visit is at sunset for park closing. Crowds level off earlier at Animal Kingdom, wait times may be reduced, and animals can be out feeding.

Description : You board safari vehicles that are driven by guides who really do drive (no tracks) and are very knowledgeable about the animals. As you make your way through the savanna, the guides provide lots of information based on what you see along the ride. Sometimes have to stop to wait for animals to clear the path.

No two rides are the same as the animals are free roaming and on their own schedule. We would recommend experiencing the safari twice in your park day, if possible.

Everything You Need To Know About Kilimanjaro Safaris

You can find Kilimanjaro Safaris in the heart of Africa. Here’s the location on the map.

Download the PDF

How to Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris has a Standby Lane and a Lightning Lane. There is no Single Rider Line.

Like most attractions, standby lines typically are the lowest first thing in the morning and at the end of the evening. The middle of the day will see the longest lines.

Even though it’s not listed as an available attraction for Early Theme Park Entry, sometimes Kilimanjaro Safaris is open during the 30-minute early entry.

Kilimanjaro Safaris Standby Lane wait time jumps quickly after park open and can see sustained wait times well over 60 minutes for most of the park day.

Do I need to use Genie+ at Kilimanjaro Safaris?

Kilimanjaro Safaris is available with Genie+ and we highly recommend using it at this attraction for anyone who has purchased Genie+ or if it’s a must-do.

This is a highly popular ride at Animal Kingdom, given that it is a long ride time and suitable for all ages.

Many park guests make it a top priority of their park day. So unless you do this ride first, right at park open, plan to reserve a Genie+ time for Kilimanjaro Safaris.

If you want to try and experience the Safaris twice in one day, we would recommend using the Standby Lane at park open and then using Genie+ to ride it again later in the day.

Make sure you check out our touring strategies for Animal Kingdom for more Genie+ advice.

Rider Switch/Child Swap

You cannot use  Rider Switch  for Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Rider Switch is Disney’s system allowing guests with small children to take turns riding bigger rides, while another person/people wait with the little one.

There also isn’t Single Rider available here.

What to expect when you ride

The Kilimanjaro Safaris queue is outdoors, with part of it shaded. It paints the scene of an African tour company with its straw, thatched roof.

While there isn’t  an interactive queue , the line is themed to the attraction.

You can learn the African Swahili names to your favorite animals on displays as you move through the line. You can even hear the safari trucks driving by as you walk through.

Ride vehicles

Kilimanjaro Safaris ride vehicles can fit a total of 35 individuals. Each row can seat three to five guests, depending.

There is no seatbelt or safety restraint, but there is a door on the right side of each row that closes for security and safety purposes when you’re on the ride.

Motion Sickness

Kilimanjaro Safaris is far from a thrill ride, but it can get rough at times with the trucks bouncing up and down along the paths and bridges.

Sometimes you might even have to brace yourself, so you don’t slide in your seat.

We have a  guide on motion sickness  that’s filled with information and tips, so feel free to check that out.

Accessibility information

Guests in ECVs or power wheelchairs must transfer to a manual wheelchair. There are wheelchair accessible vehicles with built-in ramps.

Those using an ECV who don’t wish to transfer to a vehicle bench, must transfer to a Disney-provided manual wheelchair.

You will be seated in Row 1 right behind the tour guide. A bench is located directly next to the wheelchair space and additional companions will be directed to sit in the rows behind the wheelchair space.

Those using ECVs or wheelchairs can remain in their mobility devices until they reach the accessible boarding and unloading area, which is not long after the stroller drop-off area.

This area is where ECVS and other mobility devices can be parked. They will be waiting in the same space when guests return from their safari.

Keep in mind that each safari vehicle only holds one occupied wheelchair at a time, so anyone needing this type of access could have an additional wait compared to those who transfer to a vehicle bench.

Handheld captioning , assistive listening, and video captioning is available for guests.

Service animals are also permitted, but with caution.

On the Ride

Spoilers ahead! If you want to go in knowing absolutely nothing about Kilimanjaro Safaris, feel free to skip this section.

After walking through the queue you and your party finally make it to the boarding lanes awaiting your safari tour.

You can’t miss the sound of your safari truck approaching. A warm greeting from your tour guide “Jambo,” which is Swahili for “Hello.”

After boarding your safari truck, your group will take off entering the Harambe Wildlife Reserve.

Be alert and have your cameras ready, because these are live, free roaming animals, so you never know what you will see or how close the animals will get.

No tour is ever the same!

You start off in the forest seeing the Okapi, the closet living relative to the giraffe. You’ll next approach a watering hole where you can catch sights of animals like the saddle billed stork, bongo, kudu, and black rhinoceros.

Heading out of the forest your truck will enter a river where you can spot hippopotamus’. The only way to exit the river is by crossing over an old, shaky bridge.

Under the bridge, down low you’ll spot a crowd of Nile crocodiles. But not to fear, you’re with an expert driver and guide! Your truck makes it over the bridge safe and sound.

Exiting the river your safari tour will enter the savanna marked by a big Baobab tree.

As your truck makes its way down the savanna you will spot many animals like zebras, African wild dogs, giraffes, wildebeest, and cattle. Some animals may cross in front of or come right up to the truck. Be sure to look out past the truck under trees and in the shaded areas to spot animals.

Leaving the savanna your guide will spot a couple of fallen down trees. That means the mighty elephants are near! On the way to find the elephants you pass a family of Mandrill monkeys.

Your truck approaches another old shaky, bridge, worse than the last one. Your tour guide crosses successfully with care.

In search of more elephants you enter the red clay pit. Sure enough you may be able to catch sight of the elephants! Females are usually found with their young, while the male elephants stick more to themselves. If there are new babies on the tour, your guide will be sure to point them out.

Driving through the watering area of the red clay pit, you will see a flock of flamingo. Did you know flamingos start off gray in color? Be sure to listen to the tour guide to hear what makes flamingos pink!

Approaching the mud pit you will spy white rhinoceros. Up in the shade you’ll spot a couple of cheetah, the fastest land mammals on earth.

Next up, the highlight of every tour, and sometimes the hardest animal to see, are the lions up on the rock. Since lions are nocturnal animals and sleep most of the day, your best chance to see them awake are on safaris later in the day near park closing.

Are you ready for more? Your tour is still not over! Next up be sure to look out for warthogs, ostrich eggs, and Bontebok antelopes.

Before your safari comes to an end, you’ll see some super adorable Nigerian Dwarf Goats, who are originally from Nigeria and considered to be of high value because of the high protein milk they provide.

You leave the reserve and head back to the village of Harambe. After the vehicle comes to a complete stop the doors on your right side will open, allowing you and your party to exit.

Keep in mind that each time you ride is different, because you never know what animals you’ll see or how they’ll act. This makes the attraction super unique.

Is Kilimanjaro Safaris kid-friendly?

Overall, Kilimanjaro Safaris is kid-friendly. After all, it doesn’t even have a height requirement. It should be fun for most kids to see the different animals. And, don’t worry, there aren’t any dark or scary moments.

That said, the ride can get rough at times thanks to the paths, bridges, and the safari vehicle itself. This could be either fun or upsetting to little ones. But, for the most part, the ride is kid-friendly.

Be sure to check out our full guide on several other  things that might scare little ones at Disney World .

Strollers are not allowed on the Kilimanjaro Safaris vehicles. You’ll need to park your stroller in the designated stroller parking area at the attraction entrance.

If you forget to park your stroller or want to take it into the line, you can, but know you’ll have to park it mid-way. There is an area with Cast Members waiting, who will take your stroller and park it for you.

Kilimanjaro Safaris first opened in 1998, the same year as Animal Kingdom. Actually, both the attraction and the park opened on April 22, aka Earth Day.

Animal Kingdom is the largest of all Disney World theme parks. It spreads out over 500 acres, which also gives the animals plenty of room to roam and live.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction itself spans 110 acres with the Harambe Wildlife Reserve serving as home to 34 species!

Your guide drives around as they gives facts about the animals you encounter along the way during the 18-minute journey.

When the ride initially opened, there was a poachers storyline and even a rickety bridge that threw some excitement into the mix. But, both of these elements were removed and now there’s more of a focus on the actual animals and the importance of conservation.

Former Imagineer Joe Rohde is responsible and to thank for not only breathing life into Kilimanjaro Safaris, but Animal Kingdom as a whole. Without him, this park wouldn’t be is what is today.

There’s no doubt Kilimanjaro Safaris is a fantastic experience and the closest thing many will ever get to experiencing an African safari.

Other Fun Details

• If you want an even more in depth and VIP tour of the savanna, you can sign up for the 3-hour guided Wild Africa Trek tour , where you will embark on some adventurous activities and see animals even more up close. This tour is priced separately and must be booked in advanced.

• For an additional price, Up Close with Rhinos is a 60-minute tour giving you the chance to go backstage at Animal Kingdom to meet and learn more about white rhinos, with help from a guide.

• Take some time to visit the Gorilla Falls Exploration walking trail, located near the exit of Kilimanjaro Safaris. It runs along parts of the driving tour and gives another look at many of the animals you saw on the drive, along with different ones like gorillas and meerkats!

• Pay attention as you drive by the flamingos for a fun Hidden Mickey.

Other Attractions in Africa

• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
• Festival of the Lion King
• Wildlife Express Train (takes you to Rafiki’s Planet Watch)

9 Awesome Facts & Secrets About Kilimanjaro Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of our all time favourite attractions at Walt Disney World. We love it so much we rated it 5/5 in our Animal Kingdom attractions guide . With that in mind, here are 9 awesome facts about one of Disney’ most beloved and ambitious rides.

#1 Walt Disney Inspired Kilimanjaro Safaris

While it might seem incredibly unlikely, Walt Disney himself actually played a part in the creation of Kilimanjaro Safaris.

The first plans for the Jungle Cruise actually included real animals but it was quickly discovered that they would be far too unpredictable for the kind of attraction Disney wanted to deliver to park guests.

Fast forward to when Disney’s Imagineers were planning Animal Kingdom and Walt’s original dream became a reality.

#2 That’s One Big Attraction

Kilimanjaro Safaris is the biggest Disney park attraction in the world. Don’t believe us? You could fit the entire Magic Kingdom park in Kilimanjaro Safaris quite comfortably!

Kilimanjaro Safaris is 110 acres whereas the entire Magic Kingdom park comes in at 107 acres. Disney were not messing about with animal welfare when it came to designing this attraction.

The attraction itself makes up 20% of the entire Animal Kingdom park.

#3 The Lion Feels the Breeze Tonight

Though they aren’t always completely visible, the Lions in Kilimanjaro Safaris would be even less visible if it wasn’t for a bit of clever engineering from Disney.

The rocks in which the Lions hang around on for much of the day are actually air conditioned! The Lions originally came from a much cooler zoo in Oregon so Disney had to install air-con into the rock formation. Better yet, if it gets cold they can heat up so the lions can be comfortable all year round!

#4 Every Animal Needs to Rest

At the end of every day, animals throughout the attraction are called in to rest in their enclosures for the night. Each animal has been specially trained to respond to a different sound.

A few examples of this include crocodiles responding to a metal bar being hit underwater, elephants come in to the beat of a drum, giraffes for a cowbell and a duck call is used for the Thompson’s Gazelle.

#5 Free Roaming Animals

While every animal has set space to walk around in (you wouldn’t want the Lions in with the gazelles!), within their space they are free to walk wherever they wish.

That means that they have right of way, even to the Safari trucks that form part of the attraction. If an animal chooses to walk in front of a truck (has happened to us many times) then be thankful as it means you will be able to get up close with those cameras!

Spaces are controlled through a combination of chains in the ground (to stop animals crossing into another area), walls and even deep pits in the case of the lions.

#6 Fake Plastic Baobab Trees

Okay, not plastic but we wanted to sneak in a Radiohead reference… The famous Baobab trees that are scattered around Kilimanjaro Safaris are actually all fake and made of concrete. The real tree has a thick trunk and is very good at storing water during periods of drought.

There was a single real Baobab tree in Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Harambe Village but sadly it died during a cold winter a few years ago.

#7 Animals Are Kept Close to Park Guests

Though it would be almost impossible to see on the first few experiences of Kilimanjaro Safaris, Disney actually does a lot to make sure the animals wander as close to guests as possible.

In addition to the air-conditioned rocks we already covered, Disney tactically place hay, grass, salt licks and drinking water close to the roads in which the safari trucks travel. Some of these placements are obvious when you know to keep an eye out but others are really well hidden, how many can you spot on your next safari?

#8 Real Safari Trucks

A lot of guests simply assume that the cast members aboard the great big safari trucks are simply onboard for guest safety and that the attraction is all on a track. This is completely false.

Cast Members go through rigorous training to land the role on Kilimanjaro Safaris and all of the custom built GMC and Ford trucks are free roaming. It is essential that this is the case as on many occasions cast members have had to swerve off course to go round an animal that has decided to settle on the road.

Each night the safari trucks are driven off the road and into a lot where they can be assessed and serviced ready for the next day.

#9 Timing is Everything

Though it is fair to say animals can be seen no matter what time of day Kilimanjaro Safaris is ridden, there are times of day where the animals are most active.

Early in the mornings, just after Disney’s Animal Kingdom has opened, can be a great time to experience the safari due to the cooler temperatures. In addition to this, the animals are all grazing on their breakfasts!

Disney introduced nighttime safaris in 2016 and this also offers a great time to see some of the animals who prefer to be active during the evening. These include Warthog, Hippo, Hyena and African Wild Dog.

Of course every safari is different and we can never guarantee that you will see great views of the animals on every trip.

Want more on Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Be sure to check out the rest of our Animal Kingdom guides .

Ryan has been attending theme parks since as long as he can remember and his first proper memory comes from when he was just three years old sitting in Main Street USA drinking a Nesquik milkshake from a carton while the piano was being played outside Casey’s Corner.

© 2024. ThemeParkTrader.com

Embark on a Wild Expedition: Ultimate Guide to Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney Animal Kingdom!

Are you ready to take a virtual ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

On April 22, 1998, former Disney Company CEO, Michael Eisner uttered this dedication speech below when opening Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Welcome to a kingdom of animals…real, ancient and imagined. A kingdom ruled by lions, dinsaurs, and dragons; a kingdom of balance, harmony and survival; a kingdom we enter to share in the wonder, gaze at the beauty, thrill at the drama, and learn.”

Themed to nature and animal conservation, Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World has been educating and bringing awareness of the natural experiences and importance of our role in helping wildlife for over 25 years now.

One of the big draws for the park is Kilimanjaro Safaris, where you board an African safari truck and explore the savannah, witnessing firsthand the beauty of African wildlife.

For some, this is the closest they will get to experiencing these creatures. It is truly an endearing and unforgettable experience.

Today, I will give you everything you would want to and need to know about this amazing Disney attraction.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Kilimanjaro Safaris at a Glance:

• You will hop on board the attraction for a thrilling safari adventure
• The original storyline included rescuing a mother elephant and her baby from poachers – Big Red and Little Red
• You will spot animals such as lions, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, zebra, hippos and more!
• The ride is located in the middle of the Africa Section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Strollers are not allowed on the safari vehicle (there is a designated area to park it nearby)
• The wait times can range from 30 minutes to an hour on average.
• There is no Single Rider Line but the option for Lightning Lane is available.

Keep reading to get everything you need to know about this fun Disney attraction!

How did Kililmajaro safaris come to be?

To discuss the history of Kilimanjaro Safaris, we have to go back beyond even Walt Disney World’s grand opening.

We have to first look at Jungle Cruise in Disneyland. Walt had envisioned actual African animals within the attraction.

But for very obvious reasons, they went the audio animatronic route instead.

But with many Disney ideas that hit the ground in the Imagineering room, they tend to come back in some way, shape or form. This attraction is a prime example.

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What to Expect on Kilimanjaro Safaris

Here you will hop on board the attraction for a thrilling safari experience as you journey through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve in Harambe, East Africa.

While cruising through the large savannah, you’ll learn about the different animals as your tour guide shares fun facts and keeps things entertaining.

What I really love about this attraction is that you’ll feel as if the animals are right next to you (which can be possible at certain moments of your expedition).

But don’t worry – there are sneaky fences and barriers in place to keep everyone safe and sound. Especially when you’re riding past crocodiles and lions.

Original Storyline

On the original version of the ride, the safari truck, known as “Simba-1,” used to have a scripted part where a habitat warden and a scientist would ask for help in rescuing a mother elephant and her baby from poachers – Big Red and Little Red.

The poachers were once caught by a Cast Member at gunpoint (wild, I know!) along with Wilson, but this part of the ride was later changed to just scaring off the poachers during a chase.

New Storyline

The safari script and story for this attraction underwent significant alterations.

Years later, Disney tweaked it to shift away from the “Little Red and Big Red” plot-line.

They wanted the focus to go back towards the animals in the reserve and the mission to locate a missing elephant at the conclusion.

As guest began to experience the newer version, this change resulted in a bit of a confusing storyline, as they embarked on a quest to find a lost “mother elephant” only to discover her baby, who, as per the tale, had been safe all along.

I understood the changes but my time on the ride always left me wondering why there were certain setups along the way that had no description from the tour guide.

When you go on the attraction now, you’ll just see remnants of the former storyline that look more like ride decor at this point.

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More changes to come.

In 2004, they had to switch out a lot of the savanna’s drainage system , but the ride was still up and running while they fixed it.

Then, on February 10, 2012, they said they were getting rid of the “Little Red” part of the ride and putting in a cool zebra exhibit instead. You can check out the full story here.

The place used to have Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras , but they had to be taken out four months later because they were having trouble getting used to the new environment.

Apparently, the zebras were quarreling, nibbling at cars or each other, blocking the road, or causing problems with their mating habits. They were later swapped out with addax antelope.

Fun Fact: Animal Kingdom has more than 100 acres of savanna, forest, rivers, and rocky hills that you’ll enjoy on the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction.

Is Kilimanjaro Safaris the same every time?

Not at all! You will get a different experience every time due to the nature of the wildlife, as well as the time of day.

What is the current experience like?

Once you board your safari vehicle, you will enter the wildlife reserve. Right off the bat, have your phone cameras ready!

• You start off in the forest spotting the Okapi.
• Next stop is the watering hole where you might spot some cool animals like the stork, bongo, kudu, and black rhinos.
• Then, you’ll cross a river where the hippos hang out over a shaky bridge.
• Beneath the bridge, you might spot some crocs (scary but fun)!
• When you enter the savanna you’ll encounter zebras, hyennas, giraffes, and more (don’t be surprise if they get close to your truck).
• You’ll then spot signs of elephants nearby.
• After that, you’ll pass by some monkeys.
• Once you reach the red clay pits, you’ll be delighted to witness the magnificent elephants and their adorable babies.
• Keep an eye out for pink flamingos chilling by a watering hole as you go.
• Next up are the lions! (be sure to grab an evening ride when they’re the most active)
• Be sure to look out for warthogs, ostrich eggs, cheetahs and antelopes.
• Don’t miss the group of goats at the new campsite towards the end of the ride.

On one of my expeditions, the giraffe was hungry and had lunch in front of a tree that was right in the path. I had to sit there for 45 minutes until the giraffe was done!

Fun Fact: The vehicles on the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride seat 32 guests and are environmentally safe with propane-fueled engines.

Animals on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom

Here is a list of the African wildlife you may come across during your safari and please note that this list can change at anytime:

• African bush elephant
• African wild dog
• Ankole cattle
• Black crowned crane (seen in the queue)
• Black rhinoceros
• Blue wildebeest
• Common eland
• The Common ostrich
• Common warthog
• Greater flamingo
• Greater kudu
• Hartmann’s mountain zebra
• Hippopotamus
• Masai giraffe
• Nigerian dwarf goat
• Nile crocodile
• Pink-backed pelican
• Sable antelope
• Saddle-billed stork
• Scimitar oryx
• Spotted hyena
• White rhinoceros

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What to Know Before You Go to Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Now that you know what to expect on this Animal Kingdom attraction, let’s go through a few questions that you may have.

Where is Kilimanjaro Safaris located?

The ride is located in the middle of the Africa Section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Just keep going towards the very back of the park.

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How do you ride the Safari ride at Animal Kingdom?

Kilimanjaro Safaris has a standby line, and the wait varies depending on the time of year you visit and time of day you go.

The wait times can range from 30 minutes to an hour on average. There is no Single Rider Line but the option for Lightning Lane is available.

Is Child Swap available?

Rider Switch isn’t available for this attraction. Children are available to ride with the party, but it is recommended that they sit in the middle of the row.

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Is the queue outdoors?

The queue is outdoors but it is covered. It also isn’t interactive, but there are facts about animals along the queue that you can read up on as you go.

Will I get Motion Sickness on Kilimanjaro Safaris?

It is possible depending on the person. The ride doesn’t have seatbelts, but it does have doors to keep you inside the vehicle.

With that being said, it does get VERY bumpy when riding over the terrain. Remember, its an African safari!

Is it accessibility friendly?

There are wheelchair accessible safari vehicles with ramps for you to use.

If you are using an electric wheelchair or ECV, you will have to transfer to a manual wheelchair to board.

Accessibility guests and their companions will be seated right behind the driver in row 1. ECVs and Wheelchairs are parked with strollers and will be in this area when you return.

The vehicles can only hold one wheelchair at a time however so bear this in mind. Other accessibility tools such as captioning and assistive listening are available.

Service animals are also allowed but with caution. So do keep that in mind.

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Are strollers allowed?

Strollers are not allowed on the safari vehicle. There is a designated area to park it nearby.

Can I do a private safari tour at Animal Kingdom?

For an extra fee, you can do a variety of safari type tours that are subject to price changes and availability. They can be found here .

Is Kilimanjaro Safaris free?

The Kilimanjaro safaris attraction is included with the price of your admission to Animal Kingdom so no worries just enjoy!

Get Your Walt Disney World Tickets Today! CLICK HERE .

My Final Thoughts

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is truly an underrated crown jewel at Walt Disney World Resort.

There is plenty to admire in the beauty of the wildlife, especially when you experience the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction.

This is one ride that you cannot miss when you go! As mentioned, I recommend that you do it the first thing in the morning when you visit the park as the wait tends to be on the longer side.

Have you gone on the Kilimanjaro Safari experience before and if so, what animals did you see? Let us know in the comments section below.

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

About the Contributors

About the Author

My name is Nikky. I’m a wife, a mother, a pharmacist turned theme park blogger, USA Today 10Best Contributor , and a writer who loves ALL things amusement park related!

Traveling alone to the parks has changed my life and I want to show how you can create your own solo theme park memories.

Connect with me on Instagram!

Victoria is a professional solo traveler here to make your solo trips as stress free AND enjoyable as possible for you.

She has over 5 years of Disney and Non-Disney travel experience and was featured by POPSUGAR as one of the Top 50 Black Disney Creators you should follow.

She is a Proud Native to Baltimore, Md but always will call Disney World home.

Are you planning a Disney vacation soon? Read the  Disney World Vacation Planning Guide  for your next dream trip!

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Kilimanjaro Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris  is a safari attraction at  Disney's Animal Kingdom  at the Walt Disney World Resort . It is an open-sided safari ride through the savanna of East Africa.

Kilimanjaro Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris is an attraction located in the Africa section of Disney's Animal Kingdom .

• 1.1 Changes Since Opening
• 2.1 Former Ending
• 3 List of Animals
• 4 Fun Facts and Trivia
• 5 References

Attraction History

The concept for Kilimanjaro Safari actually began when Walt Disney started planning Disneyland in the 1950s. Walt originally envisioned the Jungle Cruise with premise that real animals would be featured in the ride. Eventually, experts convinced Walt that real animals would be too unpredictable to use in the attraction and Audio Animatronic animals were used instead [1] . When Disney Imagineers began planning their newest park, Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1989, however, they decided that an attraction using real animals was now a possibility. Taking inspiration from this idea, they designed Kilimanjaro Safaris with the idea that it would be the "E ticket" attraction that the park needed.

Imagineer Joe Rhode oversaw the creation of the Safaris, and in July of 1990 he and other Imagineers went to Kenya and Tanzania to study the wildlife there [1] . After their trip, Imagineers decided that besides just showcasing the animals on the safari, the attraction would also need a story. Disney CEO Michael Eisner demanded that Disney's Animal Kingdom should promote the idea of conservation [1] . To stay clear of any political problems, Imagineers set the Safaris in the fictional village of Harambe (which is Swahili for "working together") [1] . Like real villages in Eastern Africa, Harambe is themed to serve as a gateway for guests into the African Savannah.

In order to get the environment right for the animals, Disney planters asked for two growing seasons prior to the animals' arrival [1] . With the foliage being planted in the spring of 1996, Disney began collecting trees from all around the country [1] . Furthermore, Imagineers had to determine what animals were going to be showcased in the exhibit. To do this, Imagineers evaluated how active the animals would be, how easily they could be moved backstage, whether they could interact with other animals, and what they would eat.

After the animals were selected, Disney needed to figure out how much space the animals needed and how they could be contained in their area. Moats, water features, electric fences, "ha-has", and wires and chains were placed on the ground in order to keep animals within their area. In order to make the animals more visible to guests on the safari, Disney implemented "tricks" to encourage the animals to stay in certain spots [1] . Hidden food, air condition rocks, cooling and warming waters, and cool breezes are all used to keep animals within view [2] . During Kilimanjaro Safaris' development, Disney also decided that they did not want to acquire the animals for the park from their natural habitats. Instead, they were brought in from other zoos or reputable breeders [2] . Finally, backstage, state of the art animal homes were constructed to shelter the animals when they were not "on stage" [3] .

The original story that Imagineers created for Kilimanjaro Safaris, involved guests racing after poachers while trying to rescue a mother and child elephant named Big Red and Little Red [4] . In the original plans for the attraction, guests would be involved in a high speed chase for the last third of the ride. Along the way, they would pass the bloodied corpse of Big Red who was killed by poachers for her tusks. This was done in order to stress the conservation message that Michael Eisner had championed for the park. Unfortunately, Cast Member previews proved that the sight of the dead elephant was too much for kids (and some adults) [4] . After receiving a lot of complaints, Imagineers removed the elephant and instead implied Big Red's death in the script. The elephant corpse was no longer a part of the attraction when it opened on April 22, 1998 [4] .

Changes Since Opening

During the holiday season of 1998, Disney decided to allow the safaris to remain open at night [5] . The "new" attraction, known as Kilimanjaro Night Safaris featured animal sounds, reflectors meant to represent animal eyes, and an African dance troupe who performed around a bonfire [5] . Following the holiday season however, it was decided that the attraction would be discontinued due to guest complaints about not being able to see the animals, as well as the additional costs of keeping the attraction open. [5]

In February of 2012, Disney announced that beginning in the fall, the Little Red story would no longer be featured in the attraction [6] . On April 29th, the Little Red Audio Animatronic was removed, and construction began on the attractions final scene [7] . On October 23, 2012, Plains Zebras were added to the attraction [8] and all mentions of Little Red or the poachers were now completely removed. Four months after their addition, the Plains Zebras were removed from the attraction due to “acclimation issues” and replaced with the addax [9] . The zebras were subsequently returned in June 2013 [10] .

In May of 2013 Disney announced that a nighttime version of Kilimanjaro Safaris would begin running in the future [11] . As part of this new experience, in 2015 Disney announced that spotted hyenas and African wild dogs are expected to be added to the attraction [12] which was given a opening date of spring 2016. At this time, Disney announced that the nighttime version of the attraction would be called Sunset Kilimanjaro Safaris [13] . The Sunset Kilimanjaro Safaris began running in May of 2016 [14] .

Attraction Plot

After boarding their safari vehicle called Simba One, guests embark into the African wilderness. The first scene in the Safari is the Ukungu Forest. Here, guests can see the bongo and the okapi, two animals which are difficult to find in the wild. As the tour continues on, guests come across a watering hole, where black rhinoceros can be found. Further ahead, guests pass by the Safari River where two water holes can be seen. The first hole features a couple of male hippopotami, whereas the female hippos populate the second hole. As the Simba One passes by the second pool, the vehicle tips towards the water, showcasing the rough terrain that guests are riding on. Also located on the Safari River are crocodiles, which guests can see before the pass over the Senkell Bridge and enter the Ndege Hills.

On top of the hills, guests are shown the baobab or "upside-down tree". These trees produce fruit which is known as monkey bread, and their large trunks are used to store water. As guests descend down the Ndege Hills, they can see the African Savannah in front of them. The Savannah features the Thompson Gazelle and the Ankole cattle. Further on, guests see giraffes and Mandrills, one of the largest species of monkeys in the world. Other animals that can be found in the Savannah include elephants, ostriches, white rhinoceros, cheetahs and finally lions. After passing the lions, guests can see the attraction’s newest animal the Plains Zebra, before arriving at the unloading area.

Former Ending

The original ending of Kilimanjaro Safaris took guests on a high speed chase after poachers. As guests progressed to the elephant section of the safari, Mr. Wilson (the Safari's warden) warned guests that poachers may be present. When guests reached the back gate of the safari, they could see that it had apparently been broken into, and that the elephant Big Red and her son Little Red were missing. As the driver of the vehicle chased after the poachers, guests were actually shot at by the villains, and it became clear that Big Red had been killed. After narrowly avoiding erupting geysers, guests found out that the poachers had been captured by the preserves' authorities. Here, guests could finally see Little Red, back in the protection of the preserve.

List of Animals

Animals that can be found on Kilimanjaro Safaris include:

Fun Facts and Trivia

• Throughout the attraction, guests will see black vultures which are native to Florida. The vultures are not mentioned by the tour guides because they are not supposed to be in the attraction [15] .
• The queue for the Kilimanjaro Safaris was inspired by the Mbuyu Camp's check in on the Selous Reserve in Southern Tanzania. This camp was visited by Joe Rohde and his team when they first went to Africa to research [16] .
• Kilimanjaro Safaris is the largest attraction ever created by Disney [17] .
• The Kilimanjaro Safari ride vehicles are based on the ones used in South Africa's Krueger National Park [18]
• The entire Magic Kingdom could fit inside Kilimanjaro Safaris [19] .
• To create Kilimanjaro Safaris, Imagineers had to move 1.5 million cubic yards of dirt [20] .
• Imagineers had to place over 2.3 million plants when creating Kilimanjaro Safaris [21] .
• Zebras were found on the attraction’s savannah when Kilimanjaro Safaris first opened. The animals are now featured at the end of the attraction [22] .
• According to Imagineer Joe Rohde at one time there was a bloody zebra carcass that was used as a carnivore drinker (an object for the animals to drink out of). The drinker was removed due to numerous complaints from guests who thought the carcass was real [23] .
• ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2011/01/kilimanjaro_safaris_at_animal_1.html
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.disneyfanatic.com/16-amazing-facts-about-kilimanjaro-safaris-in-disneys-animal-kingdom/
• ↑ http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/11/sign-up-for-a-chance-to-tour-backstage-at-disneys-animal-kingdom-theme-park/
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2001/01/01/282.aspx#.UK7NfIeCmSo
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 http://www.jamboeveryone.com/2015/04/coming-soon-nighttime-kilimanjaro.html
• ↑ http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-02-14/the-daily-disney/os-disney-aniimal-kingdom-safari-changes-20120214_1_disney-s-animal-kingdom-theme-park-zebras
• ↑ http://exploringwdw.com/disney-info/kilimanjaro-safaris-update/
• ↑ http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/10/guests-are-seeing-stripes-at-disneys-animal-kingdom-zebras-out-on-new-kilimanjaro-safaris-savanna/
• ↑ http://wdwnt.com/blog/2013/03/zebras-removed-permanently-after-4-months-from-kilimanjaro-safaris/
• ↑ http://www.jamboeveryone.com/2013/07/the-return-of-zebras.html
• ↑ http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/10/first-look-avatar-to-come-to-life-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/
• ↑ http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/new-details-released-on-rivers-of-light-sunset-kilimanjaro-safaris-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/
• ↑ http://www.jamboeveryone.com/2015/08/sunset-kilimanjaro-safari.html
• ↑ https://yourfirstvisit.net/2016/08/02/review-sunset-kilimanjaro-safaris/
• ↑ http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2011/01/kilimanjaro_safaris_at_animal_2.html
• ↑ This information was shared by Joe Rohde on his Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Tf3OUHT7C/
• ↑ http://www.wdwradio.com/2016/01/need-know-3-accessible-attractions-disneys-animal-kingdom/
• ↑ This information was shred by Joe Rohde on his Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Vr0-NH9gO/
• ↑ http://www.easywdw.com/easy/animal-kingdom/kilimanjaro-safaris-disney-animal-kingdom-ak-review-info/
• ↑ http://www.postbulletin.com/animals-rule-at-new-disney-theme-park/article_9f7bc67e-f7c1-5740-bf7b-17d433e8af03.html
• ↑ http://www.disneyfanatic.com/12-mind-blowing-facts-about-kilimanjaro-safaris-at-disneys-animal-kingdom/
• ↑ https://twitter.com/search?q=joe%20rohde%20mkpony&src=typd

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Kilimanjaro Safaris

Kilimanjaro Safaris is a safari attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom on the Walt Disney World Resort property in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It simulates an open-sided safari ride through the savanna of East Africa.

• 2 Ride Description
• 3 Incidents
• 4 Facts & Trivia
• 5 Sources & External Links

History [ ]

Kilimanjaro Safaris typically operates until sundown. However, during the holiday season of 1998, the safaris were continued at night and dubbed Kilimanjaro Night Safaris. Though many animals were asleep, or unable to be seen at night, the attraction had a completely different script and storyline. This "new" attraction featured additional animal sounds, reflectors hidden in the foliage to resemble animals' eyes, and an actual African dance troup, who performed around a bonfire in the area normally occupied by the attraction's elephants. Kilimanjaro Night Safaris only ran during that initial holiday season. After this time, it was deemed that the additional costs, plus the fact that animal visibility was poor (eliciting many guest complaints), made Night Safaris unfeasible to continue regularly.

In 2004, much of the savanna's drainage system had to be replaced. The attraction remained open during the rehab, with green tarps covering the construction sites to keep the animals out.

In 2007-2009, the trucks were extended with an extra row of seating, allowing for more capacity. Also, the safari script/story, along with the Wilson/Jobson story has significantly changed. There is less of a story about "Little Red," and more about the animals in the Reserve and the need to find a lost elephant at the end. This led to a somewhat confused plot in which guests are searching for a lost "mother elephant" and eventually find her baby which, according to the story, had already been safe the whole time.

The ride originally featured a Cast Member in the role of a gun-toting reserve warden who captured the poachers and saved Big Red and Little Red. This element of the attraction was eventually eliminated. During Cast Previews of Disney's Animal Kingdom, there was a "Dark Ending" in which the safari vehicle encountered the slaughtered corpse of Big Red. This scene proved too shocking for families and children, and thus was eventually changed to give the attraction a happier ending.

Long before the safari or even Walt Disney World opened, Walt Disney wanted to use real African animals for the river attraction Jungle Cruise at Disneyland . However, due to several reasons, Audio-Animatronic replicas were placed instead.

In July of 2010, it was announced that guests will soon be able to go on "guided treks" around the savannah. This will include areas that are not part of the regular ride experience.

Ride Description [ ]

The ride originally begins as a two-week safari aboard Simba 1 through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve in Harambe, East Africa. It is 800 square miles (2,100 km2) of natural terrain, including Ituri forest, wetlands of the Safi River valley, and the open bush country of the Serengeti Savanna. During most of the ride people view the common African animals including elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelope, gazelles, crocodiles, monkeys, hippos, lions, cheetahs, warthogs, ostriches, rhinos, storks, pelicans, flamingos, wildebeests, and okapis. The tour guide points out animals and provides entertainment. During the journey, the driver is in radio contact with reserve warden Wilson Matua, who is flying over the reserve on his daily routine. It all takes a turn when poachers are spotted in the reserve, and it's up to Simba 1 and the guests, with support from the air and other rangers, to stop them.

Incidents [ ]

• Initially, there were a number of animal deaths from disease, toxic exposure, maternal killings and park vehicles. The United States Department of Agriculture investigation found no violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The pneumonia death of a hippopotamus caused a 40 minute closure of the ride.
• On February 10, 2008, a fire broke out in the engine compartment of one of the ride vehicles.

Facts & Trivia [ ]

• The attraction features custom-built GMC trucks riding washed-out, rutted roads and a bridge that tilts. The roadbed is actually constructed of dark brown-colored concrete embedded with permanent tire ruts.
• The flamingo island is a huge Hidden Mickey .
• Between each ecosystem are both chain road sensors and bars to prevent animals from venturing between sections. The vehicles drive directly on these obstacles.
• The music snippet that is heard when driving past the elephant area is called "Hapa Duniani" and is performed by the vocal group, "African Dawn."

Sources & External Links [ ]

• Official website
• 1 The Empress Lilly
• 2 Walt Disney World Monorail System
• 3 Downtown Disney (Walt Disney World)

Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris – The Ultimate Guide Updated

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Want to know more about the Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris?

One of the most immersive of all the Animal Kingdom rides, the Disney Kilimanjaro Safari takes you on a journey through the African planes.

In Orlando Florida.

This highly unique experience is one of the highlights of any trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It truly is an adventure that you cannot find anywhere else in North America.

Discover what you need to know about Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris so that you and your family can get the most out of this immersive attraction.

Disney Kilimanjaro Safari Guide

The Disney Imagineers have successfully created the Harambe Wildlife Reserve in Animal Kingdom park.

Walt Disney himself always wanted to have live animals incorporated into his theme parks.

Whilst in Disneyland this dream was kind of realized in Jungle Cruise (Walt originally wanted real animals for this attraction), Disney’s Animal Kingdom finally achieved that dream.

The area where your Kilimanjaro Safari Bus will take you is vast.

110 acres of vast.

And it is home to 34 different species of animal including lions, hippos, giraffes, and elephants.

What is the Disney Kilimanjaro Safari Ride Like?

The first experience of any Disney ride is the line area!

The advantage of the Kilimanjaro Safari Ride is that the queue is well-shaded.

There are some things to look at along the way, including some videos about conservation. But mostly the best thing about this line is that it is in the shade!

It can get very very hot in Orlando and it can be a challenge to wait in line at the height of the heat. There are a few spots where you can even sit down on a small wall which gives your feet a bit of a rest!

This is one reason not to ride Kilimanjaro Safari in the heat of the day – the queue will be a lot easier to deal with if it is a bit cooler.

A short way into the line you will have to put your stroller in the parking place.

A Cast Member will be there to guide you to the exact spot.

Then by the time you get back, your stroller will have moved of course!

Photo Credit

The Disney Animal Kingdom Safari ride vehicles are custom-built GMC and Ford trucks.

Lots of guests think that Kilimanjaro Safaris is on a track, but it isn’t. Those safari vehicles are true off-roaders controlled by the Cast Members!

Each ride vehicle holds up to 32 guests in 9 rows each seating up to 4. There is no height requirement for this Animal Kingdom ride.

It is very much for families, but as I discuss below, it is very bumpy.

Take notice of the warnings.

If you have a health condition or are pregnant give Disney’s Kilimanjaro Safaris a miss!

Is there a best place to sit on the Disney Kilimanjaro Safari ride?

There really aren’t any bad seats, but the best is the front and the back row.

However, be aware that the further towards the back you get, the bumpier the ride!

If you have small children they should not be at the edge.

In front of you, there are signs which help you recognize which animals you may see on your safari.

The most popular sitings are those of elephants, giraffes, gazelles, rhinos, crocodiles, hippos, and lions.

The safari guides always make sure that they keep you entertained as well as educated. And they will try their best to point out the sometimes very well camouflaged animals.

If you can be organized enough it is a great idea to take some High Powered Binoculars with you.

I went on the safari ride for years before I actually did this. It made a huge difference to what you can see.

There is usually plenty of time to take photos of the animals. Your Cast Member guide will do their best to point out the best photo ops.

Animal Kingdom Safari Ride Fun Facts

Don’t worry. Of course, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has things well designed so that you are not going to get up close and personal with a lion. Big trenches separate humans from the dangerous animals.

Jurassic Park this is not.

Disney has some great tricks to keep the animals visible and happy.

Ever wonder why the lions are always sitting out on the rocks? Yes, they are mimicking what they do in the wild, but what most people don’t know about the rocks is that they are air-conditioned!

The lions originally came from a much cooler park in Oregon, so they needed a little help cooling down in the hot Florida sun. If it ever gets too cold, the rocks can be heated too!

Disney also knows how to get the animals as close as possible to you. How do they do this? The usual incentive for food and water.

They place food, watering holes, and salt licks close to the vehicle paths.

The emphasis is on safety both for humans and animals.

You might think you can reach out and touch that giraffe but there is a large system of trenches, bridges and fences on all the savannas to keep humans from the animals and to keep the animals from predators.

Many years ago there was a story about poachers with a graphic illustration of the fate of Little Red, a baby elephant. This storyline has not been seen for almost a decade as many considered it too upsetting for a Disney attraction.

Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris Best Time To Ride

What is the best time to ride the Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris? This Animal Kingdom ride is popular. And popular means lines.

The best tactic for the best time to ride Disney Kilimanjaro’s Safari? Arrive early. I know that’s always the advice, but it works.

If you can arrive at the Animal Kingdom at rope drop and then go straight to Kilimanjaro Safaris you will most likely be beating the crowds. Even better is if you have Early Entry at 8 am. You can really get ahead of the crowds.

The attraction is right at the back of the park. If you plan to be there early look at a map of Animal Kingdom so you get your bearings as to where you are going.

There are plenty of signs in the park, but it is always good to have an overall view.

There is another great reason to ride Disney’s Kilimanjaro Safari as early as possible. The animals are much more active in the morning.

You are more likely to see a greater selection of active animals than in the afternoon when it is hotter.

 Kilimanjaro Safaris Wait Time

The Disney Kilimanjaro Safari wait times will vary from anywhere between 10 minutes to 120 minutes, This depends on the time of day as well as whether it is peak season or not.

As we have said, the lowest wait time will be as soon as the park opens.

If you leave it until 11 am you are likely to hit the peak wait times of at least 70 to 90 minutes.

Really try and avoid that time of day as it is likely to be the worst.

If you don’t get to the attraction early in the day, the next best time to ride Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris is usually around 3 pm onwards.

A lot of people head for the attraction earlier in the day and have cleared that area by mid-afternoon.

The wait times for this Animal Kingdom attraction are somewhat better now that Disney’s Animal Kingdom has extended opening hours. It used to only ever be open 9 am until 5 pm.

Now the hours are often extended into the evening so this also gives a chance to experience the safari ride at night.

Kilimanjaro Safaris at Night

Now the hours are often extended into the evening so this also gives a chance to experience the Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris at night.

This is a very different experience from touring during the day.

If possible you should try and ride once in the early morning and then go back late in the evening.

The least busy times will be just before the park closes.

Adapting the experience for nighttime was not an easy task. Disney had to spend more than a year preparing the animals and the environment for the nighttime Kilimanjaro Safaris.

They introduced some new animals, such as the nocturnal hyenas, to be better suited to the nighttime experience.

They also added a huge wall of graphic displays to enhance the Kilimanjaro Safaris at night. This is so that guests can actually have enough light to see the animals.

The graphics cleverly mimic a gradually setting sun over an extended period of time.

This is so that the animals can adjust to the environment and the guests can actually still see the animals which are up and about in the evening.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris at Night is definitely a different experience than during the day. Ideally, you should do both. If you have to choose just one though, I would say go in the morning. You are likely to see more active animals.

Disney Kilimanjaro Safaris For Pregnant Ladies

I visited Disney World many times while pregnant. It’s a very pregnant lady-friendly place!

However, there are some Disney World rides that recommend that if you are pregnant you should not ride.

Disney’s Kilimanjaro Safari Ride very clearly states that pregnant ladies should not ride.

This is going to be very much an individual decision. There are some rides at Disney World where it is very obvious that a pregnant woman should not ride.

You probably aren’t going to want to sign up to ride Space Mountain, Expedition Everest, or Rock N Roller Coaster when you are pregnant.

That’s obvious.

But Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of those Disney World rides where you are thinking shall I or shan’t I?

My personal experience is that when I was pregnant with my youngest son I did go on the Kilimanjaro Safari Ride. After about 10 seconds I realized that for me, it was the wrong decision. Kilimanjaro Safari is bumpy!

I remember just wanting it to end almost as soon as it started.

I am fortunate and have experienced the Animal Kingdom Safari Ride many times. However, at that time I really wished I hadn’t. It’s fine normally to speed through the African planes in your safari vehicle over all the bumps, but when pregnant I just wanted to be somewhere else!

Will you be experiencing Disney’s Kilimanjaro Safaris on your next visit to the Animal Kingdom?

Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando.  In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.

Disney Animal Kingdom Rides - EverythingMouse Guide To Disney

Saturday 17th of August 2019

[…] […]

Kilimanjaro Safaris

This article is on the real-world attraction. For the fictional company of the same name, see Kilimanjaro Safaris (company) .

Kilimanjaro Safaris is an attraction in the Africa area of Disney's Animal Kingdom . It is considered to be the spiritual successor of the Jungle Cruise as it is based on Walt Disney 's original plans for the Jungle Cruise , being a ride through a faux wildlife environment with live animals. The attraction also has shared continuity with the Jungle Cruise franchise, and is frequently referenced in Jungle Cruise/ Adventureland attractions.

• 1.1 Backstory
• 1.2 Development history
• 3.1 Adventure Trading Company
• 3.2 Jungle Cruise
• 3.3 Skipper Canteen
• 3.4 Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar
• 5 References

History [ ]

Backstory [ ].

Kilimanjaro Safaris takes place in the late 20th/early 21st century in the East African port of Harambe . Guests are part of a safari service lead by the Kilimanjaro Safaris company through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve , established from the remains of a colonial cattle company 's base after the people of Harambe rebelled and freed themselves from the British Empire . Guests take a ride aboard the SIMBA-1 jeep through the reserve for animal sight-seeing.

Development history [ ]

Kilimanjaro Safaris is an African wildlife safari which opened the April 22, 1998 as part of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme-park. The attraction was based on Walt Disney's original plans for the Jungle Cruise, being a ride which featured real exotic animals. Due to this, the Disney company created 110 acres of a functioning wildlife reserve which is home to 34 species of animal.

The original version of the attraction had a narrative with show-scenes, character audio and audio-animatronic elements. This version of the ride was made to be a moral story to fight the poaching industry. The narrative had guests encounter the corpse of the mother elephant, " Big Red " and team up with the reserve's aviator/warden Wilson Matua to find the poachers and save her baby Little Red . This incarnation of the ride was backlashed due to being mature without warning and not having a clear separation between audio-animatronic and live-animal for young guests.

Summary [ ]

Guests enter the base-camp and board the SIMBA-1 jeep. After this, their jeep enters the Ukungu Forest. After this, the SIMBA-1 passes by a watering hole and the Safari River. The jeeps proceed onto the rickety Senkell Bridge towards the Ndege Hills. From the hills, the jeeps enter the African savannah which is densely populated by animals, including lions atop, "Pride Rock". After this, the jeeps return to base and disembark.

Jungle Cruise connections [ ]

Adventure trading company [ ].

The Daily Gnus newspaper journalist B. Pepperella made reference to Harambe having been visited by the Adventure Trading Company alongside the Lost River Delta and Mystic Point .

Jungle Cruise [ ]

Kilimanjaro Safaris repurposes Walt Disney's original premise for the Jungle Cruise, being a ride featuring real exotic animals. In 2023, a souvenir banner from Harambe was hung over the Banana Troop door in the Amazon River Base . [1] [2]

Skipper Canteen [ ]

In the Skipper Canteen 's library is a book titled, "The Harambe Chronicles" by an author named Wilson.

Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar [ ]

In this bar is a photograph of Trader Sam on an elephant-back safari with the Kilimanjaro Safaris logo on the elephant's saddle. A note from Sam explains how this was a safari through the village of Harambe.

• Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of two Jungle Cruise inspired attractions in Disney's Animal Kingdom, the other being Na'vi River Journey .
• Kilimanjaro Safaris' theme-song is Hapa Duniani by Msafiri Zawose and African Dawn .

References [ ]

• ↑ https://blogmickey.com/2023/11/100-photos-jingle-cruise-holiday-overlay-returns-to-jungle-cruise-for-2023-holiday-season-at-magic-kingdom/
• ↑ https://allears.net/2023/08/23/25-things-you-didnt-know-about-jungle-cruise-in-disney-world/
• 1 Frank Wolff
• 2 Lope de Aguirre

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Kilimanjaro Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: The Ultimate Guide

posted by Charmaine Cortes on December 26, 2022 // last updated on June 12, 2023

Are you planning to visit Kilimanjaro Safari Disney World with your family or loved ones and want to learn more about it? Then you have come to the right place!

In this article, we will provide you with an overview of everything you need to know about Kilimanjaro Safaris. This safari ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park will transport you across the globe into an African Wildlife setting.

In this Ultimate Guide, we will cover all the basics from the history of the Safari, how to ride it and some further frequently asked questions about the wildlife park. Read on to find out more!

About Kilimanjaro Safaris

The kilimanjaro safaris ride, kilimanjaro safaris accessibility, interesting facts.

Walt Disney had a lifelong dream of adding live animals to his Jungle Cruise. Back then, this was not possible until the Kilimanjaro Safaris opened its gates in Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in April 1998.

The park in Walt Disney World wanted to differentiate itself from a zoo from the beginning. While it had live animals, it was more focused on conservation and experiencing the animals in their (somewhat) natural habitat.

Since 2016, visitors can enjoy special sunset safaris where they get to enjoy African animals after dark.

You will find Kilimanjaro Safaris located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, which is part of Walt Disney World.

Make your way past the Tree of Life to the back of Africa, all the way past Mombasa Marketplace and Dawa Bar. As you cross the bridge, you will get to Kilimanjaro Safaris.

The queue will lead you through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve before you enter your safari vehicle and head out to experience the African Savanna without leaving the States!

The Kilimanjaro Safaris vehicles are open-air trucks that can accommodate up to 35 guests. Each vehicle can seat three to five guests in one row.

The Savanna provides a bumpy ride along a dirt trail and is different from the other smooth theme park rides at Disney. So buckle up.

You will be provided with a game-spotting guide. Be on the lookout, as not all wildlife will be visible at all times.

A Kilimanjaro Safaris ride is approximately 20 to 30 minutes long and leads through 100 acres of Savanna. During this time, you will be able to spot about 34 different species. Among these, you will find famous members of the African Animal Kingdom:

• Hippopotamus
• Sable Antelopes
• Thompson’s Gazelles
• African Wild Dogs
• Termite Mounds

Each expedition through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve is completely unique. The animals are all free roaming and are, therefore, always in a different place or sometimes in hiding.

If you are looking for a specific unique experience, you can visit Kilimanjaro Safaris at night! During those nighttime safaris, you will be able to experience the wildlife in a completely different setting. Some animals tend to be more active during the night, so we recommend trying out both times.

The ride with Kilimanjaro Safaris is longer than some other rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, so factor that into your time at the park, so you don’t miss other rides.

Since you will be dealing with real animals, we recommend behavior that suits the setting. No loud noises or erratic behavior as this can scare the wildlife. Small children are to be watched at all times. In general, this might be a better experience for children above the age of six.

Fastpass/ Lightning Lane:  Yes

Time:  20 -30 minutes

Height Restrictions:  None

Age Restrictions:  None

Handicapped Accessibility:

• Kilimanjaro Safaris is Wheelchair Accessible

To access the safari ride, you can wheel up a ramp and ride into the truck itself. Your wheelchair will be tied down and secured, so you do not have to worry about bouncing around during the ride through the wilderness.

• Other guests need to take a small step into the safari vehicle.
• no high blood pressure
• no heart, back, or neck problems
• no motion sickness
• no other severe conditions

Disney does advise against expectant mothers or people that aren’t in good health riding with Kilimanjaro Safaris, as the rides can get bumpy, and there is also no option for an emergency exit while in the safari vehicle.

Service Animals:

Kilimanjaro Safaris allows service animals to be taken into the premises and on rides. However, the park advises visitors to do so with caution. The animals might be completely new to this wildlife experience and might act differently.

 In the beginning, Kilimanjaro Safaris included a lot of information about poaching in their ride and even had a specific section in the park set up to educate about the illegal hunting of wildlife.

These days, Kilimanjaro Safaris is more focused on the educational part of the conservation of the African Savanna and its wildlife.

The ride is designed to be as realistic as possible. Therefore, the roads are quite rough (as mentioned previously in this article). You need to be ready for some rough and rugged terrain during your safari adventure at Kilimanjaro Safaris.

How big is the Kilimanjaro Safari Park?

Including the Harambe Wildlife Reserve, the Kilimanjaro Safaris Park is about 1.5 miles.

While this might not sound too lengthy, keep in mind that you will follow winding roads that are extremely bumpy. On top of that, the Kilimanjaro Safaris area is about 110 acres big. Plus, the safari trucks will drive extremely slow. This is also to ensure you will see enough wildlife.

Can you pet animals at Kilimanjaro Safaris?

This is a clear no. You are dealing with wildlife from the African animal kingdom at Kilimanjaro Safaris. These animals are wild. They are no pets. A direct encounter with lions is to be treated with respect and can end in a dangerous situation should you mistake them for a house cat.

Should you or your children wish to pet animals, we recommend visiting the petting zoo at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

Are all animals real at Kilimanjaro Safaris?

Yes, the animals are all real. The tour however does include some fake elements, such as:

• Ostrich Eggs
• Moonlight during the safari ride after sunset
• Termite mounds

When Is The Best Time To Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris?

We recommend purchasing your Harambe Wildlife Reserve pass early in the morning and heading straight to the open-air safari experience. The animals tend to be more active during the morning hours as well as after sunset.

During midday, most animals will hide in the shade or be less active because of the heat. It will also be more strenuous on visitors, as this is an open-air vehicle and you might not feel too comfortable in the hot climate.

Does the Weather influence the Safari?

Kilimanjaro Safaris is an open-air safari. So the rides are in some way influenced by the weather. The animals might not be bothered by the rain, but they might be less active in extreme heat. So plan your visit accordingly.

Since this is an open-air safari, we recommend dressing for whatever weather you might encounter. If there is a possibility of rain, dress warm and take a raincoat. Should the weather be pleasant with sunshine, we recommend a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses.

Check your forecast and come with the necessities to make the ride enjoyable.

More about our TFVG Author

Charmaine Cortes

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Theme parks, disney cruise line – what you need to know, cruise line ships, disney private islands, recent walt disney world, recent disneyland, disney world reviews, other park reviews, recent reviews, allears style, newsletter home, kilimanjaro safaris africa animal kingdom, {"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"breadcrumblist","itemlistelement":[{"@type":"listitem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/allears.net\/attraction\/","name":"attractions"}},{"@type":"listitem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/allears.net\/attraction\/search\/walt-disney-world\/all\/all\/all\/","name":"walt disney world"}},{"@type":"listitem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/allears.net\/attraction\/search\/animal-kingdom\/all\/all\/all\/","name":"disney\\'s animal kingdom"}},{"@type":"listitem","position":4,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/allears.net\/attraction\/search\/africa\/all\/all\/all\/","name":"africa"}},{"@type":"listitem","position":5,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/allears.net\/animal-kingdom\/kilimanjaro-safaris-africa-animal-kingdom\/","name":"kilimanjaro safaris"}}]} attractions > walt disney world > disney's animal kingdom > africa > kilimanjaro safaris, recommended by, ride length, motion level, lightning lane single pass, lightning lane multi pass, ride seating photos & advice, kilimanjaro safaris highlights:.

• Disney Genie+ Attraction
• Animal Kingdom’s flagship attraction — no height requirement!
• 20+ minute safari adventure with real elephants, lions, giraffes, and more!

Introduction | Attraction | Ride Logistics  | Shopping | Interesting Facts

Introduction.

Feel transported halfway around the world to a 100-acre African savanna as you board Disney’s Kilimanjaro Safaris trucks. This 20+ minute attraction takes you on a tour of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve as you spot real African animals such as elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinos, gazelle, crocodiles, and more!

Kilimanjaro Safaris is located in the back of Africa, past the Dawa bar and Mombasa Marketplace.

Walking through the queue area you find yourself in the Harambe Reserve .

Soon you arrive at the boarding platform, enter your truck , and head into the animal reserve. Off you go down the bumpy dirt trail and into the reserve!

Your driver will point out the various wildlife for you. Not all the animals are visible all the time. There is a game spotting guide above your heads in the truck that can help you identify the animals you see.

The first section of the reserve is called the Little Ituri Forest.  Bongos are often hiding around the first bend – look quickly or you might miss these shy creatures. Passing the local watering hole you might see the Black Rhino . On the right, the rare Okapi   which is an animal who appears to be wearing zebra pants, but he’s actually related to the giraffe. 

As you continue, you’ll pass through a watering hole where Hippos may be at the base of cascading waterfalls, and you’ll cross a creaky bridge over a group of Nile Crocodiles . 

The Vehicle emerges from thick vegetation into the vast savannah grasslands. In this area you might see Giraffes , Sable Antelope, Thompson’s Gazelles, Ankole-Watusi Cattle, Wildebeest, and more!  To the left, you’ll pass a rocky area where Hyenas or African Wild Dogs may be spotted. The land is very different here and is accented by termite mounds up to 20 feet high.

On the left is a huge rock formation where a Mandrill Baboon family lives (they can be harder to see!).  The ancient baobab trees can be found in this area.

Around the next bend are the Elephants . Greater Flamingoes inhabit a tiny island that’s in the form of a “Hidden Mickey”.

More watering holes, you might see the white rhinos wallowing in the mud. There are other hoofed animals: the kudu , scimitar-horned oryx and the long-horned eland along with sharp-eyed cheetahs up there among the rocks. 

Coming around the next bend, your attention will quickly be drawn to the high rock formation on your left, where the King and Queen of the Savanaah reside…the  Lions!  Lions do spend the majority of their day sleeping; so don’t expect to see much movement.

Past the lion, you’ll see  warthog burrows (and possibly their residents!) to your left. Keep an eye out for the Ostriches as well! 

This is when your safari comes to an end, as the vehicle rejoins the main roads and the Park Ranger Station comes into view.

To take a ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris, check out this AllEars TV Video:

RIDE LOGISTICS

Lightning Lane  access for  Kilimanjaro Safaris  is available  with the purchase of Genie+ . If you choose not to purchase Genie+, going first thing in the morning will likely provide you with a lower wait time. 

Time:   The safari lasts 20-30 minutes. The drivers are not allowed to go off the track, so you could experience short delays as animals cross the safari trucks’ path.

Warnings:  For safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.

The ride vehicle is 8 feet off the ground enabling you to wind your way through the grasslands and waterways of the savanna. 32 passengers fit in this all-terrain truck with a driver for your guide. There is some padding on the seat bottoms and tops .

Taller or larger guests may find the seating cramped with confined leg room.

If you want a less bumpy ride, ask to sit in the front of the truck. The ride feels bumpiest in the back. 

Accessibility:  Must transfer to wheelchair. Guests in wheelchairs should follow the signs to head to the special boarding area. You will need to either transfer from your wheelchair to a seat, or transfer to a standard wheelchair.

Video Captioning, Assistive Listening , and Language Translation Devices are available.

Due to the nature of the experience, those with service animals should check with a cast member at the attraction for boarding information.

The drivers are trained to spot the animals along the Safari and point them out to you. Photography, however, is a challenge — if possible the driver will briefly stop for your photo op.

If you have questions about the animals, ASK. Though there is an assigned script, every safari really is different depending on where the animals are and who your driver is.

In general, the best times to ride are morning or at sunset, when it’s cooler. The animals are often out in the rain as well.

When Animal Kingdom is open after dark you can journey through the African savanna amid the “magically extended orange glow” of the setting sun. This is best seen at dusk. Once the sun sets, the savanna is dark, making it difficult to see animals.

REMAIN SEATED AT ALL TIMES!   Because the drivers are not allowed to stop on the ride path, the truck is always moving (the trucks are governed so the maximum speed is only 10 mph, though it feels faster). Animals can move in front of the vehicle at any time causing the driver to slam on the brakes and causing you to go flying. There are many mirrors on the trucks for the drivers, so just because you can’t see an animal doesn’t mean the driver can’t.

If you want to take good pictures sit on the end of the rows, you get better shots. You can also get better shots if you sit in the back row, where you can carefully turn around for photos.

The Mombasa Marketplace is located just before the main entrance of Kilimanjaro Safaris. Here you’ll find unique African goods, as well as Animal Kingdom and The Lion King specific merchandise.

INTERESTING FACTS

You won’t see any visible walls or fences here. Disney has done a remarkable job of hiding all the barriers that keep you and the animals safe.

When building the savanna, landscapers asked that the plants and trees be in place for two years before moving in the animals.

The details of the savanna were carefully crafted to give the illusion that it had “always been there”, right down to the ruts in the road that make the truck jolt and bump!

The hippos are actually the same ones you will sometimes see on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. The hippo barn resides in between Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and the savanna river.

The original version of Kilimanjaro Safaris included a heavy-handed anti-poaching storyline, but it was slowly faded out and by 2012 was gone completely. 

Here are some animals you may see on Kilimanjaro Safaris:

AFRICAN FOREST Black Rhinoceros Bongo Egyptian Goose Helmeted Guineafowl Northern Pintail Nyala Okapi Pink-backed Pelican Saddle-billed Stork Yellow-backed Duiker Yellow-billed Stork

SAVANNAH WEST Hyenas Wild Painted Dogs Grant’s Zebra Greater Kudu Greater Flamingo Impala Mandrill Mhorr’s Gazelle Nile Crocodile Nile Hippopotamus Reticulated Giraffe Sable Antelope White-bearded Wildebeest

SAVANNAH EAST African Elephant African Lion Cheetah Eland Ostrich Scimitar-horned Oryx Warthog White Rhinoceros

How long is Kilimanjaro Safaris?

The ride takes 20 Minutes Find all the attractions by their length

Will Kilimanjaro Safaris make me motion sick?

The motion level is Low. Jeep ride through the animal savannas. You will be jostled on the ride. Near the end, there are some sharp quick turns. Details on handling motion sensitivity on your visit

Is Lightning Lane Single Pass available for Kilimanjaro Safaris?

No Kilimanjaro Safaris is not eligible for Lightning Lane Single Pass Find Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions

Is Kilimanjaro Safaris included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass?

Yes Kilimanjaro Safaris is included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass Find more Lightning Lane Multi Pass attractions using our search

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