On Kilimanjaro Safaris you get an up-close view of live African animals in their natural habitats during an 18-minute expedition into the 110-acre Harambe Wildlife Reserve.
The Daytime Attraction
Located in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom theme park, Kilimanjaro Safaris takes you on an open-air guided tour into the African outback. Over 34 different species of exotic African wildlife “roam” free. I have been on Kilimanjaro Safaris countless times and every trip is a different experience. You will see different animals and hear different information and the animal fact each time you ride. A lot of people suggest riding this ride first thing in the morning and while it is true the animals are a little more active in the morning, you can see animals at all times of the day.
The New Nighttime Attraction
Animal Kingdom now offers a nighttime safaris and this is a little different than the daytime version of the attraction. At night, a graphic wall at the end of the tour’s savanna displays a simulated setting sun for hours on end. This gives off light to see the nocturnal animals still roaming around, but you won’t be able to see all the animals normally on the tour. It’s still a beautiful and fun way to experience the ride again if you have ridden it previously.
What Animals Will You See?
Some animals you may encounter during the tour include:
Antelope
Baboon
Black rhino
Cheetah
Crocodile
Elephant
Flamingo
Gazelle
Giraffe
Hippopotamus
Hyenas
Lion
Okapis
Ostrich
Warthog
White rhino
Wildebeest
Wild dogs
Zebra
What Is The Queue Like?
This is an extremely popular attraction and you will likely want to use a FastPass+ reservation to ride it. The wait time is often more than 60 minutes long and it is an outdoor queue, although mostly covered and shaded. My favorite way to experience the ride is to head straight there at park opening, but you have to remember other people will have this idea too, so you may be looking at 20-30 minute wait when the park opens.
There is a nice big stroller parking area dedicated to the ride and you don’t have to drop off your stroller until you reach a Disney Cast Member asking you to do so when you are almost ready to board. I really enjoy this when my son is sleeping, but I hate it at times because it’s actually kind of hard to navigate a narrow queue line with a stroller especially if you have a double stroller.
What to Consider Before Riding?
This ride does not have height restrictions and even infants can ride it, but not everyone should. Always subject to change and you should always discuss things with your Doctor before taking Disney’s or anyone else’s advice, the current Walt Disney World disclaimer is “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.” You should visit the Disney World Website for more information about this and other considerations for each of the attractions.
Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of my favorite rides at the Animal Kingdom and it is my favorite ride to take my son on. We cannot get enough of this attraction. It’s education, fun and if you get a good guide you can seriously learn a lot. Have a camera ready as you never know what amazing animals you’ll see on Kilimanjaro Safaris!
