Disney’s Kilimanjaro Safari Rare Sightings

One of the best attractions at Walt Disney World is at the Animal Kingdom.  I know you think you know where I’m gonna go with this but let’s just say that is not located on an alien planet.  In fact, one of the best rides at WDW is the Animal Kingdom’s, Kilimanjaro Safari.  Did you expect that answer?  I’m thinking, except for a small percentage, you did not, but let me try to convince you.

We’ve been going on the Safari from the very beginning of A.K.  Remember when the early morning Rope Drop question when going to AK was, “Do I go to the Safari or to Dinosaur?”  Oh, those were the simple days.  We always went to Safari due to the kid’s ages, but that has always stuck until Everest and then Avatar Flight of Passage.  That being said, Safari is still a must-do ride for us at least once if not more per trip.

Here is where we get the big difference between the Jungle Book and Kilimanjaro safari.  With the safari, every trip is different.  For the good and the bad that last line is so true.  As to the good and the bad, 95% is all good.  The bad comes in when you don’t see the animals you are expecting to see.  There are some trips on the safari where the animals are pretty scarce.  Other times it’s like the Ark just unloaded and all the animals are out to stretch their legs.

This past trip we had a really great trip where we got to see the majority of the animals in their perfect viewing areas.  Without a doubt a very memorable Safari.  The only really MIA’s for this one were the lions, but with all the great sights we saw this time, Lions… Shmions.  Our first big surprise this trip were the hippos.  We’ve gone by their little pool dozens of times to see them usually sleeping in the water in a group called a bloat.  This time we got a couple sleeping next to their pond.  Can you say Sun Tan Lotion?  They were both real sunburned.

The next cool site this trip was the Wild Dogs.  This time the whole pack was out and running around.  Usually, they are MIA or just sleeping in their little cave.  We also got a little bracketed by some Giraffe as we went around that corner.  Seems the whole Tower ( a group of Giraffe) were on the move Safari-Mobile be damned.  Seems like that was the theme as we continued on.

The next site was so awesome as we all love the elephants.  Luckily this trip we were not explaining why an elephant has 5 legs, this time we got a great look at Stella.  Stella is the new baby elephant in the Animal Kingdom.  She was born in Jan 2017 and has been just let out on the normal tour recently.  Stella is the 10th Elephant in the AK herd.  I think it was broken down by 6 females and 4 males.  Today, Stella was all about getting ready for a hot day.  She was playing in the mud and throwing hay everywhere.

As we left the elephants and all of their antics I thought that was it for the day, but we ran into two more animals that appeared in numbers I have never seen before.  First were the Rhinos.  Not sure if we caught them at feeding time or what, I have never seen so many of them at once.  There were 7 all in one area moving as a herd off the trail.  The picture I have here shows 6, but evens so, amazing!

Our last little bit of wonder for this safari was passing the WartHog area.  Pumba and all of his family were out and about.  I have never seen more than one pig moving as we’ve passed in the past, but this time the whole family was running around and hunting for food.  A real crowd favorite.

We have a great time on the Safari normally, but this was such a great outing I wanted to share, with so many of the slowest moving and hidden animals out on display.  Is the Kilimanjaro safari one of your favorites?  Do you and your family always go on this one?  Let us know in the comments below.

Kwaheri!

Also, don’t forget if you’d like to plan a trip, be sure to contact the official travel agent of The Disney Nerds Podcast, Once Upon a Time Travel.