5 Things You Must Do In Animal Kingdom’s Africa

Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom shows off Disney’s wild side and wildlife. One of the biggest sections of the parks is Africa. Read below the 5 things you must do in Animal Kingdom’s Africa.

5. Festival of the Lion King: The Festival of the Lion King is a 30-minute show that brings your right into the pride lands. This energetic live show has some of your favorite Lion King songs, characters, and acrobats. There are even stilt walkers, audio animatronics and live costumed characters that make appearances throughout the festival. Enjoy this show in an air-conditioned stadium style seat in a round theater that can hold up to 1,500 guests. The Festival of the Lion King has been said to be the most popular live show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This is a spectacle you do not want to miss!

4. Pangani Exploration Trail: The Pangani Exploration Trail is one of our favorite sections of Africa at Animal Kingdom. This walk through trail is covered in lush flora and provides a great adventure and allows you to see some amazing animals too! There is a colony of naked mole rats. This exhibit is really interesting because it is cross sections of a naked mole rat’s borrow, in which the mole rats live. You can also find a family of meerkats, the real life Timon from ‘The Lion King’. You can also see hippopotamus through a floor to ceiling glass window. Another highlight of the Pangani Exploration Trail is the aviary, where African birds roam free as you explore their habitat. We would argue the highlights of the trail are the lowland Gorillas. The gorillas are separated into two groups. The family with the silverback, two mothers and their young are housed where you can see them through a glass window. Depending on when you visit, you may be lucky enough to observe the baby gorillas. They can be very entertaining and are often seen playing with their toys or with the mothers and father. The other group of gorillas is the young silverback bachelors. These males live in a forest area next to the family group. Another great thing about the Pangani Exploration Trail is there are education experts stationed throughout the trail to answer any questions you might have about these majestic animals.

3. Shop at the Marketplace: Africa has two main marketplaces and shops available to shop at. The Mombasa Marketplace and Ziwani Traders are the most popular. These two shops provide unique African inspired souvenirs, apparel, jewelry and more. You can also find Kilimanjaro Safari souvenirs here. Other items include carvings, gourds, hats and other treasures. Make sure you take some time to visit these shops while you walk through Africa.

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2. Enjoy the local cuisine: There are several places to eat inside Africa at Animal Kingdom. The Tusker House Restaurant offers a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This restaurant provides food with an African flair and is also a character dinning experience! Some of the characters you might see here are Safari Daisy and Donald Duck and others. This is a very popular restaurant, so we suggest getting reservations early. Another place to eat is the quick service, Mr. Kamal’s Burger Grill. Burgers and other light snacks are available here. If you need a pick me up, make sure to visit the Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery. Here you can find specialty coffees and other delicious desserts. You can enjoy frozen treats and drinks at the Tamu Tamu Refreshments quick service, or fresh fruit and juices at the Harambe Fruit Market. As you can tell there are many options to enjoy some local cuisine inside Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

1. Kilimanjaro Safari: The Kilimanjaro safari takes you through the savannah that is over 110 acres big, making this one ride bigger than the entire Magic Kingdom Park! One of the best things about this safari is that the majority of the animals are roaming about the savannah. As you ride through you never know what animal you may see and what they may be doing. The ride takes you on a bumpy road that was purposefully designed after the roads you would be on during an actual safari in Africa. In addition to getting up and close and personal with the animals, you also will get a beautiful view of the savannah that was modeled after the Serengeti. There are tall acacia trees (actually these are live oaks cropped to look like the acacia trees of Africa), grasses and hills that make you really feel like you are in Africa. Make sure to keep your eyes out for some very clever hidden Mickeys!

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