A routine journey through Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park turned into an unforgettable memory this week when a guest witnessed a rare animal chase unfold on Kilimanjaro Safaris. The incident, captured on video and shared to social media, involved multiple animals running directly toward a safari vehicle before the driver safely brought the truck to a stop.
Kilimanjaro Safaris: An Ever-Changing Adventure
Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of the most unpredictable attractions at Walt Disney World Resort. The experience sends Disney Park guests on a 20-minute expedition through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve, a sprawling 110-acre environment designed to reflect open plains, forests, and wetlands. The attraction is home to over 30 species of animals, including elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and the park’s famously curious rhinoceroses.
Because the animals roam freely throughout their habitats, safari trucks typically keep moving during their route. However, wildlife behavior occasionally requires a temporary pause—whether due to an animal blocking the path or, in this case, an unexpected chase.
A Wild Moment on the Reserve
This week, TikTok user @travellifewithlucy uploaded a video of their remarkable encounter on Kilimanjaro Safaris. While the truck was traveling through the reserve, an ostrich suddenly darted toward the vehicle. Just seconds later, two massive rhinos charged behind it, running with surprising speed:
@travellifewithlucy Not the lady at the end saying to stay calm when we were in fact NOT calm and thought the rhino was gonna charge into the truck 🤣 #animalkingdom #kilimanjarosafari #wdw #waltdisneyworld @Disney Parks @Disney Parks UK @DisneyWorld
As soon as the driver spotted the animals approaching, she halted the truck and instructed passengers to remain calm. Several Disney Park guests shouted in surprise and could be heard saying, “Oh my god!” as the animals ran past. Thankfully, the ostrich and rhinoceroses quickly continued on their way, and no injuries were reported.
Don’t worry, though. The habitats within Kilimanjaro Safaris are designed to keep predator and prey species separated, and rhinoceroses are primarily herbivores. One commenter summed it up perfectly: the animals were probably “playing chase.”
“This is crazy!!!!!” TikTok user @momswithmagicplans wrote. “But those ostriches can be so mean so I don’t blame the rhinos hahahaha.”
“I’m guessing the ostrich was being extremely annoying,” @reallifechemist added.
Guest Reactions and Other Safari Stories
The video quickly prompted other Disney Parks fans to share their own memorable moments on Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
“I was on this ride once when a group of small deer like animals ran right by the lions,” said @mlb4925. “They perked right up and just intently watched them. I have been on this ride literally hundreds of times and never seen other animals that close to the lions. Our guide kept saying it was fine, the lions can’t get to them. But we were all very uncomfortable. I don’t want to be that close to nature.”
“Our tram broke down by the rhinos and they charged the tram we were in,” @lulurothe6 commented.
Kilimanjaro Safaris continues to operate normally at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and Walt Disney World Resort has not released an official statement about the recent animal chase.
What’s the most incredible thing you’ve seen on Kilimanjaro Safaris? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments!
WE had an entire crash of rhinos block the path for about five minutes. It was awesome! Someone finally came and bribed them with food to get them to move.