Kilimanjaro Safaris Overview | Disney’s Animal Kingdom Attractions

Board a bus for the wildest adventure of a lifetime. On a trek around the Harambe Wildlife Reserve guests will see what life is like for animals on different terrain and ecosystems, all while learning all about the many species that live there.

Attraction Overview

The Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction opened on Earth Day, April 22, in 1998. Guests ride in open sided buses that travel across natural terrain, giving guests a look at many different types of land and animal life. The terrain that this trek takes guests on includes:

• Ituri Forest
• Wetlands of the Safi River Valley
• Bush Country of the Serengeti Savanna

These buses are able to hold up to 32 passengers per ride. There are no seat belts required, and children may either sit on their own or on a parent’s lap. This ride may be a little bumpy but there are no drops or major dips to look out for as guests see the beautiful wildlife on the land.

Previously this attraction included audio animatronics, but at this time all the animals that guests will see are alive and thriving. The various animal species that live on the reserve that this attraction travels through include:

The trek through the wild will take guests a total of 22 minutes, with 18 of those minutes being on the safari itself. The driver of the bus also acts as a tour guide, providing a myriad of wildlife facts from the trees on the land to the animals themselves. This ride is not only a classic attraction that is a lot of fun, it is also very educational as well. 

The regular safari runs until nightfall, but now guests can even partake in night safaris to see the reserve in a whole new way.

Map

Location & Wait Times

Located in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom, guests can find Kilimanjaro Safaris all the way at the back, right across from the Harambe Fruit Market. 

Wait times for this ride are typically low, so it is great to ride during any part of the day. However, the animals are most active in the early morning and at dusk, so regardless of wait times, this is a great early morning attraction.

Queue Experience

The queue for this attraction is rustic and beautiful. Guests will enter a hut-like structure where they will and weave their way through the queue toward the buses. Guests will come across hand painted pictures of animals as well as screens that contain safety information and facts about the Harambe Wildlife Reserve’s conservation efforts. The entire queue is also surrounded by green and vibrant plant life, perfect for getting guests in a nature state of mind. 

Video by

David Van Norman

Marketing Director for DVC Shop

Written by

Rachel Van Norman

Contributing Writer

Rachel fell deeply in love with all things Disney as a little girl. Now as a wife and a mother herself, she shares this Disney obsession with her son and everyone around her. From her love of princesses to eating all the Disney food, Rachel spends her time radiating Disney magic and keeping everyone up to date on Disney news.