Dealing with Disney Sense Of Africa Tour by Disney at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Anyone that knows me, knows I love to take tours!

I love seeing behind the scenes at Disney, their operations and their little secrets!

I especially love learning about Animals so of course I HAD to experience the

Sense of Africa Tour offered by Disney.

The Tour starts at Animal Kingdom Lodge -checking in at the Sunset Lounge. It last 3.5 hours.

$249.00 per person. Limited to ages 10 and up. (passholders get a discount)

MUST wear closed toed shoes and have back strap if not full shoe.

It is an early morning tour, 6:45am. Only two tours offered per week. Tuesdays and Saturdays

No extra park ticket required since the tour is of the animals showcased at the lodge. This is a separate AZA (Associations of Zoos & Aquariums) zoo from the Animal Kingdom’s AZA zoo. That’s right, Disney has two AZA zoos on its property!

Let me tell you!!! We were EXTREMELY LUCKY! We were the ONLY guests on this tour! YES.. Just me and my boys! How unique is that! Normally, they can have up to 12 or more guests.

The first part of the tour shows off the rich culture found in the lodge itself. The lodge showcases the largest African Art collection in the world. Look around next time you are in there. This lodge offers SO much and it is a shame more are not aware. It is truly a beautiful resort. Experiences are offered here from Native Africans who share their stories about life in Africa. One can always fine an Activity pamphlet available at the check in or also posted on a board near Boma. They offer special animal carved beads to guests that participate in the available activities at the resort! SO much available at the resort, one could spend the whole day just enjoying all the amenities.

Our next stop was breakfast at Boma’s. One of the table service restaurants available at the Animal Kingdom lodge. The breakfast comes with the tour! Bonus!!! While dining, you meet two native Africans who provide information on their homeland and relate that to the cuisine offered by the restaurant. Although the food is ‘African’ cuisine it has been somewhat adjusted some due to ingredients and to satisfy palates of the average guests. I can understand this especially having extremely picky eaters in my household. I am lucky I have one who will try ‘different’ foods with me!

We were seated at a large table shaped as the continent of Africa, made of wood. It was a beautifully crafted table. We arrived before opening, so we had the place to ourselves and it was fun seeing the other guests come in once the location opened to general public. We did feel very special having the table and restaurant to ourselves. We looked important, because we were! Haha! If you ever notice, guests at Disney will look at others and notice when someone is getting ‘special’ treatment.

After eating our breakfast, we are provided our complimentary and souvenir water bottles! NICE!

We fill those up and head to our Safari Jeep which is waiting for us at the front of resort. We are OFF to see and learn about the wildlife!

Our first stop was the Okapi enclosure. We met two here, a mom and her son! We were educated on their habitats as well as their behavior. These creatures are not only gorgeous but also fascinating. They are referred to as the ghosts of the Congo since they are so elusive. We were able to feed and pet one! How amazing is that!

Our next stop? The Giraffe enclosure! Here we met 3 of their females! These magnificent enormous yet graceful mammals are a sight to behold. I learned they are a threatened species and one of the top endangered animals ahead of elephants! I was shocked! Here, they gave us some of their foods to feed them. We could not pet/touch them. They are large and could cause damage if not careful! I can understand Disney’s concern for safety. It was fun learning and seeing their personalities.

Right next to the Giraffe Barn, we met two Ostriches! These birds are funny. This is all I can say. Seeing them close-up was not what I expected in how they look! Their feathers are large indeed, but you can clearly see to their bodies through them. It is not the prettiest sight. They have one main toe and a nub! Lol! I first thought something was wrong with its foot. They gave us a cup on a handle to feed them. They just pecked away; I am not sure how they managed to get anything, but they did! We were given some information on them as well. We were told they truly act the way they are built; small brain-smaller than their eye!

Onward bound! The Red River Hog was our next animal to discover! This little guy (named Cheech) was adorable!!! The caretaker showed us how they have him perform tasks in order to monitor his health/well-being. These creatures are extremely smart. Here, we got to take part in making them their snacks-we had to smear, shove and scatter their treats in their toys and place around their area. After we were done, we stood back to watch them run in! They were so excited! They were squealing with delight! This was our favorite part!

The tour also drives you around the different savannahs, discusses other animals spotted along the way, educates on animal / care history and let’s you ask questions! The tour starts very early since these animals (unlike the ones at Animal Kingdom) are only placed in their enclosures for two hours out of the day. They have very limited time to check them all and do their daily maintenance goals. We were provided a breakfast and a personal photographer on hand the entire tour! We now have souvenir water bottles and a special Disney Sense of Africa Pin. How awesome is that!!! So, yes, the price is a little pricey, but when majority other tours require the purchase of a park ticket, it is about the same cost as those less expensive tours if you factor that in as well as the cost of breakfast. I feel you definitely get your money’s worth in this one.

In all, this was a very interactive experience. We learned a great deal and now have fantastic memories me and my boys can always cherish!