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Complete Guide to Maharajah Jungle Trek at Animal Kingdom

Complete Guide to Maharajah Jungle Trek at Animal Kingdom

At Animal Kingdom, there are a lot of different ways to see animals — it is called Animal Kingdom for a reason, after all.

Along with Kilimanjaro Safaris, you can hang out and observe creatures big and small all over the park, and one of the easiest ways to do this is on one of the trails offered here.

One of the most popular trails is the Maharajah Jungle Trek, which you can find in the Asia area of the park. Here, you’ll get to see tigers interacting with each other (or, during certain parts of the day, adorably napping), along with birds, buffalo, and plenty of other animals.

But before you visit, there are a few things you need to know to make the most of your experience on the trail. Join us for our complete guide to Maharajah Jungle Trek.

Maharajah Jungle Trek Quick Facts

  • Location: Animal Kingdom, in Asia
  • Height requirement: None
  • Suitable for: Everyone
  • Attraction length: Self-guided
  • Do we recommend? As a solid time-filler, especially for animal lovers
  • When to visit: Anytime
  • Lightning Lane available: No
  • Eligible for Early Entry: No
  • Eligible for Extended Evening Hours: No
  • Scheduled Refurbishments
  • Tip(s): If you love tigers, visit early in the morning when they’re the most active.

Description: The Maharajah Jungle Trek is a self-guided, adventurous trail to explore and see animals up close and personal. Though the tigers are definitely the star of the show here, you’ll also see 50 species of birds, along with animals including buffalo, deer, and gibbons as you walk across bridges and see beautiful waterfalls.

Location

Maharajah Jungle Trek is located in the Asia area of Animal Kingdom. Take the path on the left of Kali River Rapids, and follow it back to find the entrance to the trail.

maharajah jungle trek location

Download the PDF

AK Map Front Mar2023
AK Map Back Mar2023

How to Experience Maharajah Jungle Trek

Since it’s a self-guided attraction, Maharajah Jungle Trek doesn’t have a Standby Line, Lightning Lane, or Single Rider Line.

Maharajah Jungle Trek

No matter what time of day it is, you will be able to walk up and start exploring without a wait, making this a great time-filler attraction for when you find a bit of downtime while waiting for a dining reservation or Lightning Lane time slot.

The best times of the day to visit depend on what you’re hoping to get out of the experience. Though the trek isn’t typically ever too crowded, it will always be at its busiest (and hottest) during the afternoons, like many other attractions.

tigers maharajah jungle trek animal kingdom

But if you’re hoping to see the tigers at their most active, you’ll want to visit first thing in the morning (and crowds should be lower then, too).

Keep in mind that Maharajah Jungle Trek typically opens a bit later than the rest of the park and closes a bit earlier, so you may want to check the hours for the day you plan to visit before you head over.

Do I Need To Use Genie+ at Maharajah Jungle Trek?

Genie+ isn’t offered at Maharajah Jungle Trek, but that’s okay; you’ll be able to experience the trail at any time during the day without a wait. And don’t worry — you’ll find plenty of other experiences to use those Lightning Lanes for, like Expedition Everest.

maharajah jungle trek animal kingdom

Since it’s self-guided, you can expect to spend anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour here. If you want to hang out and watch the tigers for hours, there’s no one to stop you —  live your best animal loving life here!

For more Genie+ advice during your trip, don’t forget to check out our touring strategies for Animal Kingdom.

What To Expect When You Visit

Queue

There’s no queue at this attraction. You should be able to walk right onto the trail when you arrive and start exploring right away, which is one of the reasons this is a good spontaneous activity to add into your park day.

Accessibility Information

Like the other trails at Animal Kingdom, Maharajah Jungle Trek is fully accessible. Those who are using ECVs and wheelchairs will be able to remain in them while exploring this attraction.

Maharajah Jungle Trek Accessibility Information

Audio description is also available to guests with hearing disabilities.

During the Experience

Like many other attractions at Animal Kingdom, the Maharajah Jungle Trek isn’t just a trail where you can see animals — it’s also got a storyline of its own.

Here, you’re visiting a wildlife preserve that was reclaimed from a dynasty of wealthy princes who wanted to use the land to hunt. Now, there’s far more harmony among the villagers and the animals who inhabit the area.

Along the way, the trail tells the story of what happened here through imagery on the buildings and structures along the path, and even a tomb that is supposed to be for Anantah, the founder of Anandapur.

Maharajah Jungle Trek

As you explore, you’ll travel through the Royal Anadapur Forest on winding, paved pathways featuring several different species of animals and birds including:

  • Komodo dragons
  • Sumatran tigers
  • Water buffalo
  • Malayan flying fox
  • Black tree monitor
  • Eld’s deer
  • Cotton pigmy goose
  • Asian fairy-bluebird

At one point during the trail, you’ll reach an open air bat habitat, meaning there’s no glass — you’ll be able to see these little creatures flying around you (and yes, there’s a way to bypass this habitat if you feel a bit squeamish about that idea).

Maharajah Jungle Trek

The trail itself is quite beautiful and includes some areas with awesome theming that fans of the parks will really enjoy, along with waterfalls, fountains, and other scenery.

Is Maharajah Jungle Trek Kid-Friendly?

Maharajah Jungle Trek has plenty of things kids love: the chance to see animals up close, and plenty of room (and freedom) to run around and explore. In fact, you may find that it’s a great place for them to use up some energy while also learning about different animals.

wilderness explorers clubhouse booklet animal kingdom

And for the Wilderness Explorers out there, the trek does include a stop to grab a sticker badge for your handbook.

There’s nothing on the trail that should scare little ones, unless they’re afraid of certain animals, but be sure to check out our guide to things that may be scary at WDW while planning your trip.

Strollers

Since this is a fully accessible trail, strollers are allowed at Maharajah Jungle Trek. This makes it a great place for the adults to walk around while little ones are napping or taking a break from all that walking, especially with a cold drink or snack in hand.

History

Maharajah Jungle Trek opened on March 1, 1999, a little less than a year after Animal Kingdom’s grand opening on April 22, 1998.

Maharajah Jungle Trek

Through the years, there have been a few notable animals who called the trek home, including the first Sumatran tiger cubs ever born at Animal Kingdom, Anala and Jeda.

In 2015, three water buffalo joined the trek, named Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose after characters from The Golden Girls. This also marked the addition of a pool for the buffalo on the trail.

Other Fun Details

  • While exploring this attraction, you can use the Play Disney Parks app to play a game alone or with up to five people while learning more about animals and conservation.
  • “Maharajah” is an Indian word for “prince,” nodding to the royal theming of the attraction.
  • The trek is still open when it’s raining, which can be a great time to spot animals who will come out to enjoy a break from the Florida sun.

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