Wild Africa Trek review (cost, is it worth it?)

Tours might be what Walt Disney World does best, and that definitely includes Wild Africa Trek at Animal Kingdom.

I loved my first experience on this tour so much that I recently booked it again.

Here’s what you can expect on the tour…

The Basics

Wild Africa Trek is a 3-hour tour that takes place at Animal Kingdom and includes several different backstage elements (more on that below). It’s offered a few times per day, with a very limited number of people allowed on each trek.

How much does Wild Africa Trek cost?

The cost for Wild Africa Trek is $219-$229 per person (tax not included). Price varies by date.

Yes, Wild Africa Trek is on the more expensive side, but you are also getting a pretty cool and unique experience.

There are, however, 15% discounts for select guests that will save you a little bit of money:

• Annual Passholders: from $186.15 (plus tax; prices vary by date)
• Disney Vacation Club Members: $186.15 (plus tax; prices vary by date)

Remember that to participate in the tour, you must also purchase valid theme park admission and secure a park reservation for that day.

The full payment is due at the time of booking. To receive the discount, you’ll need to be logged into the Disney Website before reserving your tour.

Note: There is a 2-day cancellation policy. The full price will be charged/forfeited if you cancel within 2 days or are a “no show” for the reservation.

Reservations can be made online up to 60 days out. Since spots are limited, be sure to reserve ASAP.

Is there a dress code for Wild Africa Trek?

There are certain items you are not allowed to wear and some that are recommended.

Closed-toe shoes with a back strap or hiking boots are required. You cannot wear flip-flops.

There is recommended casual attire, including shorts or pants with a comfortable shirt. Skirts or dresses are not recommended.

Small personal items, such as cameras and cell phones, are permitted if they can be securely attached to the safety gear provided. Backpacks are not allowed.

What’s included in the cost?

In addition to getting to experience the savanna in a new way and see the animals up close while learning from the experts, the price of the tour includes the following:

Food and Drinks

You’ll be able to indulge in African-inspired snacks.

To give you an idea of what you might expect, this is a sample menu. What you actually are served may vary:

If you have any dietary restrictions, you’ll want to make a note of that when booking online.

Plus, you’ll inform the Disney Cast Member, server, chef, or manager on duty of any dietary restrictions when arriving at the dining location.

Photos

One of your guides will capture different moments of you throughout the tour.

Then, at the end of your expedition, you will receive a photo code that you can use to access and download the images.

Souvenir

As a souvenir, you’ll get to keep both your water bottle and name tag. You can see both in the photo below:

Safety Gear

Any necessary safety gear is provided by Disney.

Arriving for the tour

This tour starts with checking in right by Kilimanjaro Safaris in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom. Be sure to show up a little early to allow time to sign paperwork, ask questions, etc.

Once the group has arrived, the guides will lead you to a locker and harness area where you can store your items.

You can take sunglasses and phones with you as long as they have a strap, which they’re happy to provide.

The guides will get you connected to harnesses and give you a water bottle that you can fill right in this area.

They will also give you a headset to wear that they’ll use to speak to you throughout the tour.

Parts of the tour

Once you’re ready to get started, the tour consists of a few different parts:

• Hippo backstage viewing
• Rope bridges with views of crocodiles 
• Croc viewing 
• Private safari ride 
• Snack time at a private pavilion on the savanna 

To get to the first step, the group will walk through part of the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail and then enter a backstage area from there to get started.

Hippo backstage viewing

First up, hippos!

After hiking a little ways toward the hippo viewing area, a knowledgeable Cast Member will talk about hippos and attempt to wake the up for a snack.

Lucky for us, the 2 hippos responded and came out for quite a while as the Cast Member taught us about them and answered any questions we had.

Since this is a ledge overlooking the hippos, you are tethered via your harness during this part.

Rope bridges

If you’ve ever been on the Kilimanjaro Safaris and seen people climbing the rope bridges, you might’ve wondered how they got there. This tour is the answer to that!

You’ll be able to climb 2 different rope bridges during this part, with the second one passing over the crocodiles that you see from the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride.

You can kinda take your time walking across the bridges, which comes in handy if you have a fear of heights and/or want to snap some pics.

The guides will take pics of you along the way that can be downloaded afterward.

Croc viewing

While the 2nd rope bridge does include a view of the crocodiles, you’ll get another chance once you’re back on land with another tethered harness view overlooking their area.

Private safari ride

After seeing the crocs, the whole group will head out on a truck that will provide a private safari ride. After this, you may never want to go on the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride again.

The main perk of having a private ride is the ability to pull over and spend time with active animals, providing lots of chances to take great pics.

On our recent trek, we spent at least 10 minutes in the giraffe area as they were very active after being fed.

Snack time at a private pavilion

The safari truck will eventually make its way to a private pavilion overlooking the savanna.

The view is gorgeous from here and makes for great photo ops. In fact, many proposals have taken place at this spot.

Bathrooms are available, and a light lunch prepared by Tusker House restaurant is provided. Oh, and the popular pog juice (passion fruit, orange, guava) is included as well.

If you have special dietary needs, you’ll be able to email them ahead of time to let them know.

From there, you’ll hop back in the truck and finish out the private safari.

This is also the end of the tour, so you’ll want to pick up your locker belongings before heading out.

Is the Wild Africa Trek worth it?

As mentioned in the intro, Walt Disney World is exceptionally good at tours, so it will not come as a big surprise when I say: yes! Definitely yes.

Though it’s definitely not cheap, it’s 100% worth it, especially if you’re looking for something new or special to do during your trip.

A few tips

• If you’re typically a person who wears sandals or skirts, be sure to pack close-toed shoes and long shorts or pants for this trek.
• During hotter months, I’d suggest booking the earliest time possible to avoid afternoon heat.
• With the tour overlapping prime touring, be sure to have your Individual Lightning Lane Selections and/or Genie+ Selections booked for afterward.