AK - Sunset tour vs Wild Africa trek

[TeleoDeum]

Question about tour preferences. Wife and I (no kids this trip!!!) staying at AKV in March and trying to decide on tours. Any thoughts about AKV Sunset tour with Jiko dinner versus AK Wild Africa Trek? Thanks for the insights!

 

[DopeyDave]

I've never done the Sunset tour, but I have done the Sunrise Safari. For what it's worth, I thought the Wild Africa Trek was a hundred times better than the Sunrise Safari.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I did the Sunset Safari, with dinner at Jiko. The Wild Africa Trek sounded like too much work!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hmmmm - 2 different experiences. You'll see more varied animal life on the Wildlife trek but the sunset safari really put us right in the midst of the animals and was more relaxed since you weren't in the middle of a theme park ride. And if you like Jiko we had a great dinner there. I'd do both again but would probably choose the Wildlife trek first then the Sunset safari just because of the additional variety.

 

[Hopefully]

We only have experience with the Wild Africa Tour. DH did it in October. It is his favorite - ever - Disney memory. We have done multiple tours - Segway Around the World, Keys to the Kingdom, Behind the Seeds to name a few.
Without being able to compare experiences, I can recommend Wild Africa Trek.

 

[calypso726]

We've done Wild Africa Trek twice (just last week was our second time) and Sunset Safari three times (last week was the third time). Both expereinces are amazing and completely different.

With the Wild Africa Trek there is a greater variety of animals to see. However, you may not see them all depending on the time of day. The guides are knowledgable about the animals in a general sense regarding each species not, necessarily knowledgable about the individual animals' personality. The first part of the tour involves some hiking and crossing suspension bridges. It is very cool and kinda scary to have those big huge crocs right below you. Seeing the hippos as close as you get to see them is a really nice treat too! During the hiking part you are exposed to the elements so if it rains, you're getting wet. During the driving part the driver can and will pull off at certain areas to take pictures but you may not always get a good shot since they can only pull off at certain spots and don't stay there for too long. However, there is another guide that is taking pictures of everyone on the tour and they will mail you the cd including stock photos to your home. The lunch/snack right in the middle of the savanna is simply wonderful. Last week the reticulated giraffe was chasing off the masai giraffe all around the savanna and getting the wildebeest all riled up too. It was amazing to watch!

On the Sunset Safari you are in a vehicle the whole time so if it rains you are covered but they will give you ponchos. It rained last week on both tours we did. The guides know many of the animals on sight by name and will talk about them and their individual personalities in a much more intimate way. The animals do tend to come much closer on this tour in my experience. Twice we have had a giraffe stick her head in the vehicle, one of those times she was inches from my face. I was mesmerized and really wanted to touch her but restrained myself. The first time we did it my DH had an ostrich named One eyed Mary inches from his face LOL The guides will spend longer time on the savanna if you wish to take pictures. Granted there are no predators to see but I really do like the more intimate feel of this tour. The family style meal with wine pairings at Jiko is always amazing! It is by far one of my favorite restaurants on WDW property.

Hope this helps.

 

[dgaston]

I second everything calypso726 said although we've only done Wild Africa Trek once, and Wanyama twice. One thing I always say about the Sunset Safari is that's the only way to get on the savannas at the Lodge. And the Jiko meak is wonderful.

Just to muddy things up a bit, I also like the Backstage Tour at Animal Kingdom. I've done that twice, and really like the backstage info. The food prep areas are amazing.

 

[calypso726]

Just to muddy things up a bit, I also like the Backstage Tour at Animal Kingdom. I've done that twice, and really like the backstage info. The food prep areas are amazing.

I totally agree! We've only done the backstage tour at AK once but will definitely do it again.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have done all manner of savanna type tours including Wanyama (sunset), Sunrise, back stage tour, Wild Africa Trek etc. etc. etc. We loved all of them, but my favorites were the Sunrise and Wild Africa Trek. Wanyama was good, and the meal was great, but for the money, I'd do Wild Africa Trek instead. We just did that one a couple weeks ago, and the food and included pictures are worth it alone!

 

[calypso726]

We have done all manner of savanna type tours including Wanyama (sunset), Sunrise, back stage tour, Wild Africa Trek etc. etc. etc. We loved all of them, but my favorites were the Sunrise and Wild Africa Trek. Wanyama was good, and the meal was great, but for the money, I'd do Wild Africa Trek instead. We just did that one a couple weeks ago, and the food and included pictures are worth it alone!

I'd like to give the Sunrise safari another try. We did it once last year and it was sort of meh It could have been our guide, as he did not seem as knowledgeable as other guides we've had. That, or I'm just not a morning person Yeah, the picture cd is awesome!

 

[CarolMN]

Moved from DVC Boards

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'd like to give the Sunrise safari another try. We did it once last year and it was sort of meh It could have been our guide, as he did not seem as knowledgeable as other guides we've had. That, or I'm just not a morning person Yeah, the picture cd is awesome!

When we did sunrise, our guide was the animal curator from the Lodge. He knew a LOT! I suspect that's what made our experience so good.

 

[AJA]

We've done Wild Africa Trek twice (just last week was our second time) and Sunset Safari three times (last week was the third time). Both expereinces are amazing and completely different.

With the Wild Africa Trek there is a greater variety of animals to see. However, you may not see them all depending on the time of day. The guides are knowledgable about the animals in a general sense regarding each species not, necessarily knowledgable about the individual animals' personality. The first part of the tour involves some hiking and crossing suspension bridges. It is very cool and kinda scary to have those big huge crocs right below you. Seeing the hippos as close as you get to see them is a really nice treat too! During the hiking part you are exposed to the elements so if it rains, you're getting wet. During the driving part the driver can and will pull off at certain areas to take pictures but you may not always get a good shot since they can only pull off at certain spots and don't stay there for too long. However, there is another guide that is taking pictures of everyone on the tour and they will mail you the cd including stock photos to your home. The lunch/snack right in the middle of the savanna is simply wonderful. Last week the reticulated giraffe was chasing off the masai giraffe all around the savanna and getting the wildebeest all riled up too. It was amazing to watch!

On the Sunset Safari you are in a vehicle the whole time so if it rains you are covered but they will give you ponchos. It rained last week on both tours we did. The guides know many of the animals on sight by name and will talk about them and their individual personalities in a much more intimate way. The animals do tend to come much closer on this tour in my experience. Twice we have had a giraffe stick her head in the vehicle, one of those times she was inches from my face. I was mesmerized and really wanted to touch her but restrained myself. The first time we did it my DH had an ostrich named One eyed Mary inches from his face LOL The guides will spend longer time on the savanna if you wish to take pictures. Granted there are no predators to see but I really do like the more intimate feel of this tour. The family style meal with wine pairings at Jiko is always amazing! It is by far one of my favorite restaurants on WDW property.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for all the details, we're trying to make the same decision!

 

[calypso726]

Thank you for all the details, we're trying to make the same decision!

You're welcome. My family, DM, DF, DB and his DGF did both tours with us on our most recent trip for their first time. I asked them last night which of the two they liked best. Everyone said that they loved the Wanyama (sunset) safari and the food was amazing. However, given a choice to pick one over the other, they liked the Wild Africa Trek better.

I pressed them on the why of it and here's what they said. Since we were staying in a GV at AKV with safari view they had already seen the majority of the animals they saw on the tour from the balcony. They know they can eat at Jiko anytime and don't have to be on a tour to enjoy the wonderful food and wine there. Getting to know the animals on a personal level didn't seem to have the impact on them that it does on me. They felt that the WAT tour was truly unique from the get go. Donning the gear, practicing crossing the smaller suspension bridge before you head out, hiking through the park etc. Also, there's no way you are having lunch on the savanna unless you do that tour. Funny enough, the CD with pics they send you didn't even factor in the decision. For me THAT is one the best parts of the WAT tour LOL

 

[FIREFLY01]

on the sunset safari dinner at jiko its served family style do u get a private tale or are you with everyone fr your group? also do u get to change clothes before dinner? cause isn't jiko a little dressier than what u would wear on a tour?

 

[Simba's Mom]

on the sunset safari dinner at jiko its served family style do u get a private tale or are you with everyone fr your group? also do u get to change clothes before dinner? cause isn't jiko a little dressier than what u would wear on a tour?

As to your first question, everyone from the tour is at the same big table, and everything is served family style. No, you don't get time to change-you go directly from the tour to dinner. Both times I wore Docker-style knee length shorts with a colared shirt and it was fine.