Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge: The Joys of Animal Trekking

It's probably fair to say that nearly everyone who visits Disney's Animal Kingdom makes a beeline at some point during the day to Kilimanjaro Safaris. They set out on their "two week" trek into the African savannah, see hundreds of amazing animals and then as they leave the safari, they completely miss the signs for the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail -- or worse, choose to ignore them. As with everything else Disney does, it's no accident that the signposts are there. They're encouraging you to continue with your expedition, and this is quite some expedition!

A walking trail suitable for everyone, the Pangani Trail first takes you past the okapi, a striking and stripy animal, similar to Zebras. A beautiful deep brown color, the white stripes are on their legs, but perhaps the most stunning thing about these animals is their tongues! Stand there long enough and you may be lucky enough to see it flip out, although these are shy animals, so you may have to be patient.

From there, you head into a research building and the highlight here is the Naked Mole Rats, of Kim Possible fame. You may be able to see them burrowing around in their underground habitat. Then it's into the aviary area, one that I will confess, we used to walk through quickly. At first glance, you probably won't be able to spot anything, but keep looking and something will move -- maybe on the ground, maybe above your head -- and you'll realize that it's one of the beautiful birds that lives here.

Now for something that everyone comes to see. As you see the glass with the water beyond, you might first wonder what is contained in the murky depths, but when you see a bulky shape move, you realize what it is -- a hippo! If you ever wonder why you can never see these beautiful animals, this underwater viewing area gives you the answer. Hippos spend most of their time in the water and they're quite a sight.

Your next stop will undoubtedly include delighted cries of "Timon" from children, as they spy the meerkats, which can usually be found happily basking in the sun. These guys make for some delightful photos.