DW B-Day AKL surprise - Wanyama (Sunset) Safari

[ckj]

Wanyama, Sunset Safari.
Cast:
Me: Jared, 27, Disney Lover and trip planner king
DW: turning 27, converted Disney Lover
Sorry if the pictures load slowly, here are just a few of the over
450+ pics I took on the safari alone. Some came out a little dark.

This was day 4 of our trip, it was one of the many surprises I had
planned for DW's B-Day. I'll try to get the rest of the report up soon.
Monday, 1/26/04.

We met with our guides at 4:00 pm in front of the Lodge.

Our Safari had 8 guests including us. Two of them were
DISer’s!! We got to meet Tiffany and her husband, both
very nice people from our original home state too!! I really
miss hearing those accents!
We left the lodge headed toward AK, pulled a u-turn to get
to one of the savanna entrances. Through 3 gates and
we’re in the Uzima Savanna. A few seconds later, the top
of the van is up and what a view. Amazing.

Fist impressions were gosh the Lodge is tall!
And the animals are sooooo close!

We slowly work our way around the savanna, stopping to allow
our guide to talk about the animals as we encounter them. They
also give us a lot of information about the savannas, how they
are laid out, etc.

ROAD BLOCK!!

The animals are used to vehicles being on the savanna, however
when it’s eating time they don’t want to move from the road.
Which is fine by me as we have to stop and take more pictures.
Yes, that is my DW’s ear with all that metal in it, we use it on
road trips to pick up the country station from back home.

Yes, you are cute and very photogenic.

Eventually the giraffe parted and let us pass, but didn’t seem
too happy about it.
Uh oh, they’re after us!

Hit the gas.
Whew, we got away, next up, some Ankole Cattle, including
a baby, being somewhat hidden by papa.

It must be kinda hard when you’re 16 feet tall to eat off the
ground, but this Giraffe shows us how it’s done.

No, I swear it was my wife who took the picture of your behind,
not me!!

OK, I know, you probably think we look funny, gawking at how
close you are to us, how tall and beautiful you are, but I promise
we’ll be on our way after I snap a few dozen pics of you.

Next up, Arusha Savanna.

The Arusha savanna is my favorite, we’ve had rooms on both
trails and loved each one. Another road block ahead.

I wonder if the animals have been trained to get in the way so
we can take tons of pictures.
My what big horns you have.

The WL Vets are going to rag me for this, but isn’t AKL just the
most beautiful resort. I love it.

Caught ya! Hey you two, the safari is g-rated, get a room.

As we leave the savanna through a back gate, we have crowd
saying good-bye to us.

For all those wondering about the van and it’s hydraulic roof, here it is raised.

We finally made our way “off the savanna” and stopped right outside the gate. Here we had a small snack
and a toast to a great safari, but it’s not over yet! Off to JIKO!

Dinner time! Two of my favorite things in the world, viewing animals and then a dinner at Jiko.
We were seated around a table; Menus had been printed up
with our names on them and what we would be having for
dinner. As we oooh’d and aaah’d at the menu our server came
over to provide us with some water and offer some south African
white wine. Soon after Chef Anthony came over to chat with us.
Anthony is a very nice guy, from Jersey. The nice part about
Anthony was that as each course came out he would stop by and
tell us about that course and so on.
I won’t talk too much about dinner, but I will say, it may be worth
the $150 bucks a piece just for dinner.

To top it off, we inquired about coffee and were brought out 2 press pots, as Sam

Brown would say, ooo-laa-laa! Yummy, gotta love the press pot coffee. Soon it was time to leave
and we said good bye to all in the safari. It was especially nice to meet a fellow Dis’er, Tiffany and her husband.
Dinner lasted around 2 hours and we finished about 7:30PM.

 

[mirlow]

Thanks for the report. We were at the Lodge Sun. and Mon. Kenny was pushing us to take the Safari as there were no reservations on those days. Our youngest is to young to go to the kids club so we couldn't do it. We are planning on doing it this August and I can't wait. Jiko is the first resturant I want to go to without our kids and what a wonderful way to try it out

 

[CRB#33]

Nice pictures!!!

Thanks so much!

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

Wonderful report and wonderful photos.

And I'm with you AKL is my favorite resort. Ever since it opened, it's captivated me with a beauty that just can't be beat!

 

[stinkerbelle]

ckj's wife here....

he's a good man ladies - this was all a surprise! This safari was incredible...these pictures are great - but to do it justice you really have to do it yourself! Don't let the cost deter you (I say this only because I didn't have to pay for it! heheh) It's well worth it and I've totally become a Jiko snob...LOVE that place!

thank you again hubby for a great birthday trip!

 

[anniet]

Okay, wait a second...I was at AKL from 1/23 to 1/26 and I thought we did everything the Lodge had to offer. How did we miss this?

Were you a concierge guest? Must one be to go on this safari?

Also I'm a DVC owner with WL as my home resort, but I gotta admit AKL does edge out WL as the best resort....now if we could figure out how to get a DVC building or two over there.....

 

[Tiffany]

Great trip report Jared. You did a great job with the pictures. You know I think I have some of the exact same ones It was also very nice to meet you and your wife. God we so do love the AKL.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by anniet
Okay, wait a second...I was at AKL from 1/23 to 1/26 and I thought we did everything the Lodge had to offer. How did we miss this?

Were you a concierge guest? Must one be to go on this safari?

Also I'm a DVC owner with WL as my home resort, but I gotta admit AKL does edge out WL as the best resort....now if we could figure out how to get a DVC building or two over there.....

Hi,

Yes you have to be a concierge guest at the AKL to go on either of the safari's that are offered. There is a sunrise rise safari and then this is this safari called the sunset safari.

You also must be 16yrs or older and the limit is 8 people per safari. (This only applies to the Sunset Safari)

My husband and I meet Jared and his wife on this sunset safari that Jared is reporting on and through conversation realized that we both posted here on the DIS.

It is such a small world as we ran into people that posted on the DIS during the sunrise safari that we took in Feb of 2003.

 

[Minniespal]

Great report ~ Thanx for sharing.

Love the pix.

 

[stinkerbelle]

so Tiffany - heading back to Jiko on your next trip for the Filet and Mac & Cheese?




really - to those wondering - the mac & cheese with the filet is pretty darn yummy!

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Originally posted by ckj
The WL Vets are going to rag me for this, but isn’t AKL just the
most beautiful resort. I love it.

Jared,

No ragging here, While I love the WL, and it will continue to be my favorite Resort. I also love the AKL and I am planning a concierge stay just to do The Sunrise or Sunset Safari.

Loved you report and photo's, too funny.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by stinkerbelle
so Tiffany - heading back to Jiko on your next trip for the Filet and Mac & Cheese?




really - to those wondering - the mac & cheese with the filet is pretty darn yummy!

You bet. As of right now we have a good AP rate at the Dolphin $147.50 plus tax a night for a lake view room. But, I am trying to get us back to the AKL Concierge sooner then our originally planned Jan 2005 trip.

It was very nice to meet fellow DISers.

 

[Janet2k]

WOW! I will be doing the Sunset Safari in May and I cannot wait. Thank you for sharing your experience in words and in photographs. And I love it that you met a fellow Dis'er while on the safari. I will be on the safari with a fellow Dis'er when I attend it in May. It just does not get any better than hanging out with a Dis'er while vacationing at WDW.