kilimanjaro safari in evening?

[kayt]

anyone ever do the AK safari late afternoon or evening? i've read that early morning is a good time to go because the animals are out, but wonder if they come back out again later ....?
thanks - k

 

[stinkerbelle]

the animals are "out" and on the savannah all day (during park hours)

however they are just more ACTIVE in the morning. that's all...you'll still see animals no matter WHAT time you ride KS.

 

[safetymom]

AK closes at 5 PM. Your best chance to see active animals is in the morning.

 

[jaysue]

If you have the time and stamina to be at AK all day long, I recommend a first thing in the morning, a 1pm ish and a closing the park tour - this will give you maximum coverage of the animals on the safari

KS is great!

Feb 27, the temp was about 50 degrees and I was on the last truck around 4:55pm or so - there were still a number of active animals out and about and the whyte rhinos "chased" our truck followed by the ostriches - it was beautiful to watch

thanks
jaysue

 

[Simba's Mom]

I also have been on one of the very last safaris of the day (if not the last), one of the first in the morning, and many in between (I love KS). From my observation, there doesn't seem to be a "best" time, nor, unfortunately, times of the day when you're guaranteed to see things you can't see at other times.

 

[eleanor]

On Feb.28th we went on the Safari at 4:30 and saw all the animals It was great.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I have always seen animals, no matter what time I went, but overall, this trip, getting to AK early in the am, right when the park opened, I saw WAY, WAY more than I have ever seen before.

That is because for many of them, this is feeding time and they come out and are easier to spot.

 

[Harambe]

I have been on two safaris when it was rainy/drizzly and there are tons of animals! As a matter of fact I don't mind going to AK when the weather is a little gray - because no one goes!

 

[Yael14]

I travel to Disney every late march or mid April and we always try and get the last safari of the day when it is nice and cool out. We always see TONS of animals!

 

[Grumpy37]

In early Feb this year, we were at KS late in the afternoon, right after the parade. Almost no line but almost no animals. We did see Lil' Red.

Earlier is better, IMO. Esp. when the park first opens.

 

[jaysue]

Funny you mention seeing lots of animals during a drizzle

Our best KS so far (and we have collectively gone 20+ times ) was during a steady drizzle/light rain

The animals were very frisky and were playing and running a lot

thanks
jaysue

 

[PandyPaws]

Hmmm...let's see now

First thing in the morning: animals are released into the reserve and yes, visibility can be quite high.
Yes, rain does bring them out, they tend to be very active in the rain.
The hours between 1 and 2pm are pretty active as well.
Near closing time, 4:30 and later, you will tend to see quite a bit of activity as the day comes to a close (I often hear the lions roar at this time of day).

That said, no two safari's are EVER the same. It really and truly is unpredictable. I am out there all day long, 5 and 6 days a week and still can't predict what I'll see....and even returning to the same point 20 or so minutes later brings a completely different view, ie: I may see giraffe over by the elephant's watering hole and the very next time around, 20 minutes later, they may be all the way over at the beginning of the savanna

My advice: ride any time of day....whatever is convenient for your day. Ride twice, even. Different species are more active at different times of day. Don't sweat the 'optimum' time to ride... it is always a fun journey

Another fun thing to do is to watch the parade from our entrance at 4pm, and then when that ends, go right into the safari cue. There is usually little or no wait at that time

Oh, and btw, the park is currently closing at 6pm, with last safari departing at 5:30pm

 

[kayt]

thanks everyone. i think we will try to go at least once early morning and once on the last tour of the day!
k

 

[jaysue]

Another fun thing to do is to watch the parade from our entrance at 4pm, and then when that ends, go right into the safari cue. There is usually little or no wait at that time

Exactly! Great advice

thanks
jaysue

 

[Harambe]

Oh Pandy Paws - I want to be you!!!!!!

 

[zaksmom]

We are going in May. I saw AK will be open till 7pm a couple of times and then once until 8pm. Does the Safari run late or are the animals gone for the night by then?
Thanks

 

[PandyPaws]

Originally posted by zaksmom
We are going in May. I saw AK will be open till 7pm a couple of times and then once until 8pm. Does the Safari run late or are the animals gone for the night by then?
Thanks

I am pretty sure the last Safari is 5:30pm regardless of park closing, except perhaps in mid-summer when it stays light out quite late. We may close as late as 6pm then. I'll ask at work and see what they say though

 

[Simba's Mom]

PandyPaws, I'm jealous! Sounds like you get to work in AK. What a beautiful park! What I wonder is what happened to the "good ole days" when they opened at 8:00?

 

[PandyPaws]

Originally posted by Simba's Mom
PandyPaws, I'm jealous! Sounds like you get to work in AK. What a beautiful park! What I wonder is what happened to the "good ole days" when they opened at 8:00?

Yes, Simba's Mom, I'm a Safari driver
It certainly is a beautiful park, and I've come to appreciate that beauty more and more since working there
I'm usure of when, or the why's of the change in daily opening, however we still have two Extra Magic Hour mornings, opening at 8am, which are Mondays and Fridays

 

[tassie42]

pandy paws, I have a question for you if you don't mind...

we will be going to Ak in the late afternoon also we want to do the safari, the lion king show and my ds 10 wants to do dinosaur and perhaps ITTBAB We plan on arriving around 3 (the park closes ant 6) Is there a way to avoid the traffic of the 4 o clock parade? I don't want to get stuck in the crowd and not be able to get where we want to go.

Thank you!