{"id":32657,"date":"2014-04-02T02:38:34","date_gmt":"2014-04-02T06:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=32657"},"modified":"2022-05-05T00:08:24","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T04:08:24","slug":"deeper-look-pangani-forest-exploration-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/deeper-look-pangani-forest-exploration-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"A Deeper Look at Pangani Forest Exploration Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Pangani<\/a><\/p>\n

Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is a half mile long, self guided walking tour in the Africa section at Animal Kingdom.\u00a0 Disney invites you to “explore a lush tropical forest inhabited by native African wildlife including gorillas, hippos, and exotic birds.”\u00a0 Animals you might encounter include African Bullfrog, Angolan Black and White Colobus Monkey, Western Lowland Gorilla, Nile Hippopotamus, Meerkat, Naked Mole Rat, Emerald Starling, Kenyan Sand Boa, Dung Beetle, and Pygmy Geese.\u00a0 Pangani, which means “place of enchantment” in Swahili, is different than many other attractions in Walt Disney World.\u00a0 I believe the longer you take to admire the surroundings and learn about the specific animals, the more enjoyment you will take away.\u00a0 In other words, this is not an attraction to rush through to check off your list and hurry on to the next one.<\/p>\n

As you start your journey, make sure you are always looking\u00a0in every\u00a0direction.\u00a0 That includes looking up!<\/p>\n

\"Pangani
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

The trail starts off by introducing you to Angolan Black and White Colobus Monkeys.<\/p>\n

\"Colobus
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

These monkeys\u00a0have no thumbs and\u00a0are threatened in their natural habitat by hunters and deforestation.<\/p>\n

Next you will come to the first observation post where Okapi and Yellow Backed Duiker roam.<\/p>\n

\"Okapi\"
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Okapi resemble zebras as they have horizontal strips on their front and hind legs; however their closest relative is the giraffe.\u00a0 The Yellow Backed Duiker is a member of the antelope family and gets its name from the African word meaning diver\u00a0because it dives into dense vegetation for cover.<\/p>\n

Continuing on, you arrive at the Endangered Animal Rehabilitation Center.\u00a0 This research building displays nests, bones, and African wildlife facts.<\/p>\n

\"Mouse
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Small exhibits include lizards, tarantulas, mice, snakes and perhaps the most interesting, Naked Mole Rats.<\/p>\n

\"Naked
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

They are the only hairless rodent and have a lack of pain sensation in\u00a0their skin.\u00a0 They live in an entirely underground habitat that resembles many insect colonies.<\/p>\n

Next up is the free flying Aviary Area which affords sightings of many rare African birds.<\/p>\n

\"Pangani
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

Make sure you pick up an identification chart on your way in and see how many you can spot.<\/p>\n

\"Hippo<\/a><\/p>\n

The underwater viewing area showcasing The Nile Hippopotamus will command your attention right away.\u00a0 These impressive mammals weigh 5 tons and spend up to 16 hours a day under water to keep their bodies cool.<\/p>\n

Continuing on, the Savanna Grasslands houses gerenuks, dik diks, and my personal favorite, the meerkats.<\/p>\n

\"Meerkat<\/a><\/p>\n

Meerkats are highly social animals that have a keen sense of smell, vision, and hearing.\u00a0 The gerenuk is a long-necked species of the antelope family and is able to obtain all the water it needs through moisture in its food.\u00a0 Dik diks are known for their shrill whistling sounds.<\/p>\n

As you enter the “quiet zone”, you are also entering the gorilla research camp that is perhaps the most popular of all the exhibits.<\/p>\n

\"Pangani
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

The glass viewing area shows off a family of silverbacks.\u00a0 Last time I was there, the young\u00a0gorillas were playing tag, swatting each others\u00a0behinds, and somersaulting down the hill which was a humorous sight.<\/p>\n

\"Pangani
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Pangani
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

There is also an open viewing area on the swaying suspension bridge outside.\u00a0 The family will be on your right and the separated bachelor gorillas will be on your left.<\/p>\n

As you make your way to the exit, beautiful scenery still\u00a0surrounds you.<\/p>\n

\"Pangani
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Pangani
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

This attraction is great to experience any time of day; however 9:30am – 4pm can be a little more crowded as people exit the safari through the trail.\u00a0 The gorillas\u00a0can also be more active in the\u00a0late afternoon.\u00a0 Have your camera ready for all the great photo opportunites.\u00a0 Engage the knowledgeable cast members stationed along the way.\u00a0 They love to answer your questions!<\/p>\n

Animal Kingdom is typically viewed as a half day park; but I believe this park has much more to offer. \u00a0While you can do the trail in as little as 5 minutes, I think 30 minutes\u00a0is more adequate. Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is a perfect\u00a0example how the park was designed to be explored savored and enjoyed at a leisurely pace.<\/p>\n

You can find out more about the rest the park in our Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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