HUNGRY , HUNGRY TRAVELERS Hanging over a crocodile pit really works up an appetite . After , as we got up close and personal with the giraffes during a 20-minute drive around the savanna , my growling stomach began competing with the lions .
Thankfully , our safari vehicle pulled up to a tall wooden platform , where we disembarked and entered a canopied section of a hut with several small tables . I watched as our guides laid out bright red-checked tablecloths and unpacked the picnic they had brought for us .
LUNCH MENU
• Chicken Curry Salad
• Sun-dried Tomato Hummus and Mini Pita
• Marinated Tandoori Shrimp
• Smoked Salmon Roulade with Dill
• Air-dried Beef and Prosciutto
• Fresh Fruit Marinated in Mint and Ginger
TOP LEFT : Lunch with a view . DISNEY PHOTOPASS COURTESY OF TATJANA LAZAR . TOP RIGHT : POG juice is the perfect companion to lunch . ABOVE : Trekking works up quite the appetite ; fortunately , a delicious lunch is included in this excursion . PHOTOS BY TATJANA LAZAR
Grab your binoculars : This hut is another Wild Africa Trek location that you can spot from Kilimanjaro Safaris . It overlooks the open savanna where lunch or breakfast ( depending on what time your tour is ) takes place .
Lunch was packed in traditional Indian- Tiffin stacked metal boxes ; each layer contained different foods . With an array of tasty morsels , POG juice ( passion fruit juice , orange juice , and guava nectar ) flowing freely , and a light breeze tickling my skin , I sat back to watch the animals roam below — pure bliss .
After our leisurely lunch and some additional time spent playing animal “ I Spy ” with binoculars , we were herded back into our safari vehicle to take one last tour of the savanna .
They presented us with a choice of boxes that represented various animals , including a giraffe , elephant , and rhino . Our guides told us to place the token in the animal box to which we wanted to make a donation .
This is one of the most magical things about the Wild Africa Trek . Remember that price we paid to participate ? A portion of each ticket sold is donated to the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund , and you get to pick which animal your donation goes to .
Looking down at my token , I struggled with the decision of which animal to pick , then settled on the elephants . I wanted to help them all , but I resigned myself to the fact that I would just have to come back and donate again .
In the distance , you can see the hut where you ' ll take a break for lunch . PHOTO BY TATJANA LAZAR
CONSISTENT CONSERVATION Just as our tour was coming to an end , our guides handed each of us a token .