The Lion King Adventure

The Safari Collection, a group of wildlife lodges across Kenya, has created a Lion King–themed adventure to celebrate the 2019 remake of the classic kids’ movie. The trip is led by Robert Carr-Hartley. He served as an adviser on the original 1994 film. He led a similar safari for that movie’s animators. Carr-Hartley played an important role in the story’s creation: He recommended that the screenplay include Simba’s warthog sidekick, Pumbaa. And he helped out with the Kenyan sayings, too—most importantly, for the song “Hakuna Matata.” This new safari is a tour of Kenya that highlights several real-world inspirations for the film. In Laikipia, you’ll be able to climb the actual Pride Rock. At Giraffe Manor, a hotel in Nairobi, you can meet Pumbaa’s warthog friends and a local herd of Rothschild’s giraffes. And in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, where wildlife thrives, you’ll spend the night in a tent. You just might wake up to hear a pride of lions roaring in the distance. —Constance Gibbs