Welcome; Orlando vacation goers, to the mysterious land of the Orient. This section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom will bring you to exotic places like Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Mongolia and Nepal. The architecture, animals and customs of all of these lands have been combined to create a mythical place that Disney calls Anandapur, meaning “place of delights.” Down sidewalks lined with bicycles and rickshaws, you will discover temples, acrobats, ruins and an amazing variety of lush vegetation and awe-inspiring wildlife. With two rides, a show and a jungle trek, this Oriental melting pot has something for everyone.

The Maharajah Jungle Trek introduces Orlando vacationers to the Indian custom of returning things to nature. Amidst abandoned temples and ruins, you will find some of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s most exotic creatures. Near the cascading waterfall you will observe the largest lizard in the world - the Komodo Dragon. Don’t forget to look overhead, for you will surely hear the loudest of all mammals swinging from tree to tree - the Siamang. Amidst the temples you will also discover their close relatives - the Gibbons. A host of exotic birds wing their way throughout the area and a variety of elk, antelope and deer ban be found here as well. Rodrigues and Malaysian Flying Foxes are some of the bats you may see hanging out and no description of this attraction would be adequate without mentioning the featured attraction here ... the Asian Tiger. These regal cats can be seen from both a glassed-in area and from an overhead bridge. Since both of the rides here have a FastPass, this is an excellent place to go while you wait for your appointed ride time(s).

Kali River Rapids: There is no better way to cool off; after spending hours in the baking Florida sun, than to hop aboard one of the twelve-passenger river rafts found here. From the very outset, this 4 1/2 minute ride leaves riders with no illusion that they have a chance of staying dry as it climbs up a hill and immediately plunges down a waterfall. On your way through the queue for this ride; for which a FastPass is available, be sure to observe the many remnants of statues and monuments that represent those that might be seen in Nepal. Also; if you would like to keep things dry, there are storage lockers available before the entrance to this ride, which I would highly recommend utilizing.

WARNING: If you would like to experience the Kali River Rapids attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there is a height restriction of at least 42 inches and individuals that suffer from back, neck, heart, motion sickness, or any other physical limitations and pregnant mothers shouldn't ride.

Expedition Everest: Get a FastPass immediately upon entering Asia or you could be waiting quite some time to board this popular ride. As the newest adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the queues for this exciting attraction can get incredibly long. This hair-raising ride on a runaway train has it all. Fast speeds, big drops, inversions and the biggest monster you’ll ever want to see. Quoting Joe Rohde, executive designer for the theme park, "We go fast, we go high, we fall far, we get cold, and we do finally see the Yeti itself ... He’s a huge, HUGE, gigantic shaggy creature as real as we can bring him to life!"

WARNING: If you would like to experience the Expedition Everest attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there is a height restriction of at least 44 inches and individuals that suffer from back, neck, heart, motion sickness, or any other physical limitations and pregnant mothers shouldn't ride. In addition, parents should take caution because some children; although they may be tall enough for the ride, could find the Abominable Snowman quite terrifying.

Finally, not to be missed is Flights of Wonder. This delightful 25 minute show features the talents of more than twenty trained birds. See Macaws, Hawks, a Crowned Crane and many other exotic birds of flight demonstrate the skills necessary for survival in conservation-themed presentation. Other talented performers include a hawk who is more than willing to snatch money and a singing parrot named “Groucho.” This is also another excellent Orlando vacation attraction to take in as you wait for your reserved FastPass time for one of the rides.