With all the hurry of a Disney World vacation, it is easy to breeze past some of the very best experiences on your way to the next ride, show, or reservation.  At this past Girls Getaway Weekend in May, I had the opportunity to slow down and experience a hidden gem I had walked right on past too many times before– Animal Kingdom’s Tiffins Nomad Lounge.

I can’t help but point out how perfect the name, Nomad Lounge, is for this escape.  According to Webster, a “no·mad /nōˌmad/ (noun) is a member of a people having no permanent abode, and who travel from place to place to find fresh pasture for their livestock”.  That is exactly what the Nomad Lounge feels like…a fresh pasture.  It is an oasis to relax and refresh in an authentic African environment.

Just how authentic is it?  The instant I stepped onto the covered porch, I had flashbacks to the travel-magazine-worthy resort my husband and I enjoyed during a safari after our missions trip in Malawi last July.  Absolute bliss!

Adding to the serene atmosphere is a crave-worthy Small Plate Menu, including popular samplings from the Tiffins menu.  Since we had a dinner reservation at ‘Ohana, we reluctantly limited ourselves to the Tiffins Signature Bread Service.  It did not disappoint!  Not only did it come in a tiffin (a type of lunch box used widely in South Asia for tiffin meals–a lunch or snack), but it was the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, tangy, crunchy, soft, crispy, and earthy.  Every bite was exciting!

Tiffins Signature Bread Service

Perhaps the most exciting part of the Nomad Lounge, however, is their Specialty Cocktail Menu.  It is truly a work of art to be enjoyed by both your eyes and your tastebuds!

Nomad Lounge Specialty Cocktail Menu

I enjoyed the Annapurna Zing, a refreshingly tart gin cocktail with passion fruit puree, amongst other exotic flavors.

Annapurna Zing

It is important to note that Disney’s Dining Plans are not accepted at the Nomad Lounge.  Don’t let that deter you!  The Nomad Lounge is the unique escape you have been craving during your Disney World vacation.  I am definitely looking forward to slowing down and enjoying my time there again soon!