US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The best first safari experience!
We took a family trip of five with Benson Safari, and it was filled with joy and wonderful surprises, not only from the breathtaking beauty of Mother Nature, but also from the amazing people we met along the way.
From the very beginning, the booking process was smooth and stress-free. Grace and Benson were both incredibly patient and professional. They carefully listened to our needs and drafted a customized itinerary that perfectly fit our schedule.
Because we traveled across both Kenya and Tanzania, we had different guides in each country, and all of them are nice people to work with. Special thanks to Edmund and Obi, who are both knowledgeable, fun, patient, and wise. If you have the chance, I highly recommend spending as much time with each guide as possible. Through our conversations and shared moments, we came to appreciate not only their skill as guides, but also their depth as individuals. They shared insights that helped us avoid unnecessary hassles, and their exceptional talent for spotting wildlife made every game drive unforgettable.
This was our very first safari, and it truly exceeded our expectations. As we kept saying throughout the trip: we will definitely return for a second safari and when we do, Benson Safari will be our choice again.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They made our dream trip come true!
Taking my kids on a safari before they all start heading off to college has always been a bucket list item for me. I started looking into options, tours, etc. about a year ago and came across a post/review on a travel facebook page about Brilliant Adventures & Safaris. I looked at their website along with a few other companies and started making inquiries. Brilliant responded quickly (first) and Julieth (the person who assisted me through the entire process) was extremely helpful, answering all of my questions (and I had a lot) and made me feel comfortable booking and kept me informed along the way. I knew we were in good hands and made the right choice just on my interactions with her.
When we were set to leave for the trip, our flight was canceled due to weather and we were unable to rebook until 48 hours later. While we panicked, Brilliant jumped in and quickly got everything rearranged/rescheduled for our new travel times and had us all set - it was amazing and we were truly grateful that they made everything work for us.
As for the actual trip, everything went smoothly and just as we had hoped. Our pick ups were seamless, the accommodations were phenomenal, food was plentiful, etc. We chose to split our time between the Tanzania safari and Zanzibar beaches. For the safari, we had the BEST guide, Tuma. From the moment Tuma picked us up, he made us feel like new friends. He was funny, friendly, calm and just set us at ease. He made sure we got to see everything we wanted to see and he was so knowledgable about the history, the animals, etc. and talked us through everything. There's no doubt in my mind that we had the amazing time that we did because we had Tuma as our guide! We were honestly sad when we had to move on to Zanzibar because loved our time on the safari with Tuma.
As I mentioned, the accommodations were great. All of our lodges felt magical and exactly how we would have imagined. The safari car was spacious and we enjoyed the ride through the Serengeti almost as much as seeing the animals. Snacks were provided in the car and we never felt hungry or like we needed anything more on the trip.
Brilliant arranged our transfer flight to Zanzibar and all of our activities on the island as well. We enjoyed visiting prison island and snorkeling with the dolphins on the Mnemba Island activity. The resort in Zanzibar was just what we needed after the safari and we enjoyed relaxing, participating in dances, and seeing what the island had to offer.
This was our favorite family trip and Brilliant made it special for us - everything went perfectly and they handled it all. I cannot recommend them enough and am grateful I stumbled across the Facebook post/recommendation!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic planning and service, made the trip amazing and stress-free
Just returned from an 8 day trip coordinated by Morningstar Tours & Travel, specifically the 8-Day Wonders of Kenya and Tanzania Safari. The trip itself was absolutely phenomenal. Alice was our point person for coordinating the trip, and was extremely fast with responses to our queries, and quickly put together an exhaustive itinerary based on what our group of four wanted. When my flights coming into Nairobi were delayed 24 hours, she was quick to figure out a workaround so that I was able to easily join the rest of the group who arrived on time.
Over the course of the trip, we had three different guides (we switched guides and cars with each border crossing). All three, Willy, Jackson, and Antonio, were amazing. They were all extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and experts at navigating all of the parks we visited and the roads between each destination.
Overall, the trip was amazing, and all of the folks working with Morningstar were phenomenal, and took all of the stress out of planning and executing this trip. I felt like their prices were extremely reasonable, all of the planned accommodations were very, very nice and comfortable. I would definitely recommend Morningstar to anyone considering a trip to Kenya or Tanzania!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attention to detail. Looked at the needs of each and every member.
Kate - the lady who organised everything , did an excellent job in keeping us all informed. Prior to us landing in Kenya she told us what is required. Her service was beyond expectation.
Bernard - our driver to all the places we stayed and visited took extreme care. Very knowledgeable on what to expect. He could sense what to expect.
Value for money - Every stay , every trip and every long travel journey provided was great value for money.
Kate our organiser and Bernard - made sure that they were present as expected.
Politeness Kindness and knowledge was just great.
Being vegetarian they knew where we should go for a snack or lunch or dinner. It us right on our part to request them to organise everything.
When we return for the next trip, we know whom to contact and will rely on them for everything. Just fantastic.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lion King gave us the perfect Honeymoon, only wondering how the next day would top the last!
We spent the first half of our honeymoon with Lion King Adventures and highly recommend it! Lion King staff were very knowledgeable throughout the booking process and provided us with a detailed itinerary and additional helpful resources. All of our drivers and accommodations were amazing! An especially cool experience was staying at the Embelakai camp in Serengeti Park. This camp had incredible luxury tents while staying in the middle of the park surrounded by wildlife. A very special shoutout to our safari guide Goodluck Laizer. He was incredibly knowledgeable of all the wildlife and the parks and went out of his way to ensure we had the best time. Thank you Lion King for such a memorable trip!
PH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
I really had a great and wonderful time in Tanzania because of this tour company. I saw the amazing jaguar, cheetahs and lion, as well as the rhinos, because of the great and knowledgable guides . Food was amazing , the chef is really good, i gained 2 kilos because of the tour. Accomodation was nice as well, no complaint on my side. The tour operators are always there messaging me to make sure that i am having a great time. I would definitely recommend this tour company.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The most amazing family adventure EVER!
We travelled as a family of 5 with our three kids aged 17, 14 and 12. When i first approached Ettienne at Wayfarer I had a vague notion of going to Tanzania, doing a safari and then spending some relaxing time on the coast to end the adventure.
Ettienne took my vague idea and turned it into a once-in-a-lifetime experience that included 6 nights of luxury safari, small plane rides between Dar es Salam, Roho, Ruaha and Zanzibar.
The length of stay being three nights at each camp was perfect for our family - we went on game drives morning and evening, took a fishing trip out on the Lake and were treated to incredible lessons about Tanzanian culture, wildlife and the tales of the country.
The final five nights were spent on Zanzibar where we lapped up the luxury, the relaxation and so much amazing food! This was the perfect conclusion for our adventure, as we were pretty puffed following the safari time.
Thank you to Ettienne and to Toon for their organisation and care - everything from being met at the airports, to knowing approx how much to tip were discussed and organised in advance
Amazing!
MY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Charlos is a caring, attentive, and highly skilled safari guide with an incredible eye for spotting
We had an amazing safari trip in Kenya with our tour guide, Charlos! I was travelling with an injured leg, and he took such great care of me throughout the entire journey, making sure I was comfortable, safe, and still able to enjoy the experience to the fullest. Charlos is also incredibly skilled at spotting wildlife; thanks to his sharp eyes and deep knowledge, we were able to see so many animals up close, including some rare sightings. His passion for nature and genuine hospitality made this trip unforgettable. Highly recommended!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All the best
All the best. We are in a budget group but only stay 2 nights in camp. The guide is great spot animal. We group saw almost all big 5. Overall it’s great!
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excelent trip with Fairytale
The trip was wonderful, I had Jonathan's full support and everything went as smoothly as possible. I recommend the services provided.
