US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tuma was fantastic, informative, and kind. He made the whole experience!
We chose the mid-luxury option for our 5 day honeymoon, our expert was Julie and guide was Tuma.
-Julie was really helpful in giving us iterative feedback on how we mapped and utilized the time and budget for maximum enjoyment!
-Mid-luxury was perfect, the accommodations were way nicer than I expected - they were clean, stylistic, excellent food and service. We were sad to leave each place. Each place was slightly different, and it's hard to choose our favorite!
-One thing that stood out to me was the car that Brilliant Safari used. A safari is essentially a multi-day roadtrip in rugged terrain, so having a really comfortable and modern and safe car is really critical. Our car was the best one we saw!
-As a vegetarian, I was a little nervous about the food options, but I was really well taken care of. Things were well-flavored, healthy, and balanced.
-The experience itself was amazing. Tuma knew what we were interested in seeing, and spent time teaching us and answering all our questions. He was willing to wake up early when we wanted to, stay later when we wanted to, noticed when we were feeling tired, etc.
-Speaking of Tuma, I highly recommend him! He was a legend on the road and seemed to train so many folks, so it was nice to be with someone so well experiened.
-After evaluating almost 10 safari companies, we chose Brilliant because of the value and Julie's responsiveness and approachability. After the safari, I'm so glad we did that!
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great guarantee
We travel in the west part of Tanzania. We rent car and driver with them. We can suggest them, because they are correct , reapectable and in time.
Our driver , Pasqual, has got great experience in drive and to take care of us. It was also for him the First Time in that area, but he manages the worst Roads and my contact with local in the best way.
The most relevant thing Is i could begin contact with agency months ago before my departing and they answer me in everything. They do all they Say in their program.
They are Always in time.
They made Easy and safe my experience.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic Trip
We had a fantastic time on our safari.
We had organised a 10 day tour starting in Kenya and ending at Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
I dealt with Felix who was very responsive and helped us create an itinerary which suited our needs and made some great suggestions.
We were met at the airport by our first driver, who was very friendly and helpful. He and our next driver helped us navigate the land border with Tanzania which was very quick and a smooth process. Our Tanzania driver provided us with a lot of knowledge and facts, and was with us until he dropped us off at the airport.
The safari was fantastic, where we saw all the major animals across multiple parks. Our guides always made great effort to show us as much as possible as get as close to the animals as possible.
Would most definitely recommend.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Well organised exciting safari
Josh Dreamland gave a very professional and personal service from Elizabeth who was very helpful and promptly communicative on Whatspp. She was instrumental in setting up a perfect customised itinerary for us which included the great migration followed by an awesome adventure and animal sightings in the Serengeti. It was also interesting to visit the other landscapes of the Ngorongoro caldera, Lake Manyara and the Tarangire National Parks over our trip of 6 days & 5 nights.
Safaris are expensive but Josh Dreamland appears to offer reasonable value compared to others for a truly amazing holiday and life experience. As a family of 4 we really appreciated the private safari just for us with more space to move around in the jeep. I’m so happy we did this as a family, it was our best family holiday experience by far! I’ve never seen the kids so excited and interested in all the wildlife and experience of Tanzania and Africa
Our safari guide, Godfrey, was experienced, polite and friendly who expertly knew where to look for the animals and had good knowledge about their behaviour. He positioned the jeep in the best vantage points to view the animals. He appeared well-connected and respected by other guides, which also helped locate the animals. We were surprised of how many animals we managed to see with the game drives continuously enthralling us with the variety and abundance of different animals along the way. The accommodation and meals were of a high standard and we were particularly impressed with the luxury camping in the Serengeti!
RU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reliable, polite, ready to cooperate.
My husband and I were on a private three-day safari. I booked the tour from Moscow, made in advance payment. The trip itself began with us being picked up from our hotel in Zanzibar and returned to the same place three days later. Everything was organized at the highest level. The guides met us at every point and accompanied us throughout the entire route, helped with shopping, prompted, advised and waited while we took hundreds of photos against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro;)) The manager was always in touch and promptly resolved all issues that arose. In just one day of safari, our wonderful guide found all the big cats living in the Serengeti. I want to say a huge thanks all for organizing! In these three days, we lived another little life!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The entire operation at Mystic is incredibly professional and knowledgeable.
We recently returned home from a two week trip to Uganda that included a seven day safari tour with Mystic tours. I can say, unequivocally and without hesitation that it was an incredible, life-changing experience. From the very beginning, I trusted Eric at Mystic tours. He was incredibly responsive and helpful as we went about creating our seven day Safari tour through Uganda. He was very upfront about costs and expectations, and I never, for a moment, felt as if he was trying to sell me something. He was also able to provide guidance on all of the details (tipping, money conversions, payments, etc.) that we would need to know, in order to have a great trip. Eric was also very flexible with respect to starting and ending locations of the trip, and was able to coordinate us picking up a fourth member of our group along our route, midway through the tour.
Our Safari guide, Elton, picked us up at a location of our choosing and we started our trip. Again, from the moment we met him, Elton had our trust and confidence in his ability to safely drive us through some of the most challenging conditions I have ever experienced. Throughout the trip, Elton was an absolute wealth of information and knowledge. He knew the answer to any question we would ask about the wildlife and culture not only in Uganda, but the greater East Africa region. I cannot imagine a better experience. Mystic has an incredible understanding of the best lodges, best food, options, and best tours inside of the national parks. We did day safaris, a night safari, gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, and two separate river cruises. It was an unforgettable experience and it was all because of the incredible professionalism and knowledge of Eric and Elton at Mystic Tours. I would never recommend any other company for family or friends looking to make a similar trip to Africa!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worth it!
We were picked up from our hotel on time and by a very friendly driver.
Once arrived we were introduced to our park guide, Martin. Martin was very friendly right from the start and very informative about the park and the animals that live there. The guides kept up steady communication between each other to allow us the opportunity to see as much as we possibly could.
Due to this, even though it’s never guaranteed, we did manage to see Lions, Hippos, Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras and many other species of animals within the park.
Well worth the time and money.
JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable 8-Day safari with Meektrails and our incredible guide
We had an 8-day, 7-night safari organized by Meektrails, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. The team was responsive, professional, and extremely helpful throughout. The pricing was very reasonable, especially considering the excellent service we received throughout the trip. Every aspect of the journey, from the itinerary and accommodations to logistics and vehicle condition, was thoughtfully planned and executed.
A special shoutout goes to our guide, James, who truly made this trip exceptional. He is not only friendly and professional, but also incredibly knowledgeable about wildlife. James went above and beyond every day, putting in great effort to track animals and ensure we had the best possible sightings. We wholeheartedly recommend Meektrails and we’re already thinking about our next trip to Kenya.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Meektrails tour operator was extremely easy with planning and accommodating our itinerary.
I highly recommend Meektrails Safaris after our incredible 10-day safari in Kenya. Gadson made the communication and itinerary planning seamless, answering all questions via email, WhatsApp, and phone calls. The lodging far exceeded expectations for the price, and I'll provide more details. Upon arrival at Nairobi airport, I was met by Gadson, Daniel (Meektrails’ owner), and Ben, our fantastic driver and guide for the entire trip. Ben was an excellent driver and guide, navigating the parks safely and positioning us perfectly for wildlife sightings.
Our private safari allowed us flexibility, with a jeep to ourselves, snacks, and an electric cooler. We stayed at the Mtito Hotel tented camp, which was peaceful, scenic, and overlooked a river where we saw giraffes, monkeys, and antelope. We felt very safe with security on-site every night. In Masai Mara, Ben captured amazing lion sightings, including one where we watched a lion feast on a wildebeest. Ben's expert positioning allowed us to see leopards and cheetahs up close.
Next, we stayed at Sopa lodges in Nakuru and Naivasha. At the Naivasha resort, hippos swam right past our balcony, and we saw zebras, giraffes, and antelope wandering the property. A giraffe even sat on the path outside the lobby after dinner.
In Amboseli, Ben expertly navigated rough, unpaved roads. We had an unforgettable evening game drive with elephants at sunset, and the next day we saw more wildlife, all with Mount Kilimanjaro in the backdrop.
We ended in Tsavo West and East. The Ngulia Lodge at Tsavo West was a bit outdated but had incredible views of elephants, buffalo, and antelope. At Manyatta Tented Camp in Tsavo East, we had a private pool overlooking the park, where zebras, elephants, and monkeys were just feet away. Ben took us to a spot where we watched elephants bathing in red mud—an unforgettable experience.
Our safari exceeded all expectations, with rare wildlife sightings, including the Big 5, white rhinos, and the elusive black rhinos. Meektrails was accommodating every step of the way, from planning to transport. After the safari, Gadson arranged our travel to Baobab Beach Resort at Diani Beach, with seamless pickups and drop-offs, including a train and flight back to Nairobi. I highly recommend Meektrails for an unforgettable safari experience.
LC
Unexpected Surprises - Fantastic Holiday
I had shopped around for a safari trip of of our dreams for our honeymoon. I gave several operators a broad outline of what we wanted.
Secret Namibia came back with the closest to what we wanted. I asked them to add a trip to the Okavango Delta and that was done promptly.
In the end, our trip was Victoria Falls, Okavango Delta, Sossusvlei, Skeleton Coast, Etosha and ended in Na'an Ku Se. Travel was mainly by shared charter plane.
It all went nearly as we had dreamed. The add on to the trip to the Okavango Delta ended up being the best part of the trip.
One piece of advice - if you want to get close to the animals, go to Botswana. The jeeps are allowed to go off road and you can get to within metres of the animals. Whereas in Namibia, the jeeps have to stay on the Road, so you can only look at the animals from afar.
Three months on from the vacation, my wife is still going over the pics and updating Instagram