50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Friendly and Knowledgeable
Matata helped us with some research we were doing on tobacco farms around Iringa. From the first minute, the relationship was friendly and relaxed. Matata was interested in what we were trying to achieve and tried to help as much as possible. He then guided us for 4 consecutive days through the Ruhaha Park which he knows pretty well. He never counted his hours and was creative in the content of the daily tours to cover as much ground in search of animals and different landscapes. Since our trip Matata has remained part of our long-distance friends and we get in touch from times to times just to say hello. Would recommend any time.
CZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant & highly reliant local tour operator that goes above and beyond
We chose Brilliant Safaris thanks to their excellent communications and flexibility in adjusting the program to our schedule and preferences. We enjoyed meeting the staff once we landed in Tanzania. Everyone is very friendly and helpful and the team are very focused on hearing feedback. Additionally, in our experience they regularly went above and beyond to make our stay as enjoyable and comfortable as possible.
Our driver Joshua was just as nice, professional and friendly as the rest of the staff we met. He was an excellent driver (it doesn't go without saying in local road and traffic conditions) and a fun companion on long safari days. He was an excellent guide through the parks (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro) we visited, helped us spot so many animals that we would have never otherwise seen. He would always accompany the animal encounters with explanations and stories, which made our experience even more well rounded.
Another reason we'd recommend Brilliant Safaris is that their cars are adjusted to only have 4 seats in them, which allows for extra comfort during the long drives, which made all the difference to us. They are also equipped with a stocked up fridge with cold water and drinks, as well as a basket of local treats for in between meals. This is a very nice touch.
As for accommodation, we opted for the "Mid Range" and were pleasantly surprised by the level of comfort and hospitality in all the camps and hotels we stayed in. We almost cannot imagine what "Luxury" options look like if this was Mid Range, but we appreciate this is subjective. Nonetheless, the camps and lodges inside the parks were so lovely to stay in. All of the local staff go the extra mile for you to feel happy and comfortable, carrying our bags, always having a smile and not afraid to chat. Without a doubt, waking up and hearing the wildlife around us was one of our highlights.
When it comes to food, we never had any issues, the quality was agreeable and quantity was in true Tanzanian style plentiful.
It was amazing to see that Brilliant Safaris were available any time of the day - from a very early airport pick up to a very late departure. They were also extremely flexible in customising our experience and accommodating our needs.
Overall, we'd highly recommend travelling with Brilliant Safaris, they are trustworthy, knowledgeable, friendly and professional.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly and responsive tour operator
The communication from William from start to finish has been superb. He has very responsive and we can’t thank him enough for the accommodation he found us. We had excellent tour guides whilst on safari and all staff have been amazing.
IL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very efficient , professional and pleasant
It is a must at least once in a life time, enjoyed every moment
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely amazing experience! Well organized, patient, fun, and knowledgable guide!
This safari was the most amazing experience of my life! We were scheduled to go on this trip in 2020 but due to the pandemic it was delayed to 2021, then 2022, and finally 2023. Benson and team were extremely understanding and helpful allowing us to push our trip out by 3 years. without issue. The trip plan they set up for us was wonderful and our guide Elly was absolutely fantastic. He was very knowledgable , courteous, and adjusted to our requests (of which we had a lot) with the utmost professionalism. Our itinerary included: Arusha, Tarangire park, central and northern serengeti, ngorogoro crater, and lake Eyasi. The lodges Benson arranged couldn't have been more spot on and perfect for what we were looking for with this experience. My favorites were Kubu Kubu tented camp (amazing view of the serengenti) and Ang'ata tented camps. I liked the latter as they afforded the opportunity for the guides to join you for dinner which both my friend and I really liked. Even though you spend an entire day with the guide, being able to sit down and chill and talk with them about their lives was truly memorable. Elly was great at spotting animals and we managed to see most of the big 5 except for the ever so elusive rhino and although we did not see a leopard we did see a cheetah and her cubs which made up for it! We also spent some time with the Hadzame hunter gather tribe and Datoga people at Lake Eyasi which was truly an enlightening experience. We also visited a Maasai village but I felt that was a bit too staged for my liking and was put off by the $20 pp fee to enter the village. Visiting the Hadzame and Datoga people seemed a bit less 'touristy' to me which i liked much better.
My friend and I are already talking about coming back to Tanzania to do another safari. Maybe spend a bit more time in the Northern and Central Serengeti which were our favorites. When we plan our next trip, we will definately be using Benson Safari's again and ask for Elly as our guide!
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Responsible, punctual, knowledgeable, attentive
At the Kenyan/Tanzanian border in Isebania, Steven Kilonzlo from Raven Safaris picked us up. They were subcontracted by Hyrax Safaris from Kenya, with whom we had made reservations for a nine-day safari that included stops in the Masai Mara NP (Hyrax), Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro Crater (with Raven from Arusha). Steven is a fantastic driver who has a wealth of local information. He drove us first to the most amazing areas of the Northwestern Serengeti and showed us what the park is actually about after realising that we didn't want to join the big cats chasing trucks. In terms of birds, plants and trees, tribes and history, he was like an encyclopaedia. Then, as we went along the Tanzanian part of the Mara River, we suddenly found ourselves encircled by countless wildebeests. In the Central Serengeti we observed lions and hippos mating. Most of time we were alone. Steven didn’t have to communicate with other guides to find out the locations of wild life. He just knew where to go. Once when we accidentally stumbled upon a big group of trucks watching a cheetah from a distance, he didn’t stay, he just took off, drove several minutes, then pulled over and that same cheetah slowly crossed the road right in front of us. I can go on and on. Highly recommended.
RS
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great and affordable tour to Amboseli national park.
The tour was great. We have seen a lot of animals, including chita eating the prey, lionesses with small lions playing around, big herds of elephant, and so on.
QA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
AMAZING!
The 3 day tour to Selous was organised at very short notice. Thanks to Evance, who was constantly available for communication. Everything was perfectly arranged - airport delay is not operator fault, so can't blame them :))
My daughter 9y was stunned by the beauty of the Nyerere and the variety of animals that we saw. Driver was extremely friendly and showed us all animals that my daughter was willing to see.
The camp was very authentic with nice swimming pool to cool after safari and village walks. Food was on very good level. We had sometime left last day and few activities were organised for my daughter to entertain her (face painting with masai and cooking local dishes), she was so happy. The only thing that was a bit disappointing is boat trip, as we were expecting to see animals at watering place. In reality we saw hippos and few crocodiles at their natural place of living (which is not bad at all). Stopped at sandy beach on river side to wait for sunset, that was really outstanding!
Would definitely recommend Njema to my friends and use their services whenever we'll be visiting Tanzania again!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Allan was a complete joy to work with!
I started planning this trip in September of 2022 for 14 people. We customized the trip for the things we wanted to see. Allan and I probably sent close to 200 emails over the year of planning and he always responded within 24 hours. We had someone cancel a month before and he quickly assisted in the agreement refund policy and rearranged rooms. All of the accommodations exceeded our expectations. Our guides George and Obama were extremely professional, personable, very knowledgeable and we would definitely request them again. We spent the first 3 days in Nairobi - Lake Nakuru - Maasai Mara - Amboseli - Tsavo West & East - Diani Beach to end with some R&R. We saw the big 5, went to a Masai Mara village, planned a bush dinner and a hippo breakfast. We drove to all the places except one were we took a flight from Masai Mara to Amboseli. The drives took us through the countryside of Kenya which we loved seeing. The drives could be long for some so maybe think of more smaller flights between parks but we loved seeing Kenya. The only thing I would change was adding a few more days to enjoy some more time at the beautiful lodges. The food and drinks at the lodges was excellent. This was truly a trip of a lifetime. Asante Sana Allan, George and Obama!
PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent tour!!!
The trip left us with extremely positive impressions. Organization of the tour was at the highest level, despite the fact that everything was organized in an extremely short time (actually 2 days before departure). I am very grateful to Marta for paying her thorough attention to my request, without her insistence in booking accommodation, this trip would not have taken place.
All the hotels were wonderful, the view from every room in the exclusive program was worth every dollar spent, the food was good.
We booked a rather condensed 3 day program which I do not recommend for those who want to browse all the places in peace. To do this, you should choose at least 4 day tours.
Our main goal was to see the African Big Five, so we drove to the Serengeti Park and the Ngorongoro Carter. We really enjoyed visiting both parks, we saw all the big five animals, but it took us a long time to find the rhinoceros, which blends in perfectly with the grass in the crater park. In addition, we saw all the animals from the big five performing various daily tasks, such as hunting, visiting a watering hole, etc.
I would like to express special thanks to our driver-guide named Ezekiel, who showed the highest professionalism in working with clients - answered in great detail any of our questions regarding animals, nature or life in Tanzania; always chose the best route; knew the park very well, which was our key to spotting all of the big five animals and many at arm's length. I never thought that I could see a giraffe at a distance of 2 meters, I could almost stroke the elephant and we even had to run away from him a little :) we did not dare to get too close to the rhinos and hippos :)
I recommend this tour to all people and especially to those who want to completely break all their stereotypes about wildlife from films and zoos.
Many thanks to the company and especially Marta and Ezekiel and hope to see you soon!)
