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Brilliant Adventures and Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $3,510 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
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Email Petra Roy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A safari unforgettable and fantastically beautiful
We were a small group of 5 people and booked a safari with Brilliant Tours in February 2023 and were so positively surprised at how wonderfully everything was organized. It was actually one of the most beautiful travel experiences we had on our Tanzania trip. especially since we had Max Lee with us. the best and nicest guide you can imagine for such an adventure. he has incredible knowledge of all animals and plants and was not only our professional guide but became our dearest friend and companion. Anyone planning a safari should book Brilliant Tours and Max Lee as a guide. you get the very best.
Thanks to the whole Team of Brilliant and especially Max the best guide ever
CA
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A most memorable experience!
Our experience with Brilliant Adventures and Safari was exceptional. Julieth was our agent and she answered all our questions and was super attentive to our needs. We were SO lucky to have Joshua as a driver for our safari experience. He was so professional, safe, and extremely kind with us. He made all the difference. I will ask for him personally if I return!! Thank you so much for the experience, very very memorable.
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Email Natasha | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attentive and responsive
I’ve never taken a safari but knew I wanted to go but was torn how to decide on a company.
I turned to safari booking.com. After reading reviews I selected Brilliant Safaris. Jane was so helpful I sent emails upon emails of questions/concerns she was responsive and detailed. Our group of 4 decided on 11 nights Tanzania/Zanzibar. On arrival to the airport everything was as described our guide Bony met us and the following day Jane met us at the hotel. She reviewed the weeks activity then took us on a tour of their office.
The safari was awesome! Bony was knowledgeable about the animals/birds/history.
He was flexible as some mornings a later start was needed.
The safari vehicle was comfortable for the 4 of us. The company provided drinks and snacks.
Our lunches on safari were made fresh daily.
It was an amazing experience Jane and Bony took care of all our needs.
While in Zanzibar another company handles that part but Jane continued to reach out.
CA
Email Todd Pinsky | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Brilliant is the Best!
Absolutely wonderful experience with Brilliant Safaris - from the first moment of communication about the planning for the trip to the last day of the safari.
I began my planning for our safari with another well-known Tanzania-based safari company but was utterly dissatisfied with the interaction, so decided to reach out to a few others, Brilliant included. Julieth Wilfred from Brilliant responded to me immediately and I knew right away I had found the right person and company to help me plan our trip. Julieth promptly set up a What's App chat between us, listened to my requirement/requests and met each with courtesy and helpful advice. I appreciated her suggested itinerary and accommodations and when I asked for any modification, she gladly and without hesitation adjusted them as desired. From our first chat, to the day we arrived in Tanzania, Julieth was always available - day or night - and every question or query was greeted with a prompt and friendly response. All of the safari lodges and camps she booked for us were wonderful - exceeding all of our expectations. In addition, Julieth noted that we would be celebrating our 25th anniversary on the trip and arranged a surprise private and romantic dinner on the deck of our tent one night - very touching and appreciated.
I must also make mention of our tremendous safari guide, Joshua Wilfred (no relation!) - from the first moment he met us at the Kilimanjaro airport on our arrival to the final moment after he dropped us back at the airport for our departure, Joshua was most gracious, friendly and knowledgeable. With his easygoing nature, extraordinary animal tracking skills and phenomenal driving abilities, my wife and I considered ourselves extremely fortunate to have Joshua as our partner during this trip. He made sure we saw the "Big 5", made our way through the cities, villages, countryside and parks safely and was a perfect match for our many questions with his encyclopedic knowledge of Tanzania, its people and its wildlife.
Please do not allow Brilliant's lower profile amongst Tanzania's many safari companies to dissuade you in the least from choosing them. The fact is that you will benefit from the personal and customized experience all the more for it.
Thank you Julieth and Joshua for the trip and experience of a lifetime - one we will never forget.
Email Jake C. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazingly thoughtful team delivering memories for a lifetime
Booking a guided safari can be a daunting experience when you're unsure about who awaits you on the other side, as this essentially determines the fate of your dream vacation – an experience that, for many, pushes the boundaries of our financial comfort.
I can confidently affirm that you are in the hands of an incredibly thoughtful, experienced, and professional team when you choose Brilliant Adventures Safaris. Unless nature throws an unexpected curveball beyond anyone's control, Brilliant's staff and guides will provide you with an amazing experience tailored to your passions.
From the moment you touch down in Tanzania until you depart, the only decisions you'll need to make are related to when you should apply sunscreen and bug spray. The guides, staff, and partners responsible for your accommodations will take care of everything else.
In particular, I must highlight Joshua, our guide. You spend every day with your guide, and I believe that the difference between a good safari and an extraordinary one is the guide (barring unforeseeable acts of nature or unlucky circumstances).
When we began our safari, we provided Joshua with minimal guidance. When asked about our expectations and what we hoped to see, our response was essentially, "We don't know what we don't know, but we're passionate about photography." It wasn't much to go on for a guide, but it became clear from the very first day that Joshua swiftly grasped our interests, our preferred pace, and what was important to us, and he adapted accordingly. Joshua was so adept at discerning this that we didn't need to vocalize when we wanted to stop or move on. He could intuitively gauge it from our reactions and body language. When we lacked an opinion on what to do differently or more of the next day, he already had a proposal for us to consider.
Joshua is remarkably kind, knowledgeable, empathetic, and hardworking. The entire Brilliant staff is incredibly gracious, communicative, and considerate. When we return to Tanzania, we will unquestionably choose Brilliant, and we will certainly request Joshua if we venture to the north (although based on our observations, all the guides at Brilliant are outstanding).
CA
Email Diane | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Really well curated experience, always looked out for our safety and enjoyment!
The experience with Brilliant was very smooth. Jane helped to curate the itinerary before taking off, going back and forth to accommodate specific lodges, and made sure to personally greet us after arrival. Joshua was our guide and amazing, he made sure we were comfortable and got to see everything we wanted on the safaris. He was very flexible and took us around using his expertise of the parks, very receptive to any requests. Overall incredibly comfortable and easy experience.
ES
Email Alex | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our dream holiday
We had a wonderful Safari with Brilliant in our recent honeymoon in Tanzania.
As many travellers already experienced, the communication with both Julieth and Lightness was excellent from the beginning and it was quite easy to plan the safari.
Once we arrived in Kilimanjaro airport, we were picked up by our guide Boni and everything was perfectly organised by Brilliant so that we didn’t have to worry about anything else for the next 6 days.
We really enjoyed all the accommodations we carefully selected, the food was very good and the service was very exclusive, enjoying very much all the game drives and picnics!
Special thanks to Boni who made us feel like home, he was very flexible and helpful, always trying to make our days memorable (driving us around, taking great pictures...). We definitely experienced magic moments in Africa!
Overall, the whole experience exceeded our expectations, from the beauty of the landscapes to the kindness of the people and the great service we received from Brilliant.
We will always keep this travel experience in our hearts and we will remember Brilliant when we grab a cofee to go (many thanks for the gift).
We would hopefully come back in a few years time with our children and enjoy a great Family Safari Adventure!
Email Krithika | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible 10 day Safari with Brilliant Adevntures and Safaris!
Safari in Tanzania was on the top of my bucket list for a long time, so naturally I was very nervous about the tour operator we chose. But lucky for me, Brilliant adventures and Safaris really were BRILLIANT!
From the start, everything was excellent. Lightness at head office helped as personalize out itinerary based on what we wanted to see and do, and how much time we had available. She was extremely kind, helpful and replied to any questions very quickly.
My husband and I spent 10 nights and 11 days on Safari with our incredible tour guide Joshua (highly recommend!) He was kind, engaging and helped answer all of the questions that we had about the landscape, animals and the Tanzanian culture. By the end of the trip, he was not just our tour guide but became our friend also. Our 10 day itinerary included a trip to the Materuni waterfalls and local coffee lodge, Arusha national park, Tarangire, Manayara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Ndutu. Joshua made sure that we maximised every opportunity we had to see all the wildlife, and lucky for us we were able to see everything! It really was a dream come true.
Spending 11 days on Safari is quite a long time so it was an added benefit that our car was also very comfortable with lots of leg room. I can't thank Joshua, Lightness and the team at Brilliant enough for helping us create such special memories. I would highly recommend getting in touch with this company if you are looking for a Safari provider.
FR
Email Clement & Marie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Once in a lifetime Safari trip for our honeymoon
We were looking for a local agency to organize our Honeymoon Safari and Brilliant Adventures & Safaris was the perfect fit for us!
Lightness was our first contact with Brilliant and we greatly appreciated her kindness and responsiveness. She was of great advice to setup the perfect itinerary while always meeting our demands and expectations. Without her recommendations we probably would have missed Ndutu park which is where we have some of our best memories witnessing the Wildebeest migration or a leopard and her young cub feeding on a freshly hunted Zebra. She also made sure that in every lodge we had a special attention or dinner experience to celebrate our honeymoon.
The accommodations were even above our expectations, the tented lodge experience was really unique. We were always met with a warm welcome (Karibu), and all the tented lodges had great food. After a full day of game drive we loved our moments at the lodge - especially Serengeti Acacia Bliss.
The 4x4 vehicle was also a highlight of our safari. Very spacious and perfect for the game drive with the pop roof and large windows. This allowed for a comfortable 360 view during the drives. It also allowed us to have some great off-road moments tracking cheetahs and leopards without fearing of getting stuck anywhere.
Our driver, Eugen, was an excellent guide throughout the trip! He knows a lot about Tanzania's culture and landscape and of course everything about the National parks and wildlife. We really felt in good hands to experience the best game drives and we felt safe and comfortable with his driving (quite important when you spend around 5-6h per day driving). He was very attentive to our expectations for the trip and always did his best to match them. He was also of great advice to vary the game drive experience like when we suggested to head out early one morning to have breakfast in the bush while witnessing a large Elephant family crossing.
One of the only things we would have appreciated differently was the need to head to Brilliant's office in Arusha when we landed and before leaving, to sign some papers - We feel this small detour we did twice, that ended up taking a couple of hours, could have been avoided and the signing could have been done at the airport directly. In any case, it at least allowed us to discover Arusha's lively city.
Overall we highly recommend Brilliant Adventures and Safaris as your local agency to organize your trip, they really did an amazing job making our Honeymoon a trip we will never forget!
Thank you again Lightness and Eugen for these wonderful memories.
Asante Sana
US
Email Kathy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lightness was very responsive and helpful. Couldn’t be better!!
When my son and I decided to do this trip, I spent many hours looking at different safaris and itineraries. Brilliant kept popping up with the exact type of adventure we were looking for. Even the name “Brilliant Adventures and Safaris “ spoke to me! This trip was the fulfillment of a 25 year dream. Upon knowing that, Lightness did all she could to ensure our trip was that and even more. She tweaked our original schedule to match what we requested to perfection. We communicated often and she always responded promptly. Quite a feat knowing we are on opposite sides of the globe!
From the beginning we were treated like royalty! Our guide, Osbert, was every bit as attentive in person as Lightness had been. He was extremely knowledgeable about everything we asked. And believe me! I ask lots of questions! He actually tweaked our schedule a bit-just rearranged a couple of days. That was the perfect thing to do! We saw more wildlife without some of the crowds. He cared so much about our comfort and enjoyment! At one point we were willing to give up our search for cheetahs, but he would NOT give up! And we saw them!! Two males on a fresh kill! So amazing!! He encouraged us to visit a Maasai village and some local shops. So glad he did this! Lasting memories to bring home!
Right up until we left to fly over to Zanzibar, both Osbert and Lightness cared for us like family. Never been part of a tour with such care and attention. We did have a small snafu occur in Zanzibar with our accommodation. Lightness once again handled that expertly. Her manager even phoned to apologize and make sure everything was okay.
I could go on forever about how wonderful this company is , but I’ll just say….they may be small compared to some , but they were definitely mighty!! When I return…hopefully soon!…I will look to them again!