Go Different...
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
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.
US
Email Sabrina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect 20th anniversary celebration thanks to Brillant Adventures
We really appreciated Julieth’s hard work organizing our week long safari visiting Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. From the moment Joshua picked us from the airport, we were well taken care of especially when they made sure we got our delayed luggage. Thanks to Joshua’s expertise, we saw everything we wanted to and had a lot of fun doing so. The jeep was very comfortable and the lunches provided (especially the first meal by Brillant) were delicious. The An’gata tented camp at Tarangire was beautiful and the one at Ngorongoro gave us an early start at the crater. We splurged on 2 nights at the Melia Serengeti and it was worth it! Mixing the lodge and tent experience was the best of both. We’d highly recommend Brillant and loved our time in Tanzania.
NL
Email Clemens Mayer | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best! Holiday! Ever! - Thank you Brilliant :D
Communication: From the get-go, Brilliant stood out from other tour operators in their professional approach. Communication with our agent, Julieth, was smooth and she accommodated all our wishes and gave us expert advice when planning our Safari. Also, unlike other tour operators, Brilliant never spammed my inbox with daily emails, but only sent a small number of timely reminder emails.
Service: From the moment we touched down in Arusha, we felt like true VIPs. Our guide, Joshua, made all our wishes true, even those we never uttered out loud. In addition to the outstanding hospitality and service, Joshua proved incredibly knowledgeable with respect to animals, plants, and Tanzanian culture. We really felt that we learned a lot from him and, for us, this was particularly rewarding.
Accommodations: We selected the mid-range options, which for our standards could easily be considered luxury. All accommodations felt like ‘authentic Tanzanian’, with attentive and caring staff. The rooms, including the bathrooms, were incredibly spacious and the food was outstanding. Also, while other Safari guests had ‘lunchboxes’, we often found ourselves with a three-course picnic for lunch instead!
Value for money: After comparing a number of safari operators in preparation for our trip, we are convinced that Brilliant Adventures & Safaris offers a highly competitive package. Indeed, offers from other tour operators featured limited game drive mileage and did not include the flight to Zanzibar or unlimited (soft) drinks.
Experience: This was hands down the best holiday experience we ever had and Brilliant had a large part in making the trip unforgettable for us. If you care for professional communication, reliable arrangements, outstanding service, and great accommodations, all at a competitive price, you cannot go wrong when booking with Brilliant!
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!
CA
Email Jackie and Brendan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A truly 'Brilliant' experience that exceeded all expectations
We did a lot of research before booking our safari. Like a couple of other reviewers, we were really intrigued by the reviews of Brilliant, but a little nervous because they don’t have as many reviews as the bigger companies. Ultimately, they were one of three companies we chose to request quotes from and Brilliant immediately set themselves apart in their response. Their email included not only an incredibly detailed itinerary but also a wealth of additional information about travelling to Tanzania, going on safari, the accommodations and their custom vehicles.
It was clear that Brilliant are extremely passionate about their work and think through every detail. After we decided to book with them, Lightness helped us through finalizing our itinerary and answered all our questions. We felt extremely excited and well-prepared boarding the plane and not at all nervous, even though this was our first trip to East Africa.
From the moment we touched down in Arusha, our experience was exceptional. Hassan was our amazing driver and guide and we truly cannot recommend him highly enough – we would have a completely different experience without him. He is passionate not just about safari and the Tanzanian landscape but about the country’s history, culture and people. Countless times, he went the extra mile to explain things for us, point out things we wouldn’t have noticed and put what we were seeing into context. Furthermore, as an enthusiast photographer himself, he was extremely accommodating about making sure we could get the perfect photograph.
The tour highlighted Brilliant’s thoughtfulness and attention to detail from start to finish. We were really sold on the custom vehicles and were wondering about how unique they really are – if anything, the difference is undersold on the website! Whereas most conventional safari vehicles fit 7 people, Brilliant’s only seat 4 and are designed for maximum manoeuvrability so you can move freely to see the animals and take photos. The difference is immediately obvious – we noticed many, many tourists with other safari companies checking out our vehicle during the trip.
We chose to do the four park Northern Circuit tour, and we felt it was an excellent choice - each park has its own unique, stunning landscape and we felt that each complemented the overall experience very well. We were a little apprehensive about spending so much time in a car, but we never felt bored or disengaged - even when we were on the road from one park or another, we found the landscape and Hussan’s explanations and personable anecdotes to be extremely interesting.
Although obviously we were there to see the animals and experience the parks, the food and accommodations were also hugely memorable and big highlights of our trip. We opted for the mid-range option which included a mix of lodges and luxury tented camps and enjoyed every place we stayed, with Acacia Farm Lodge and the camp at Nyumbani Collection in the Serengeti standing out in particular. (Nyumbani was such a gem, with a stunning setting and phenomenal food and service. We are so glad that the Brilliant team did the research and added it to their itinerary - we didn’t see it listed anywhere else!)
The food at all the accommodations was top-notch, but many of our best food memories are actually of the daily lunches we enjoyed on each game drive. Hassan always knew the best place to stop and once again, attention to detail was second to none, with a full spread, tablecloth and even a folding table and chairs so we could eat with the best view even if there were no picnic tables in the area. Each lunch was supplied by our accommodation and included a huge variety that went well beyond the boxed sandwiches we saw a lot of other visitors eating.
Truly, we cannot recommend Hassan, Lightness and Brilliant Safaris enough. This was a once in a lifetime trip and we truly don’t think we would have had the same experience with a different company - it was everything we dreamed of. We would strongly recommend reaching out to them and wouldn’t hesitate to book with Brilliant again for another East African safari. Asante sana!
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
Email Avi P | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A once in a lifetime experience delivered by Brilliant Adventures and Safari's
We celebrated our 5-year wedding anniversary by embarking on a once in a lifetime trip to experience the wonders of a Safari in Tanzania. While there were hundreds of company’s we could have chosen from to make our dream holiday come true, deciding on Brilliant Adventures and Safaris for our 10 day tour was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
From the very first interaction with Brilliant, we were amazed by the level of service we encountered. We had the privilege of working with Lightness (Tanzania Safari Expert) to curate the perfect Safari experience that would fulfill all our desires and requirements. As first-time travelers to Tanzania, and with limited knowledge about the specific regions we wished to explore and the ideal duration for each location, Lightness was able to provide invaluable insights and guidance. Lightness expertly advised us on the most captivating sights to see in December and crafted an itinerary that encompassed the must-visit areas.
The level of service we experienced upon our arrival in Tanzania surpassed all expectations. Joshua Wilfred, our exceptional Driver/Guide, left such a positive impression on us with his kindness, care, professionalism, knowledge, and unwavering passion. Throughout our journey, Joshua consistently went above and beyond to ensure that every moment was extraordinary. On our first day, we shared with Joshua our extensive list of desired sightings, to which he humbly responded, "I can't make any promises, but I will do everything in my power to try and fulfill your list." This sentiment became the guiding principle of our trip, as Joshua meticulously crafted each day's itinerary based on our requests. He often went the extra mile to ensure that we witnessed sights that were beyond the reach of most others travelling with other companies.
With his extensive experience living in the Serengeti, Joshua possessed a wealth of knowledge and insights about the wildlife and the region that set him apart from other guides and makes him such a valuable asset to Brilliant. This invaluable expertise enhanced our journey and we are immensely grateful to Joshua for making all our aspirations come true. Thank you so much Joshua for making our trip so memorable!
If you are seeking a tour company that offers generic, budget-friendly safari packages, there are numerous options available in the market. However, if you want a tour company that is dedicated to collaborating with you to create a personalized trip that aligns with your preferences, provides unmatched services, and guarantees an unforgettable experience, then Brilliant Adventure and Safari is the choice for you. I can honestly say...you wont regret it!
Email Abdul | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent service
What an unforgettable Experience, can’t think of anything negative to say. The Safari comes down to the experience of your driver, and I am glad we had bony as our driver. You can tell he had years of experience on him and really knew how to show us everything an African Safari has to offer. Brilliant safari were very easy to communicate with and made the whole booking process easy.