Bright African Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2007)
- Member Of:
- TATO, TTB & TLTO
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $85 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
IT
Email Chiara Vecchi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing!
Everything was perfect: Travel, food and accomodations (we mainly appreciated tented camps near Tarangire and the ones in Serengeti). We visited Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro. The latest two were wonderful. We saw many animals and big cats, our favourite! We stayed only few hours in the Ngorongoro, we'd liked to stay there more, considering the beautiful landscapes and animals. Thanks to our guide Hoffman to let us meet so many big cats!
US
Email Mark and Teresa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beyond our wildest dreams
We really can't think of anything Bright Africa could have done to make this trip better. Everything was amazing and wonderful. Our guide Athuman made this safari perfect in every way. We are already planning a return trip and certainly want Athuman as our guide. The accomadations (permanent lodges and tented lodges) were better than most high end hotels in the US which was a surprise. Our vehicle was reliable and very nice. We did see some other tours that had broken vehicles on the side of the road so this is a very big point in planning a trip like this. We recommend Bright Africa Safaris very highly.
US
Email Jim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous doesn't even begin to describe Bright African
The short version is this: You're in great hands with Bright African. Don't hesitate to arrange your safari through this locally owned company. Be sure to request that Junga guide you and Jamal do your cooking.
Here's the long version:
Just like you, I waded through the huge numbers of safari companies I found online. In the end, I relied on the Trip Advisor reviews and a gut feeling about Bright African. Our group of four was sooooo lucky that I recommended BA.
From the start of our inquiry through finalizing the itinerary for our 8 day northern circuit safari in mid-September and all the logistics, Msangi, the owner, and Rukia, his delightful office assistant, were prompt to respond to emails and were true professionals. It was such a pleasure to meet them when we arrived in Arusha!
Little did we know that Msangi had chosen a man to guide us who, quite honestly, none of the four in our group can describe with words alone. There just aren't enough superlatives for Onema Junga. (Everyone calls him "Junga".) I'm sure all of Msangi's other guides are wonderful but do yourself a favor and juggle your trip dates if that's what it takes to make sure Junga is your guide.
This man went above and beyond in every way imaginable. From dealing with broken leaf springs in the Serengeti at night and getting us to a camp site at midnight to turning around as we were leaving Ngorongoro on our last day when reports of a rhino sighting came over the radio he was superb. Junga could have just called it a safari and headed out of the crater but he was relentless in his pursuit of our satisfaction. We got the big 5 and more.
He has an uncanny ability to anticipate what animals will be doing and putting the vehicle in the best viewing position possible. Other safari companies' guides weren't doing what Junga did and trust me, we were treated to better viewing than many others. He was also relentless in his search for animals in spite of the long hours behind the wheel. Junga did this even though it meant extra work for himself and Jamal. He would also stop to offer help to any other vehicles or guides that looked like they may need help. He struck us an overall good and trustworthy man.
Here are a couple of examples of how Junga went above and beyond. We were at a hippo pool and were enjoying the scene for quite some time when he popped the driver's hatch and announced that he was going to find us a snake. Five minutes later he announced that the game was on for us to find it with our binoculars. He described generally where it was and said its recently shed skin was nearby. We had the best time spotting this snake, a boomslang, and it was a treat. Its bright white skin being right next to it was just a great bonus. While I can't guarantee that the other safari vehicles parked near us didn't spot a snake, I highly doubt it.
He brought us in the "back entrance" to Lake Manyara which was absolutely the right call. It seemed we had one entire section of the park all to ourselves. It made for a longer day and another late arrival at camp that night but Junga really did put our interests ahead of his and Jamal's comfort.
As for Jamal, our wonderful cook, again there's good news. We had some onerous dietary restrictions and this man bent over backwards to accommodate us. I gained weight on the trip due to his huge portions of delicious food. It was simple but delicious and exactly what you'd expect on a camping trip. We even had a scratch baked cake and banana custard a couple of evenings! I was glad to have brought plenty of snacks, though, as it sometimes got be a while between meals.
Msangi went above and beyond as well. He met us at the Mvuli hotel at the end of our safari to see how things went and to say goodbye. When he learned we were going to Zanzibar for a few days he arranged for a taxi driver to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel. He told us that even though our safari was over, we were still his clients until we left Tanzania and to let him know if we needed anything. How gracious!
We forgot to pick up a couple of t-shirts at the Bright African office and Msangi learned this after we were on Zanzibar. Imagine our surprise when his taxi driver arrived at our hotel with the t-shirts. Msangi had them sent to Zanzibar on a flight later that day and arranged for his taxi driver to deliver them to us! Unbelievable service!
Here are a couple of helpful hints for you. Number one is tipping. I'd read many formulas for what constitutes an appropriate tip and saw one of Msangi's posts that suggested 10% of the safari price. We ultimately took the 10% as a base and increased it significantly for Junga and Jamal going north of 15% to make a nice round number. I also gave each of them our headlamps to help with future night breakdowns and tent set-ups in the dark. Last, I gave them what remained of the roll of duct tape I brought. Do yourself a favor a bring a roll along - we made good use of ours several times.
I could write a novel about the vehicle breakdowns (yes, plural) but be advised these vehicles take a beating on those roads and if you don't have at least one breakdown I'd be amazed. We saw other victims of the worst washboards you'll ever drive. Just be patient and realize that AAA does not exist in Tanzania. No complaining. Hakauna Matata. You're all in it together and you'll have a great story to tell.
If you're doing the budget camping trip like we did, be prepared for very refreshing, almost cold, showers at some campgrounds. Take sturdy sandals and expect no place to hang your towels or set your shampoo. It was also helpful to have some good sturdy sandals, like Keens, for the campgrounds in the evening. The first night I used flip flops and got a few nasty stickers in my foot that were difficult to remove. It is also a good idea to bring toilet paper as it was frequently in short supply in their bathrooms. Oh, and I saw a fairly creepy spider on/under a toilet seat so be prepared to do a toilet sweep and sit at your own risk.
I was a little nervous about the comfort of tent camping expecting to be sleeping on the ground but they provided very comfortable cots and sleeping pads with good wool blankets which I found surprisingly comfortable. I was still a bit chilly when we camped on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater so bring some warm clothes and socks if you itinerary takes you there.
Take along some type of plastic bag in case you have to relieve yourself in your tent in the night because the buffalo/lions are too near to risk going to the restroom. Better to go in your tent than die by buffalo.
Get the best binoculars you can, they will make the animal viewing even more spectacular. We rented Swarovskis from optics4rent.com - Todd, the owner, is great. When Junga first saw them, he immediately told me they were the best. No kidding! We were all amazed and trust me, when your Rhino and her baby are 400 yards away or you can count the whiskers on the leopard in the tree you'll be glad you brought them.
The Mvuli hotel has basic clean rooms - it's not a Hilton but you're not paying Hilton prices. It's really off the beaten path at the end of a very bumpy dirt road. Going into town will require a taxi. The food was good. Check out your shower before you accept the room. The first night we stayed there, our shower had virtually no pressure. After our safari, I made sure we had a different room. They will also do laundry for you for a small fee and have it folded and ready by morning.
Start your safari with a trip to Arusha National Park. Do the walking safari with an armed park ranger. It's a great appetizer for what lies ahead at the crown jewels of the northern circuit. It also gives you a day to get over jet lag before you start driving long distances. If you do it at the end of your safari it won't have much of an impact.
They did not ask for additional passport photos or a copy of our passport when paying for our visa at KJO airport. Just $100. Be prepared to stand in lines for about 45 minutes.
Be careful at the roadside curio stands. They are ruthless, high pressure negotiators and we ended up paying higher prices than we found later in Zanzibar and even at the airport for the same articles. As much as I would like to support them I felt the prices were pretty outrageous.
We tried to pack light and do laundry every few days but if I were to do it over I would just pack enough clothes to get through the whole trip. Since you are sitting in the vehicle most of the time you don't really get too hot and sweaty so it's no problem to get a few days out of shirts and pants. Laundry was difficult to do in the showers and did not dry by morning causing unneeded hassle. The zipper pants were handy as the mornings were a bit cooler but as it warmed up it was easy to unzip the bottoms and convert to shorts.
US
Email Laura J. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very experienced and knowledgeable and helpful.
We had a meeting every evening regarding what to expect the next day. The accommodations were better than I anticipated and the food was exceptional. Our guides , Junga and Othman went above and beyound to make sure we were comfortable and found the best spot for viewing all the animals. We did see the "Big 5" and got so close to many of the animals. Our guides knew so much about the animal and it was so interesting to learn all about their interactions with each other. I would recommend Bright African Safaris and hope to travel with them in the future.
Email Conrad | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Choice for a Safari in Tanzania
After 8 days on safari around the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, I got to see a lot of the other tour companies, the standard of their vehicles (some were pretty dilapidated); how knowledgeable and professional their drivers were; and how many people they crammed into a car. After 8 days with Junga and Bright African Safaris, I have no doubt we chose the most professional and value for money tour company on offer. I can't recommend them enough. They aren't the biggest, but they are the best and most professional. There were just too many other companies around with inexperienced guides or vehicles that weren't maintained, to not go with these guys.
I emailed Rukia back late last year and she was very efficient in listening to what we wanted to see and she put together 4 very detailed options for us. The price was very reasonable and value for money. I came close to booking something off a website, so I was so glad I went with the email to Bright African. We stayed in hotels or permanent tented camps for our safari and had four of us in the one car,
Needless to say we had a fantastic time on Safari, seeing all of the big 5, countless jaw dropping scenes of various wildlife and the Wildebeest Migragtion in the southern Serengeti had to be a highlight (aim to be there around the first week in March). Hell, it was once in a lifetime experience - unbelievable!!
See my photos below to give you a guide.
Junga was a fabulous guide and an all round great person. We were looked after for the whole Safari and enjoyed his company each day on the road. He was a very experienced driver (which you need on the Serengeti with no paved roads and as soon as there is a little rain). He also knew exactly where to go to avoid the crowds and see the best things. We passed a scene where 20 4WDs were looking at a couple of cheetahs laying on the grass only to be the first and only car around to see 3 cheetahs bring down a wildebeest not 15 mins later. Junga was also an expert an bird and animal calls, many times an animal would wander off to the 4wd for a look.
The vehicle we had was a purpose built Toyota Lancruiser troop carrier that was very comfortable for 4 people for the 8 days. It had a very efficient fridge, power points and the pop up roof. Mind you it doesn't count if you don't an experienced driver (like we did) and a company that makes sure you have solid off tyres with good tread (like we did) :)
As a guide to their customer service, before we arrived the company also arranged an Aitrel SIM card for when I got there. I popped it straight into my iPhone and worked a treat from day 1. It was on a TZS 35,000 (about $17) for 12gb for a month. There was better than expected coverage along the way and was good to share some photos with family and friends & track your progress on the map.
The hotels along the way were better than expected and more than sufficient for 1-2 night safari stops. The Serengeti Acacia lodge and Lake Ndutu tented lodge were fantastic and please understand that these aren't really tents. Lake Ndutu was more like an upmarket 4 star villa with balacony and canvas roof. Permanent plumbing and electricity.
Tips: I recommend you invest in the largest and best quality binoculars you can get. Take a zoom lens camera. On day 1 Junga stopped at a small grocery store where we got some beers and other things for the trip - it was nice to have an ice cold Serengeti beer in the afternoon while lazing in the back of the car on the Serengeti. Spend some time in Zanzibar afterwards.
Overall we had a fantastic time - once in a lifetime stuff. Do yourself a favour and at least email Bright African safaris before you book anything else!
US
Email Jim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bright African exceeded our expectations in more ways than we could have imagined!
The short version is this: You're in great hands with Bright African. Don't hesitate to arrange your safari through this locally owned company. Be sure to request that Junga guide you and Jamal do your cooking. Those guys are just great and we still stay in touch via facebook.
Here's the long version:
Just like you, I waded through the huge numbers of safari companies I found online. In the end, I relied on the reviews and a gut feeling about Bright African. Our group of four was sooooo lucky that I recommended BA.
From the start of our inquiry through finalizing the itinerary for our 8 day northern circuit safari in mid-September, 2016 and all the logistics, Msangi, the owner, and Rukia, his delightful office assistant, were prompt to respond to emails and were true professionals. It was such a pleasure to meet them when we arrived in Arusha!
Little did we know that Msangi had chosen a man to guide us who, quite honestly, none of the four in our group can describe with words alone. There just aren't enough superlatives for Onema Junga. (Everyone calls him "Junga".) I'm sure all of Msangi's other guides are wonderful but do yourself a favor and juggle your trip dates if that's what it takes to make sure Junga is your guide.
This man went above and beyond in every way imaginable. From dealing with broken leaf springs in the Serengeti at night and getting us to a camp site at midnight to turning around as we were leaving Ngorongoro on our last day when reports of a rhino sighting came over the radio he was superb. Junga could have just called it a safari and headed out of the crater but he was relentless in his pursuit of our satisfaction. We got the big 5 and more.
He has an uncanny ability to anticipate what animals will be doing and putting the vehicle in the best viewing position possible. Other safari companies' guides weren't doing what Junga did and trust me, we were treated to better viewing than many others. He was also relentless in his search for animals in spite of the long hours behind the wheel. Junga did this even though it meant extra work for himself and Jamal. He would also stop to offer help to any other vehicles or guides that looked like they may need help. He struck us as an overall good and trustworthy man.
Here are a couple of examples of how Junga went above and beyond. We were at a hippo pool and were enjoying the scene for quite some time when he popped the driver's hatch and announced that he was going to find us a snake. Five minutes later he announced that the game was on for us to find it with our binoculars. He described generally where it was and said its recently shed skin was nearby. We had the best time spotting this snake, a boomslang, and it was a treat. Its bright white skin being right next to it was just a great bonus. While I can't guarantee that the other safari vehicles parked near us didn't spot a snake, I highly doubt it.
He brought us in the "back entrance" to Lake Manyara which was absolutely the right call. It seemed we had one entire section of the park all to ourselves. It made for a longer day and another late arrival at camp that night but Junga really did put our interests ahead of his and Jamal's comfort.
As for Jamal, our wonderful cook, again there's good news. We had some onerous dietary restrictions and this man bent over backwards to accommodate us. I gained weight on the trip due to his huge portions of delicious food. It was simple but delicious and exactly what you'd expect on a camping trip. We even had a scratch baked cake and banana custard a couple of evenings! I was glad to have brought plenty of snacks, though, as it sometimes got be a while between meals.
Msangi went above and beyond as well. He met us at the Mvuli hotel at the end of our safari to see how things went and to say goodbye. When he learned we were going to Zanzibar for a few days he arranged for a taxi driver to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel. He told us that even though our safari was over, we were still his clients until we left Tanzania and to let him know if we needed anything. How gracious!
We forgot to pick up a couple of t-shirts at the Bright African office and Msangi learned this after we were on Zanzibar. Imagine our surprise when his taxi driver arrived at our hotel with the t-shirts. Msangi had them sent to Zanzibar on a flight later that day and arranged for his taxi driver to deliver them to us! Unbelievable service!
Here are a couple of helpful hints for you. Number one is tipping. I'd read many formulas for what constitutes an appropriate tip and saw one of Msangi's posts that suggested 10% of the safari price. We ultimately took the 10% as a base and increased it significantly for Junga and Jamal going north of 15% to make a nice round number. I also gave each of them our headlamps to help with future night breakdowns and tent set-ups in the dark. Last, I gave them what remained of the roll of duct tape I brought. Do yourself a favor a bring a roll along - we made good use of ours several times.
I could write a novel about the vehicle breakdowns (yes, plural) but be advised these vehicles take a beating on those roads and if you don't have at least one breakdown I'd be amazed. We saw other victims of the worst washboards you'll ever drive. Just be patient and realize that AAA does not exist in Tanzania. No complaining. Hakauna Matata. You're all in it together and you'll have a great story to tell.
If you're doing the budget camping trip like we did, be prepared for very refreshing, almost cold, showers at some campgrounds. Take sturdy sandals and expect no place to hang your towels or set your shampoo. It was also helpful to have some good sturdy sandals for the campgrounds in the evening. The first night I used flip flops and got a few nasty stickers in my foot that were difficult to remove. It is also a good idea to bring toilet paper as it was frequently in short supply in their bathrooms. Oh, and I saw a fairly creepy spider on/under a toilet seat so be prepared to do a toilet sweep and sit at your own risk.
I was a little nervous about the comfort of tent camping but they provided very comfortable cots and sleeping pads with good wool blankets which I found surprisingly comfortable. I was still a bit chilly when we camped on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater so bring some warm clothes and socks if you itinerary takes you there.
Take along some type of plastic bag in case you have to relieve yourself in your tent in the night because the buffalo/lions are too near to risk going to the restroom. Better to go in your tent than die by buffalo.
Get the best binoculars you can, they will make the animal viewing even more spectacular. We rented Swarovskis from optics4rent.com - Todd, the owner, is great. When Junga first saw them, he immediately told me they were the best. No kidding! We were all amazed and trust me, when your Rhino and her baby are 400 yards away or you can count the whiskers on the leopard in the tree you'll be glad you brought them.
The Mvuli hotel has basic clean rooms - it's not a Hilton but you're not paying Hilton prices. It's really off the beaten path at the end of a very bumpy dirt road. Going into town will require a taxi. The food was good. Check out your shower before you accept the room. The first night we stayed there, our shower had virtually no pressure. After our safari, I made sure we had a different room. They will also do laundry for you for a small fee and have it folded and ready by morning.
Start your safari with a trip to Arusha National Park. Do the walking safari with an armed park ranger. It's a great appetizer for what lies ahead at the crown jewels of the northern circuit. It also gives you a day to get over jet lag before you start driving long distances. If you do it at the end of your safari it won't have much of an impact.
They did not ask for additional passport photos or a copy of our passport when paying for our visa at KJO airport. Just $100. Be prepared to stand in lines for about 45 minutes.
Be careful at the roadside curio stands. They are ruthless, high pressure negotiators and we ended up paying higher prices than we found later in Zanzibar and even at the airport for the same articles. As much as I would like to support them I felt the prices were pretty outrageous.
We tried to pack light and do laundry every few days but if I were to do it over I would just pack enough clothes to get through the whole trip. Since you are sitting in the vehicle most of the time you don't really get too hot and sweaty so it's no problem to get a few days out of shirts and pants. Laundry was difficult to do in the showers and did not dry by morning causing unneeded hassle. The zipper pants were handy as the mornings were a bit cooler but as it warmed up it was easy to unzip the bottoms and convert to shorts.
US
Email Mark | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding Experience
We have had the privilege of taking two safaris with Bright African Safaris. Both experiences were simply outstanding. Msangi, the owner, is incredibly responsive and friendly. He does a wonderful job choosing guides, maintaining vehicles and choosing itineraries and places to see. Both times, our guides were incredible, enabling us to see the Big Five and so much more. We highly recommend Bright African and can't wait to go back and see the Serengeti with them again.
US
Email Frences | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable journey
Went to Tanzania with Bright African Safaris last year, one of our friends from the group spent lots of time investigated, Then desided to go with them, she consulted with the owner and planed our trip, we
All had a great time, they gave us the most experienced guides, and they always gave us suggestions
On daily schedule, through their experience guidance we saw so many animals, and I can say that
Trip is one of my most memorable trip and I might go back again to Africa and will definitely use Bright African
Safari.
IT
Email Chiara Vecchi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience!
I went with my family to Tanzania with Bright African Safaris last summer.
We had an Amazing trip and everything (Hoffman-the driver, the locations and the accomodations) were excellent.
We saw a lot of animals (like lions, cheetas, leopars, elephants etc..). We also saw some baby lions!
We enjoied a lot our holidays and we hope to come back soon with this agency and with our favourite driver Hoffman! He was very nice and very patient with us.
SG
Email May Yek | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible experience
Incredible experience on our 7 day safari with Bright African Safaris
Booking process was smooth via email, with quick responses from Msangi
Juma our guide was incredible with his eagle eyes. He was so experienced professional and friendly.
His patience and knowledge gave us great insight into the animals and every aspect in the Park
We were lucky to see the big five (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhinos).
and witness the hunting by lion, leopard and hyena.
Thank you Juma for making our trip of a lifetime and memorable one.
Thank you Msangi, Salim and Hamid for all the good services provided.
Bright African Safaris, Thumb Up!!
Highly highly recommend Bright African for your trip to the heart of Tanzania.