Brilliant Africa Reviews 

Before booking with Brilliant Africa we looked through a few other travel groups to get an idea for the various price ranges, experiences and just to see what is out there. After meeting with Marc we felt confident that we were in good hands. Our first meeting was noncommittal and very respectful. Marc was on board with us from the beginning and explained the different kind of trips they offer and how each experience would affect the price range. He was honest and transparent about how we can fit in the range of experiences we were looking for considering we have inquired both for a Safari and Zanzibar/beach portion. He was gracious to go back and draft up different combinations of our trip catered to our request around 4-5 times probably. He was so easy to coordinate with and gracious with his time. It was a huge bonus to work with him (especially because we could not be bothered planning another thing after planning a big wedding.)
After we had agreed on an itinerary we received a beautifully detailed link to our trip and a clear list for packing, weather conditions, what to expect, etc.
When the day finally arrived, we landed at the Kilimanjaro airport in Tanzania and everything was completely smooth and seamless from there! We were greeted by a woman with a sign and taken through to a separate customs lounge, we had a driver pick us up directly from there and take us to the hotel. We were escorted by drivers from hotel to hotel, and every place we stayed at was completely spectacular and unbelievably magical! Each stay had left us in awe and completely enamored with every moment. The staff and the people were wonderful and so kind and genuine, the food was great, the places were beautiful and so special. It was a truly seamless and extraordinary experience!
We had a spectacular itinerary with 6-7 days of Safari and 3 days of Zanzibar island relaxation. It was unbelievably beautiful and special and I highly recommend using Brilliant Africa for future planning!

Our experience with Brilliant Africa was top notch and we couldn’t have asked for a better 2 week experience for our honeymoon. From our initial call, it was clear that Marc was an expert in the field and he created a tailored trip just for us. He was flexible with changing arrival/departure dates and a last minute stop over to Stonetown to make sure we were able to take in everything on our wishlist. And he helped make every step to all of our different stops so seamless. We didn’t need to think for 1 moment on this trip because it was so seamlessly planned with all of our guides and lodges being in contact with each other that we experienced white glove door to door service at all times

The guides were incredible - experts on the parks and animals, friendly, flexible, and we felt so taken care of. Emmanuel for Arusha and Ngorongoro and Edward in Serengeti were the most amazing guides at Nomad! We saw so much more than we could have even imagined

The lodges were the best places we have ever stayed at in our entire lives. Each new lodge topped the prior and we were so impressed with the caliber of the staff and the detailed and professional service we received everywhere. Finally - Tulia Resort. I can’t even find the right words to describe how magical our experience was there. We felt so pampered and special and I was on the verge of tears when leaving because the staff by the end of the week literally felt like family. Every part of this trip was perfect

Jake and I refer to this as the best 2 week period of our lives. We would be so fortunate to be able to visit Tanzania again and would not hesitate to book with Brilliant Africa again. Everything was truly better than we ever could have imagined and was the perfect trip. Thank you for being a part of this incredible memory and for making it so easy for us to be able to take in the trip without a single worry. You all are the best at Brilliant Africa!!

Incredible trip and superb planning!
Marc was extremely responsive and supportive from the start. This was for our honeymoon and I would recommend it to anyone. Starting with 1 night in Arusha, 4 nights in the Serengeti, 4 nights at Zuri (hotel in northern Zanzibar) and our last night in Stone town Zanzibar. Everything was planned perfectly from transportation to accommodations. All the third party people/companies they use are phenomenal and I cannot speak highly enough of &Beyond who was used for our safari. It was a lovely honeymoon and I will have something to remember forever!

I can hardly begin to express how grateful we are for Brilliant Africa (Marc specifically) and their expertise. We had the most incredible trip to beautiful Tanzania and Zanzibar… We could not have dreamed of a more magical honeymoon and travel experience.

Packed with adventure in the Serengeti: ANIMALS (Nomad had quite literally the perfect location / setup to catch the migration pretty much all morning long – We even saw a pack of zebra and 21 giraffes walk past the camp site while eating our lunch!), the most wonderful people, and lodging + food beyond any expectation. For ‘camping’ in the bush – it sure felt like a 5-star experience. Anything you could possibly think of, they had already taken care of it. Asante sana didn’t even begin to cover it. This is an experience we are grateful for having been able to have had together and will remember it for the rest of our lives. Our guide Silva was also the icing on the cake – 18 years of experience and knew the landscape of the Serengeti and the crater like the back of his hand. Anything we wanted to see, he found it for us. We thoroughly enjoyed our time spent with Silva and wish him well on his next adventures! Lastly, we also DEFINITELY noticed that we were catching the migration in much more real time than other locations/hotel, which are all much further away... Another way Brilliant Africa accommodated us! We asked for more adventure and that's exactly what we got!!!

Then we took off for Zanzibar to relax at the beautiful Zuri. Neither of us I have ever had the opportunity to stay at such a luxurious hotel before – it was almost shocking how beautiful it was. But, again - Marc took our budget and stretched it in ways we didn't think possible!!

The photos don’t even do it justice. A trip of a lifetime as newlyweds… Marc, I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for your efforts and thoughtfulness throughout the planning process, and your perfect attention to detail – transportation coordination, travel guides, NOMAD, everything. From our first call, you understood what Scott and I were looking for and there’s not one thing we would have wanted to be different from the entire stay.

Thank you so very much. Cheers!

Unforgettable experience
Perfect organisation and assistance
Conscious and sustainable travel
Highly recommended

CF Switzerland

We spoke to a lot of travel companies for our Tanzania/Zanzibar trip of a lifetime with our two older teenagers, but Marc from Brilliant Africa was fantastic. He very quickly picked up what we wanted in terms of the trip and the accommodation style / quality we were looking for. Other companies seemed to provide quotes for their “off the shelf” version, but Marc listened to us and tailored our holiday to our needs and was very responsive. We stayed in Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the Northern Serengeti. Each of these locations was different, but very special in their own ways. Communication with Brilliant Africa was excellent before we left. All our little queries and questions were answered in a very timely fashion. Prior to our trip we were given details of people on the ground for emergency contacts (not that we needed to use them, but it was great to know they were there!). As soon as we arrived in Tanzania, everything just worked seamlessly. We were collected from the airport on arrival by our guide and driver for the next few days. He was professional, informative, knowledgeable and friendly and a good driver as well! Brilliant Africa arranged our internal light aircraft flight into the Serengeti, and this also worked well, was on time and was a fun experience. We were met at the airstrip in the Serengeti by another driver / guide who was again professional and knowledgeable and very passionate about what he does. We spent another few days here watching the herds gathering for the migration and river crossing and the famous Serengeti sunrise. All the accommodation recommended / chosen was superb and the quality of the food and the friendliness of the staff was exceptional. Following seven full on days on safari, we flew to Zanzibar for a few days well earned rest at a fabulous beach resort on the Northwest tip of the island. We would recommend staying in this area because the sea is not affected by the tides like in other parts of the island. It was just what we needed and a great way to round off the holiday. As a family, we loved every minute of our trip and would highly recommend Brilliant Africa and Marc in particular, to anyone considering a trip to East Africa.

I have just returned from 14 days in Uganda. The entire experience was outstanding. From my first contact with Marc everything ran so smoothly. Communication was excellent. The holiday was everything I could have hoped for. The two gorilla treks, chimpanzee trek, 3 boat cruises, a hike through the mountain forest, visit to a rhino sanctuary and numerous games drives . . . all were fantastic. The standard of accommodation was perfect, service excellent and the food was sensational. My local guide on the ground, Denis, was also outstanding.
I highly recommend Brilliant Africa, and Marc in particular, and would certainly use them again.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about my family's experience with Brilliant Africa and their Kenya/Tanzania specialist, Tracy. Even with only eight weeks of lead time, Tracy planned an incredibly thoughtful and bespoke eleven-day Tanzania Safari for me and my family of five (including three boys, ages 19, 16 and 13). After an initial email inquiry, Tracy and I arranged a call where she asked smart questions about my family, our hopes for Africa, tentative travel dates and general budget. Within a couple of days, she sent me three different safari itineraries -- one for Kenya, one for Tanzania and one for Tanzania plus Zanzibar -- all within the budget range and all that evidenced she had listened carefully to our travel wishes. Tracy then followed up with another phone call to walk me through the various options and answer my questions. All the safaris she put together were good options, but we chose the Tanzania one, in part because we wanted the ironic Serengeti experience. We got that Serengeti experience and so much more! The Safari itself was incredible and included time at Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, the Ndutu Region, and the Serengeti. Each location was distinct and special both in terms of topography and wildlife. The tent lodges and hotel Tracy selected for us throughout our eleven days were a perfect blend of family-friendly, luxury and Eco-friendly; several were within the national parks and offered spectacular animal encounters/viewing. We also had opportunities to have cultural experiences with Masai tribes in various locations and were able to enjoy a balloon safari in the Tarangire, which was so magical. Our on the ground driver/guide, Priscus, arranged through Tracy was absolutely incredible. He was considerate, thoughtful and extremely knowledgeable; he knew when to let us simply enjoy the landscape and when to teach us about everything from Boabab trees and termites to warthog antics and lion mating. And when we had a flight delay that landed us in Tanzania a day later than expected, the team on the ground was flexible and adapted expertly to our needs/delay so that we were impacted as little as possible. If/when we go back to Africa, we will absolutely use Brilliant Africa again.

Visiting Tanzania was my dream since I was 12 years old. In 2022 my husband and I decided to made the trip of our lifetime and we started contacting various companies and getting quotes to travel in 2023. Trust me when I say that we exchanged emails with more than 10 companies. Most of the quotes we received felt out of the shelve and didn’t captured something that really moved us.

Since the first contact with Marc, Brilliant Africa captured our hearts and made us believe our dream was not only going to become a reality but also that it would be much more incredible than what we expected. The values and mission of the company and the dedication of the team were the main reason why we decided to travel with them. I am so thankful we found them!

Marc took the time to listen to our expectations, interests and hopes, and along with his team, created 2 amazing itineraries for us to choose from. He understood we needed one year to plan, and was fully dedicated to make our dream a reality. He kept in constant contact and was always available to answer to our questions and adjust the itinerary based on what we wanted.

Brilliant Africa organized everything for us. The hotels and lodges where we stayed were breathtaking. Transportation was perfect. We did not have to worry at all and our 10 days traveling through the north circuit were beyond perfect.

And the guide that Brilliant Africa assigned to us…. There are no words that can describe how thankful we are for Andrew. It is impossible to describe what an amazing professional and human being he is. He generously shared his knowledge with us every minute we spent together, he took us to the most amazing spots, and the depth of his expertise allowed us to learn much more than we ever expected. We are now Tanzanian ambassadors thanks to him.

Brilliant Africa is an absolute amazing company and I will forever recommend it as they not only turned my dream into a reality, but also allowed us to have new dreams thanks to our experience. What an amazing team of dedicated professionals! We will be forever thankful with them.

We planned our honeymoon with Brilliant Africa: 5 days in Tanzania and 3 days in Zanzibar. We had the time of our lives! Every single detail was very well organised, and Marc was extremely helpful throughout the whole organisation of our trip. Thank you Brilliant Africa for everything!!! Cant wait to play our next trip with you! Thanks again :)

One of the best Experiences I’ve ever had. Great staff! Very well organized! An amazing trip!

We used Marc when arranging our honeymoon to Kenya and Zanzibar. Marc made arranging the holiday very easy and suggested some good recommendations of destination. It was a truly amazing experience The hotels and experience was unforgettable. I would recommend Marc to any honeymoon couple looking for a seamless booking experience.

Unfortunately we had to change our plans and didn't make it to Uganda as we'd hoped in the end due to changes in our personal circumstances. However Brilliant Africa and Marc especially offered us exceptional service and support when planning and booking our trip. Their knoweledge of the area and professional service was a pleasure to deal with and I'd highly recommend them. I really hope that we'll have an opportunity to travel through them in the future.

Brilliant Africa are worth their weight in gold!

What started with a panicked last minute call to Tracy at Brilliant Africa ended with one of the best holidays I have ever been on! Tracy listened to all our needs - of which there were many and managed to incorporate every single one of them. We were shown the delights of the Masai Mara, a wonderful time in central Nairobi and ultimate rest in the picture perfect idyll that is Diani beach. Brilliant Africa organised a wonderful taster to Kenya and we were so impressed.
The organisation before we arrived in Kenya was detailed and impressive and continued once we touched down. We felt looked after, had every one of our question answered and had all our fear allayed - particularly important as it was our first time adventuring with our 3 year old.
The gorgeous hotel choices and smooth airport transfers made a busy trip an absolute doddle and we never once were given reason to worry.
Many thanks again to Tracy and the team - you have given us memories to last a lifetime.

We researched a few companies for our trip to Uganda but Brilliant Africa stood out for a number of reasons. Our main plan for the trip was to see the gorillas. We were short on time and the itinerary they put together (and beautifully presented so really brought our wishes to life) matched our needs perfectly. It was also the best value of all the quotes obtained.
Marc was on hand at all times to answer questions and provided local insight allowing us to have the best experience.
The highlight of the trip was spending a glorious hour with the gorillas in the middle of Bwindi impenetrable forest.
We were really impressed by the attention to detail from the company. Marc even identified that we had a late flight back and offered to arrange a day room at a lodge near to entebbe airport so we didn't have to spend our final day at the airport. This allowed us to book a last minute sunset cruise on Lake Victoria. The perfect end to a great break.
If we were to travel to east Africa in future, this would, without a doubt be our company of choice. Highly recommended.

Brilliant Africa listened closely to what we wanted for our trip and went above and beyond to make it happen. They found the perfect trip for us and the best team on the ground to make it happen. If I head back to Africa I will definitely be using Brilliant Africa again.

My wife and I went to Tanzania for our honeymoon in the first two weeks in January. As the holiday included safari, we wanted to use an expert of the field for the booking.

We looked at two high street companies initially, and were very close to booking, but we’re then recommended Brilliant Africa. Quite quickly we realised it would be the right decision.

Brilliant Africa were both enthusiastic and communicative, and really worked with us to make the most out of our budget, and spend the money in the right places.

The trip then went off without a hitch, and the accommodation on n we stayed in was evidently well curated by the team.

We will be highly recommending Tanzania, and Brilliant Africa, to any who ask!

Brilliant Africa arranged our trip to East Africa. We liaised with Marc for all our arrangements. They sorted the following:
- Uganda gorilla permits
- Uganda transfers, internal flights & accommodation
- transfer to Kigali, Rwanda
- Kenya transfers, 5 day safari
- transfer to Zanzibar, Tanzania

From start to end this trip was so well organised. With 4 weeks notice, they planned and executed our most memorable trip to date.
The accommodation, food and transfers were all seamless with every driver, guide & all staff being 5 star.
I would highly recommend Brilliant for any trips to East Africa. Ask for Marc - he is truly brilliant at what he does!

We had very definite ideas of what we wanted for our first trip to Africa and contact a few safari operators to start. A couple of emails later, Brilliant Africa, by the way of Marc Christensen, quickly stood head and shoulder above the rest in terms of his attentive follow-ups and thoughtful suggestions. Marc listened to all of our special requests, our preferred mode of traveling, and custom made us the most perfect itinerary. With Marc's help, we fulfilled a lifetime dream to visit Meru and Kora National Parks to see where the George and Joy Adamson raised and released Elsa and several other lions. We also opted for an all driving safari which lasted 3 weeks, taking us up and down Kenya and then clear across Tanzania - all by the roads. Marc worked out all the details, making everyday eventful but never pushing so hard for it to be unsafe in anyway. Marc made the plans, but it was left to the people on the ground to execute the plans. Because Brilliant Africa has brilliant partners on the ground, the reality worked as smoothly as the plan had foretold. We were shuttled from park to park, camp to camp, Kenya, Tanzania and Kenya again, and so well looked after at all times. Even with all the hindsight wisdom we have now, we can't think of how the trip could have been better planned and carried out. Thank you Marc and Brilliant Africa, you were Brilliant, indeed. And a very special shout out to Emma in Kenya, on the ground, there to set everyone straight everytime any last minute confusion came up. Emma waved her magic wand and just made everything perfect for us. She personified Hakuna Matata. Thank you Marc and Emma! We can't wait to go to Africa again with Brilliant Africa! And we will certainly recommend you to all of our friends.

“The trip of a lifetime” is too cliché to convey how epic it was. I spent a month traveling around Africa and the gorilla experience in Uganda was the easily my favorite and most memorable. (which is saying a lot because it competed with Zanzibar and Cape Town). The staff were exemplary, kind, and gracious. There was never a hiccup, delay, or negative moment from start to finish. To hang out with gorillas like we did would have made up for any shortcomings because that in itself is so special, but the personal greetings, Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, the airplane ride, and every person we came in contact with made it an over-the-top adventure. Thanks for taking such good care of us!