How to Say "Bon Voyage" in Swahili

safari njema

The English phrase "bon voyage" translates to Swahili as safari njema.

safari njema is used as an interjection to wish someone a good journey.

Meaning: wish of good journey (intj)

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of safari, meaning "journey" and njema, meaning "good".

The English word 'safari' is borrowed directly from the Swahili word safari, though in English it specifically refers to a wildlife trip while in Swahili it means any kind of journey.
The word safari is an Arabic loanword that originally meant 'to travel' or 'to journey' in the context of the ancient trade routes.
While njema means 'good' in safari njema, it is a specific adjective that denotes a state of being pleasant or virtuous, rather than the more common word nzuri used for general quality.

Safari njema! Uwe na bahati njema katika safari yako.
Bon voyage! May you have good luck on your journey.
This sentence is useful for seeing how to wish someone good luck along with the phrase safari njema.
Tatoeba #10852978 by ecorralest101, translation #2677810 by carlosalberto
Asante kwa kutembelea nchi yetu! Safiri salama!
Thank you for visiting our country! Travel safely!
Tutaonana baadaye! Safari njema kwenye likizo yako!
See you later! Have a good trip on your vacation!
Unaondoka sasa? Nenda salama na tutakukumbuka daima!
Are you leaving now? Go safely, and we will always remember you!
Safari njema ya kwenda Nairobi.
Have a good journey to Nairobi.
Safari njema kwa rafiki yetu.
Have a good journey, our friend.

Said is seeing Fatuma off at the bus station.

Sources

Wiktionary, “bon voyage” translations and entries safari njema, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries safari, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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