Founder of Dancing Zebra Safari, Jessica Mathews
Dancing Zebra Safari
- Located In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- Africa Travel Association (ATA) & The International Ecotourism Society (T.I.E.S)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $12,142 to $43,363 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email George & Ruth Lamberty | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime - Perfection
Dancing Zebra is owned by Jessica Matthews. She is simply the BEST for organizing a safari in Tanzania. She has all the right connections to get the best deals especially with the Lemala camps. This was our first safari and from what I have seen and heard, we were blessed. Everything was thought of and nothing was spared to make this trip memorable. We had two guides, the first one for days one and two were with Edson and the remaining six days were with Ian. Wow, both of them knew everything there was to know. The best part was they tried to stay away from the main routes so that you had an individual experience. Jessica picked the best. As far as seeing wildlife, we never would have expected to see so many animals. Again, attributed to the guides. The camps of Lemala were exceptional. We felt like kings. We fell in love with every single person we met in the camps. To me that is the experience. We even had a local meal prepared for us. Delicious! We would most definitely recommend Dancing Zebra Safari and when we decide to do another one there is not doubt we will come back again.
Email Elaine & Andy | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceeded our expectations! Thank you Jessica for a beautiful safari experience!
There is definitely a reason why every review here is 5 stars. Jessica listens to what you want in your safari and will tailor a trip to give you exactly what you desire. Where Dancing Zebra stands out from the rest, Jessica will come back with alternative options for you to consider, and explain what each option will offer you. Not like other companies that may want to give you a standard package tour. Thank you Jessica for all the time spent with us on the phone!
Our safari was specific to Tanzania, starting in Arusha and then to Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Central Serengeti and Northern Serengeti. We were fortunate to have Ian as our guide for the entire journey, and after just one day with him, we felt like we were traveling with a friend, not just a guide. Ian's passion for the wildlife was quite evident and he was enjoying the viewing of animals as much as we were. We enjoyed him telling us details about what we were seeing and why the animals were doing certain things. And his ability to spot animals far away is incredible. I'm seeing a dot on the horizon and he is telling me exactly what animal it is!!
The camps Jessica selected for us were perfect. We started at Nykani Camp in Tarangire and then to 3 Lamala camps in Ngorongoro (Lamala Tented Camp), Central Serengeti (Lamala Ewanjan) and Northern Serengeti (Lamala Mobile Tented Camp). They were all somewhat similar in appearance with excellent staff that was eager to please and very personable. We all felt like family. I hope that perhaps we will see them again in a future adventure.
If you are considering a safari, you need to look at Dancing Zebra. If you don't, you may be sorry later.
Email Kathy and John | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dancing Zebra Safari Company: Simply The Best!
Words cannot describe the amazing 12 day Tanzanian Safari Jessica planned for us starting on 9/26/21. Our planning involved numerous phone calls, emails and zoom meetings. She guided us through the ever-changing COVID restrictions. Jessica took the time to get to know us, our interests and designed a unique Safari experience incorporating input from each of the four people in our group. Her recommendations were perfect!
Our adventure began with a flight into Kilimanjaro and a night’s stay at the lovely Hamerkop House where we were treated like royalty. Dinner and breakfast were amazing!
Early the next morning, we started our journey with Ian our guide. He is extremely knowledgeable, engaging, fun loving and most importantly, loves his job! Within minutes of meeting Ian, we were at ease knowing we had the ideal guide.
After leaving Arusha we spent two days at Tarangire National Park at Nykani Camp. The accommodations at this camp and all those that followed had incredibly comfortable beds. The warm bucket showers felt relaxing after a long day of game drives. It was quite an experience leaving up the canvas of our tents to listen to the animals throughout the night.
We saw impalas, zebras, lion and at one point counted more than 50 elephants. An hour was spent watching elephants frolicking in the river. Our group was surprised at how close we could observe. We learned about termite mounds as we watched 4 cheetahs sitting on one. Most mornings we headed out at 6 AM when the animals were most active and had a bush breakfast.
Our next stop was Lemala Ngorongoro Camp. We took a short hike (accompanied by a ranger) and was surprised to find a sundowner with drinks and snacks set up by staff at the rim of the crater. Accommodation, food and hospitality continued to be first rate!
Our journey continued to Central Serengeti for three night and then on to Northern Serengeti These were also Lemala Properties with great food, friendly staff and great campfires at night.
The four of us took our first balloon ride in Central Serengeti and we were glad we did.
Travelers, we don’t know how Ian planned it, but each day eclipsed the previous day’s experience! We experienced big cat sightings each day, along with herds of elephants, wildebeests, baboons, hippos and crocodiles. Additionally, we were fortunate enough to witness three crossings of the Wildebeest Migration. This was clearly one of the highlights of our trip. Also, so much was learned about the people and beautiful country of Tanzania.
This trip was well worth the money that was spent! Our advise to you is to follow the guides lead, while you relax and observe.
In closing, we cannot say enough about this company. We experienced a perfectly designed Safari and are deeply grateful to Jessica and Ian for all their planning and hard work.
Kathy and John
CA
Email Shawn Aaron | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An Excellent Trip to Tanzania
We went on safari to Tanzania with a side trip to Zanzibar, organized by Jessica and Dancing Zebras. The trip was fantastic. Everything was well organized, the safari camps we stayed at were excellent and the experience was everything we hoped it would be. I would highly recommend Dancing Zebras if you want to book an excellent African adventure.
Email Tracey | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Experience!!!
Jessica planned an incredible trip for us that included Safari in Tanzania, relaxation in Zanzibar and a quick stop in Nairobi. Jessica was a pleasure to work with and is a true professional.
The accommodations were all outstanding and the service was incredible. The service and staff at the lodges were by far the most caring and friendly that we have ever experienced. All aspects of the trip surpassed our expectations. We got incredibly close to the animals and saw more than we anticipated. We thoroughly enjoyed breaking up safari with visits to two tribes. Spending time with the Datoga and Hadza tribes and learning about their cultures was a real highlight.
Mwiba in Southern Serengeti was a little out of the way but absolutely worth the trip. If you have the chance to visit, don't pass up
on it! The lodge, service and scenary are outstanding. We also got closest to the animals here because it is a private game reserve.
Our drivers and guides Frank, Henry and David in Nairobi were all fantastic. They were all very knowledgable, easy going and professional. The roads in Ngorongoro and Eastern Serengeti were treacherous at times but Frank navigated them with ease and did his best to make the rides as smooth as possible. The guides were also all experts on spotting animals in the distance.
We added in a balloon ride at the last minute and we loved it! It requited a very early morning but was worth it. My husband who is afraid of heights did not find it challenging or scary at all. In fact, it was a very smooth, relaxing ride. The view from above is majestic!
I highly recommend Jessica and Dancing Zebra Safari! We had an amazing trip!
Email Lisa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Everything from start to finish was done correctly & there were no surprises.
PLEASE book with this company!!!! Jessica was amazing to work with. Very knowledgeable about all things Safari (and then some!). We had the best of the best...from the moment we landed in Tanazia to when we left Zanzibar, everything was handled and hassle free. Everyone we meet along the way were genuinely wonderful and great to work with. All the accommodations and meals were more than 5 stars! Never once had any troubles with the vehicles breaking down. We plan to book another trip with Jessica & Dancing Zebra Safari Company.
Our tour operator went above and beyond to make this trip special for us! Amazing!
We had an amazing time on our safari. I never imagined just how beautiful Africa would be. We saw the big five along with so many other beautiful animals. I’ve never seen so many vibrant colors and the landscape didn’t even look real! Apart from the beauty of tanazania, our favorite thing had to be the people. Before we even started on our journey Jessica at dancing zebra planned everything perfectly for us. She was so knowledgeable and took time to talk with us (multiple phone calls) to alleviate any of our concerns and answer all of our questions. Our flight that we personally booked got changed and they had no problem rearranging our accommodations to match the new flight. Our tour guide Frank was phenomenal. He was so knowledgeable and taught us all kinds of animal facts. He made the safari for us because he was so into the animals. I really wanted to see the great migration and he went above and beyond to contact different people to make that happen. The migration was breathtaking. Frank took a ton of pictures that looked professionally done and shared them with us at the end of the trip. All of the lodges we stayed at were beautiful and the employees were absolutely amazing and so hospitable. We learned Swahili, had private dinners with gorgeous views, and went on nature walks learning about the culture and surrounding areas. We were so sad to return home and will definitely be back. And there is no doubt that we will use dancing zebra, Jessica, and Frank the next time we book!
Email Ann | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A mind-blowing experience!
Thank you Dancing Zebra Safari Co. for putting together a trip of a lifetime for my husband and I! Jessica organized an amazing trip to Tanzania for us. In 10 short days we experienced so much and enjoyed luxury with adventure.
We went on a four day safari in the Northern Serengeti. We had an amazing guide (Ian) who catered to our desire to see certain animals.
We saw everything!! Ian even made sure my husband got to see a leopard! My husband and I were both overwhelmed with the beauty of Tanzania. Following our safari we traveled to Mahale, a beautiful camp off the shores of Lake Tanganyika, to embark on a mind blowing experience, chimp trekking. WOW! We were only feet from our closest cousins in arguably one of the most pristine places in the world. What we saw and experienced was enough to make this our most memorable trip to date. In addition we stayed in luxurious accommodations and enjoyed Michelin-level cuisine the entire trip.
Jessica made sure every detail of our trip was arranged. Someone was always waiting to take us to the next location or make sure we were well taken care of during our entire journey. Dancing Zebra Safari Co. is a cut above! We are already dreaming about and planning our next trip to Tanzania.
Email Mark | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Two thumbs up!
Our safari travel agent did an amazing job of planning our Tanzania trip together and arranging for everything. We didn't know much about where we wanted to go when we first talked. She gave us the lay of the land and prepared itineraries for us to review, adjusting them to help fit our budget and priorities. We ended up deciding on a ~9 day trip to Serengeti National park and Zanzibar, staying with a mobile campsite in the Serengeti, a resort on the east side of Zanzibar and then a hotel in Stone Town. Our agent booked everything other than our international flights and provided us helpful materials and a packing list before we left. The trip couldn't have gone more smoothly.
Friendly drivers were always there waiting to take us from the airport or airstrip to our hotel or campsite. Our accommodations were fantastic. The Serengeti campsite in particular, we can't recommend enough. It was great being able to not worry about the arrangements and just enjoy being in Africa. Two thumbs up!
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Email Bettina R. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worth every Cent!
If you are ever planning to do a safari in Tanzania ”Dancing Zebra Safari Company” should be your choice. Having traveled to Tanzania with this company to three of the most beautiful camps, I can honestly recommend Dancing Zebra Safari Company to be your agent. A perfect coordination of camps and planning of our trip made it the most enjoyable journey without having to care about anything. Everything was perfectly arranged and explained so that one had only to think about what to put in one’s bag for the journey, and even here you got written suggestions what to take.
The camps, starting with Chada Katavi in Katavi National Park, were well chosen and we were spoiled and taken care of from the first to the last day being in that beautiful camp. Even a fly camping and a walking safari had been organized, and all our guides were full of knowledge and very caring. Moving on to paradise like Greystoke Mahale camp on Lake Tanganyika was also planned and operated in the most perfect way, and one always felt safe and able to enjoy every single moment. Just completely relaxing.
Flights were checked and confirmed before leaving from one camp to the other so that there were not bad surprises. Our third camp, Kigelia in Ruaha National Park, was another well planned highlight and from the first to the last minute worth every cent spent. Altogether Dancing Zebra Safari Company was the best solution as operator for our safari and we will certainly book with them again for our next safari.