Dancing Zebra Safari
- Located In:
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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:
- $550 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Debbie B | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Jessica planned an amazing trip for our group.
Jessica helped us plan a custom safari for our group of 14 adults. The itinerary she created for us was perfect. Each of the lodges she selected were unique and comfortable with amazing views. The staff and food at each lodge was outstanding. The guides she selected for us were experienced and friendly. Each day they found new animals and birds for us to view. They readily shared their knowledge with us. Many thanks to Jessica for creating a trip of a lifetime for all of us. It is a trip we will remember forever.
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Email Keith and Sandie T. | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very helpful and knowledgeable and easy to work with
Jessica went above and beyond trying to organize a custom trip for 14 people. She stayed in communication with us often on during the trip and after
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Email Steve | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Another thrilling safari with Dancing Zebra!
This was our seventh trip with Dancing Zebra Safari Co, and we have two more trips already booked for 2025! We basically give Jessica Mathews, the owner of Dancing Zebra, an idea of where we want to go, and in a short time, she comes up with a fully detailed itinerary! We usually approve the first draft. She is simply the best at safari planning! This year was all Tanzania, and also, this was a honeymoon trip for us, so Jessica made sure the camps knew that so they could give us special treats, which we really appreciated!
After visiting a Maasai village, which was an adventure in itself, we started our safari at Ngorongoro Crater, which was having something of a “super-bloom” of yellow flowers, which added quite a lot of vibrant color to the landscape. We saw all the animals there, including a rare rhino sighting! The Craters Edge lodge where we stayed was superb. Then it was off to the Serengeti, and back with the big herds of the great migration. We saw thousands of wildebeests and zebras every day, along with the lions and other predators that welcome the herds into their territory. Our first afternoon we saw 8 lions in a tree, which is something I have never seen before, in my 10 trips to Africa! Next morning we saw 11 lions walking down the road, which is another thing I have never seen. We also saw a lion kill, and three mornings in a row, we saw cheetah kills. This is about the most thrilling thing you can see on safari, especially when you see these fast cats open up at top speed.
We stayed at the top notch Lemala camps of Ewanjan and Nanyukie in central and eastern Serengeti, which were excellent as always. Our intrepid safari guide/driver, Ian, seems to have a map in his head of every dirt road, large or small. That’s why he says, “the Serengeti is my back yard” He gave directions to probably 6 other drivers who were a little lost. With Ian, we never get lost!
Altogether, this was a great trip, right at the top along with our other Dancing Zebra trips! All the detailed planning by Jessica really pays off. Next May, it’s off to South Africa and Namibia!
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Email Nora | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Dancing Safari is a boutique tour operator that arranges unique travel experiences.
Dancing Safari arranged a unique African experience for our group of 6 people. We stayed at a fabulous new property on the edge of the Ngorongoro crater that gave us the advantage of being the first group in the crater in the morning where we saw elephants, zebra, flamingos, lions, hippos, Cape buffalo, wildebeest etc. It was magical. Our tour operator arranged for us to have a catered lunch at the bottom with delicious food and full bar. It was an incredible experience! We traveled to the Serengeti and drove into the midst of the great migration of wildebeest and zebras. We also saw leopards and huge crocodiles in addition to the other animals and many baby lions. Our trip was capped with a flight to Rwanda where we stayed in a beautiful lodge near the trails to see the mountain gorillas. We saw an entire family for one hour after a hike up through the jungle. Our trackers and guides were experienced and helpful. It was a trip of a lifetime!
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Email Kathy Umlauf | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowledgeable, listens, make sure all runs smoothly and develops a tailor made plan
Jessica Mathews, the owner of Dancing Zebras, planned an amazing trip for us to Tanzania, Rwanda and Zanzibar. The accommodations she recommended were all 5 star lodges. Fantastic environments, impeccable service and delicious food. The 2 local tour guides were so passionate about showing us their countries (Tanzania and Rwanda) and were great about answering all our questions and meeting our needs.
The way she divided up the trip was perfect. She encouraged us to do a low key week at the end of our vacation and sent us to The Kilindi Resort in Zanzibar and it was paradise. Just what we needed.
Highlights include seeing The Great Migration (wildebeest, zebras and gazelles journey to Kenya -over 2 million animals go yearly), hundreds of flamingos flying in unison and landing (Ngorongoro Crater), 3 lioness up in an Acacia Tree, a male lion guarding 4 cubs, 2 leopard sightings, watching a family of elephants walk by our lodge room, having a gorilla swipe my shoulder and watching an entire gorilla family interact for an hour, and hiking to a bamboo forest watching golden monkeys swing from tree to tree. We learned so much about the history and culture of these areas through the guides, interaction with staff and drivers and driving and walking through so many diverse areas. The local people were all so kind and welcoming.
It was a trip of a life time and Jessica made it all happen.
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Email David H. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jessica has a great attention to detail that really showed in every aspect of my trip.
My very first safari trip was AMAZING! It was for 10 nights and 11 days. From the moment of planning, everything was seamless. Jessica laid out an itinerary that was so detailed. All I had to do was make sure I didn't miss my plane. I was able to ease into my journey with a two night stay in a suite at Hamerkop House, a beautiful home on a very nice golf course. Chef Mesuli prepared an incredible lunch, and later, dinner which was delicious! The next day, I was able to play a little golf after breakfast. I have to say the meals provided were so tasty at EVERY stop. I kept looking forward to the next one WHILE I was eating! The third day was the first leg of the safari trip with a long but enjoyable ride to the Ngorongoro Crater with a stop at a Maasai Boma village as well as a banana plantation where the locals prepared a very nice and delicious traditional Tanzanian meal. We finally made it to a very nice luxury lodge called Wilderness Craters Edge for a two night stay. Jeremy, the manager, and his staff was there to greet us with refreshing towels and a nice drink. The accommodations were top notch and far exceeded my expectations. The next two nights were at a tented camp in Central Serengeti called Lemala Ewanjan Tented Camp which was nice but definitely seemed more like a camp. Actual tents (very nice tents) that zipped up. The bed was really comfortable and I actually heard the lions in the early morning so I didn't need an alarm clock. The same red carpet treatment from the staff, too. We made our way to Eastern Serengeti for two nights at Lemala Nanyukie Tented Lodge. This place was really nice. The managers, Andrea and Rebecca felt like family after only two days! Every staff member there was a reflection of them.
The safari itself was life changing! I went into each day not knowing what to expect and every one of the days was a completely different experience. So many different animals and witnessing the ecosystem of wildlife unfold will stay with me forever. The days were long but went by quickly. The natural beauty kept me engaged. Seeing actual lions, zebras, elephants, a rhino, giraffes, cheetahs, gazelles and so much more wildlife in their habitat. The plains, hills and skies were the perfect backdrop to all of it. My safari guide, Bosco, was friendly, funny and knowledgeable. I learned so much from him and he made my coffee perfect every time! You're the best, Bosco! The last night at each stop included a nice sundowner at a perfect location to watch the sunset with appetizers and a nice glass of wine (or drink of your choice). I'd like to give a special thank you to all of the chefs who prepared such delicious food and the service from staff that made me feel like a celebrity. Ian, who was my guide for a day. The Hamerkop House staff: Chef Mesuli, Omary, Edmass, Sheddy, Saidi, and Posco. Thank you Ema for picking me up and taking me to the airport! I can't say enough about the detailed planning and 5 star accommodations from Dancing Zebra Safari Co. and Lemala Camps. Thank you, Jessica, for making my vacation one of the best and most memorable!
If you're considering a safari trip, I highly recommend Dancing Zebra Safari Co. to make it a reality!
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Email Victoria Vanransom | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding! Top notch guides, luxurious accommodations, and unforgettable wildlife encounters.
Our safari trip was truly exceptional thanks to the careful planning of Jessica Mathews, of Dancing Zebra. After inquiring with several of the larger more well known safari companies we choose Dancing Zebra. Our entire trip was private for just the three of us and the cost was significantly less then the competition. Thanks to the amazing guides and staff at our luxurious accommodations, we were treated like royalty while experiencing unforgettable wildlife sightings at every turn. My friends who have been on safari remarked that my photos were incredible and they had not seen half the animals on their safari's that we encountered. We were lucky enough to witness a mass migration of thousands of zebra and wilderbeest crossing the dirt road while crossing the serengeti. I highly recommend Dancing Zebra wen you are ready to plan your perfect safari!
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Email Phyllis | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous!
If you want a wonderful trip, please choose Dancing Zebra Safari Co. What an amazing trip we had. Jessica made sure that we were able to experience all the different and unusual resorts and lodges we stayed at. The first stay was at a coffee plantation with lots of monkeys. I was sitting at lunch outside and one of the monkeys jumped up on our table and picked up the bread and started eating. Me being an animal lover, I was in heaven. I only wish I could have pet him. The second place we stayed at was a luxurious tent in the Serengeti, with a balcony, small pool and an outdoor shower. This is where we did all our game drives, and we saw thousands of animals every day. Our driver, Frank, was the best. He was fun, very likeable, and very knowledgeable about all the animals. We all sang the Lion King song in the Land Cruiser. Fun, fun and fun. We laughed so much. We visited a Maasai Village, saw how they lived and learned some of their customs, and we even danced with them. The third place we stayed at was an exotic British lodge in Ngorongoro, called the Crater Lodge. I felt like a Queen (Malkia in Swahili) there. We even had lunch in the Crater floor. And the fourth place we stayed at was the Baraza resort in Zanzibar. It was gorgeous. Everyone throughout our trip was friendly and respectful with big smiles. Jessica will set up your trip in Africa to fit your needs. I felt like we had a good taste and feel of what East Africa is like. I even learned a few words in Swahili. I will be booking another trip with Dancing Zebra to go to Kenya. Have fun. You will enjoy yourselves.
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Email Marie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, thorough, hands-on, detail oriented, good communication with vendors throughout trip!
The four of us can’t begin to put into words what an amazing adventure we had!!! Tanzania is beautiful! Lemala and each of their camps/lodge we stayed at and theirs staffs were fantastic and so welcoming!! We love their smiles!! And Robert (our guide) made our experience so memorable. He is a true gem!! His knowledge of the parks and the animals was truly remarkable! We are so blessed to have news friends in Tanzania!!! Everything you (Jessica) did for us was noticed and appreciated and we wouldn’t have had this amazing experience without Dancing Zebra Safaris!!! Awesome communication, very reliable, and great value! We will highly recommend you and your company!!!
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Email David’s family scat adventure | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A knowledge skilled professional who is focus on delivering a once in a lifetime experience.
Jessica Mathews ( owner) listened to our desires and objectives for a 14 day Safari in Tanzania. This was going to be a family trip of 6 adults focused on building memories rather than collecting stuff. She talked and listened with everyone to understand what everyone wanted to experience and developed an agenda that fit.
We ended up selecting to use the Lemala Group for most of the lodging in Tanzania, except for the day when we were scheduled to depart and rested at the beautiful Rivertrees Country Inn.
The Lemala facilities were all five star lodges ( Hammerkop House, Lemala Kuria Hills, Lemala Nanyukie Lodge, Lemala Ngorogoro Tented Camp, and Lemala Mpingo Ridge )
The staff at all of the lodges were warm, welcoming and focused on customer satisfaction….it was totally refreshing….Jessica arranged for the same guide ( Frank ) to be with us throughout the whole trip. He was the highlight of the trip. He was extremely knowledgeable about the land , animals, the tribes, the culture and our individual interests…..from scats to birds…
In summary, our trip was spectacular. There were no glitches, never touched our bags, five star service and accommodation. We were very fortunate to have Dancing Zebra referred to us…the price we paid was more than justified by the attention to details to make the trip a pleasure and an experience that our family will never forget……
