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:
- $550 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email Celina & Sang | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Hands down the best safari tour operator in Tanzania
We cannot say enough good things about Dancing Zebras Safari. My partner and I felt extremely well taken care of from start to finish. Jessica is extremely responsive, and she personalizes and caters the safari itinerary based on what you're looking for. We didn't really know what to expect since this was our first time doing a safari trip and also our first time in Africa, but it was clear as soon as we arrived in Tanzania that all we had to do was enjoy the trip. Dancing Zebras Safari takes care of all transportation, meals, drinks, accommodations and beyond. The scheduling is also very well thought out (not overly planned so as there's no down time, but enough activities planned throughout the day that it feels like you're making the most of the trip). This was also our honeymoon trip, and Jessica & her team planned some beautiful sundowners and private dining experiences after our game drives. The whole crew really went out of their way to make this trip so special for us, and we are so grateful.
This trip is definitely worth the price! The accommodations were some of the best we've been to, and the service is top notch. Staying at a lodge completely immersed in nature (we saw giraffes and elephants from our room and waterbucks and buffaloes from our dining table) while still having access to attentive service, delicious food and beautiful rooms felt out of this world. We felt like we had an authentic safari experience without having to sacrifice on comfort.
We would be remiss if we didn't mention the service and the amazing crew that helped make our safari experience unforgettable (shout out to Damian, Esther, Greg, Wright, Carlos, Adolf, Martha & various others whose names we didn't catch). Everyone we met was extremely welcoming and kind. We especially liked that we were designated a team of staff during each of our stays so you get the chance to build a relationship with each and every one of them.
Last, but not least, the tour itself was insane. We saw so much more than we could ever imagine. We shared some special private moments with the animals which we will forever cherish. Our guide, Robert, was the absolute best. He has an endless knowledge of the animals, the park and Tanzania. We learned so much during our time with him, and shared many stories and laughs as well. He also has the best eyesight in the world. He can spot animals with his naked eye that we can only see with our binoculars.
10/10.
US
Email Heather | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Freddie was an amazing tour guide; very knowledgeable, fun and patient.
Dancing Zebra did a great job organizing our trip!! All the lodges we stayed at were fantastic! The staff was very friendly, inviting and helpful. It truly was an amazing experience.
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Email Adam + Madison | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unbelievably great honeymoon experience
Our experience with Dancing Zebra was absolutely fantastic. We did a 5 day safari in the Northern Serengeti followed by 5 days in Zanzibar on the beach. Jessica took care of basically everything outside of the flights for us, and set us up for an unbelievably great honeymoon experience. After spending a brief overnight in Arusha at Hamerkop, we went to Lemala Kuria Hills in the Northern Serengeti for our safari. The staff, food, and accommodations were fantastic and we felt so special and celebrated while there. A special shout out to Damian and Godwil for taking such great care of us while we were there. The safari itself was also so beautiful and a true life experience, thanks to our guide Steven. We got to see all of the Big 5 in one trip!! We then went to Zanzibar where we got to relax in beautiful Kilindi. We had a personal butler take care of our every need in a private villa there. It was the perfect combination of action / activity and relaxation. My wife and I cannot thank Jessica, the Dancing Zebra Safari, and the staff at Hamerkop, Lemala, and Kilindi enough for a honeymoon to remember.
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Email Kathy Dean | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dancing Zebra Safari recommended and planned the most amazing experience ever!
Being on opposite sides of the US was no problem for us as we had zoom meetings and lots of email correspondence with Jessica (Dancing Zebra) prior to our trip. She even took care of issues getting our visas for Tanzania! Omary, Mesuli and the others at our first Lemala accommodations in Tanzania were amazing, always answering our many questions with patience and smiles. Then we took a bush plane into the Serengeti where we were met at the airport by Robert. This man was not only the most knowledgeable guide, but also a genuine and kind person who loved to laugh with us. He was our guide for the rest of the trip and was like family to us by the end of the trip. He always knew the best spots and the best times to see whatever animals we wanted to see on a particular day. Often when we returned to camp and were discussing our daily adventures with other travelers, they rarely had seen half of the amazing things we saw. The 2 mobile Lemala tented camps (Lemala Mara and Lemala Ngorongoro) were in beautiful places with such kind "butlers" who prepared our talking showers. All the Lemala staff at each location was amazing. So friendly, kind, helpful, and ready to do anything to make your visit meet your expectations. My favorite Lemala camp was Lemala Nanyukie Lodge. The accommodations were totally amazing - a 5 star facility in the middle of the Eastern Serengeti! One day we sat on the private deck of our quarters that overlooked the Serengeti watching the baboons playing in a tree. The daily safaris were the highlight of my trip because we always saw wild animals up close and personal. Possibly the highlight of all the animal sightings was when we saw 2 young male lions work together to try to take down a hippo in the Ngorongoro Crater. I was able to video the whole scene. The young lions were unsuccessful but their effort was unforgettable. (I was pulling for the hippo because I really didn't want to witness a kill.) The one thing I would leave off about our trip would be the Olduvai Gorge Museum. It was an awesome gorge to admire but I would rather have had more time in our next location. I guess it did break up the long drive to our final accommodations in the Ngorongoro Crater. On our last day in Tanzania it was wonderful to have a cultural experience in a village with local residents as guides. We rode tuk tuks, visited a local artist co-op and had delicious, authentic local food on a banana plantation. Then we headed to the airport for our long trip home. What a trip! Totally amazing, awesome, and unforgettable!
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Email Kathleen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dancing Zebra made our safari the journey of a lifetime!
Jessica at Dancing Zebra listened carefully to what we wanted and created an amazing itinerary for our safari. She made recommendations based on her experience and put us in the perfect locations to experience the migration and experience the best of Tanzania. When one our group members missed a flight because of an airline snafu, Jessica and her team were right there to help her book a later flight and arrange transportation to catch up with the group.
Every aspect of our trip (accommodations, transportation, tours, guides) was exactly as described and communicated in the planning documents. The people, food, and accommodations at the Lemala Camps were outstanding. Our guide Frank was incredible. His expertise put us a step ahead of all the other vehicles for the best pictures and views. We learned so much from him and can't thank him enough for making the trip such an unforgettable experience.
I would highly recommend Dancing Zebra Safari and will be booking another trip with Jessica in the future.
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Email Trish | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jessica at Dancing Zebra is knowledgeable and well connected to excellent operators in Africa.
Our tour set up through Dancing Zebra was excellent. Details of what we needed to take care of were well communicated. Information on each of our days were provided in an organized booklet we referred to often during our travels.
The places we stayed were excellent and our guide was a perfect match for our group. Two of the folks in our group were into photography. Frank our guide is a photographer and understood lighting and the best angles for taking pictures. He also knew animal behavior and often placed us just where the leopard was going.
We had once hiccup with an airline (precision airline) that impacted one of our group. Jessica realtime got her local contacts on board to help work the situation. As it turned out it was my daughter that had to spend a day in Nirobi. This event was harder on me than my daughter . This was the fault of the airline but it warmed my heart that her local contact Veronica kept in touch with my daughter through out the day ensuring she was ok until we linked up together that evening.
I give Jessica and her extended team that supported our tour high marks.
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Email Christina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari and Beach Honeymoon
We booked our safari and beach combination honeymoon through Dancing Zebra Safari and had an amazing experience! In order to arrive at our final itinerary, we had multiple discussions with Jessica to ensure the safari covered what we were interested in seeing and that the overall honeymoon would be tailored to our preferences, budget, and expectations.
Through her guidance and expertise, we decided to go to Tanzania for a Northern Serengeti safari followed by a visit to Zanzibar - and from that point forward, Jessica took care of everything. She is a prompt communicator - always quick to answer any question no matter how big or small. She made me feel at ease on multiple occasions when I was anxious about our first safari (there's so much to learn!) in addition to planning my wedding.
We had the most wonderful experience. Our safari camp was spectacular. Because of their relationship with Jessica, they gave us the best accommodations available on the property. They welcomed us with sparkling wine, arranged a surprise private sunset happy hour on our 2nd to last night, and a surprise dinner under the stars on our last evening. Everyone at the camp was so warm and friendly - we really felt so welcomed our entire stay. The tent was luxurious with a wonderful view - we even saw animals from our room on multiple occasions. Our guide was hired through the camp and he was absolutely outstanding- the perfect combination of knowledgable, friendly, and accommodating. He made every day so fun and informative, and was critical to our experience. My husband is very knowledgeable about the Serengeti and the animals there (which is why we were so eager to go on a safari) - and so enjoyed chatting with our guide about their shared love of the animal kingdom. We were sad to leave camp, but excited to embark on the 2nd part of the trip.
We went to Zanzibar to get to explore more of beautiful Tanzania. Our resort was opulent, the staff was friendly, the food was excellent (my husband is a chef and raved!), the beach was stunning, the villa was incredible - it was the perfect way to relax after our days on safari.
Jessica took care of all aspects of our trip except for our international flights from NYC to Tanzania. This included accommodations, drivers/transfers, and domestic flights. She provided extensive information on how to prepare for the safari, suggested packing lists, information guides, etc. Everything went flawlessly - she was clearly communicating with the staff at our camp/resort to ensure that we were well taken care of.
We are already dreaming about our next safari trip - and would highly recommend Dancing Zebra Safari to anyone who is considering going on the trip of a lifetime.
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Email Mel & Eileen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Dancing Zebra Safari arranges the most perfect safari you could ever imagine!
This was our 3rd trip to Tanzania arranged by Jessica Matthews of Dancing Zebra Safari. Each of our trips has been amazing, and every detail was arranged to perfection. The camps and lodges that we stayed at were outstanding. Each one would definitely receive 5 Stars for comfort, beauty, and service by the staff. The meals at the accommodations were extremely delicious and prepared by excellent chefs. Jessica also provides wonderful guides for your safari. Our guide, Ian, had the eyes of an eagle, and he always made sure that we had a VIP position for viewing the amazing wildlife, usually before other 4x4s arrived. There could be no better company for planning your trip! If we are ever fortunate enough to go again, we will definitely use Jessica and Dancing Zebra to plan our trip.
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Email Chuanxiang chi | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing trip
We have a group of 22 people who visited Tanzania for 9 days which originated by Dancing Zabra Safari company (Jessica with her team).
We had a wonderful time and experience and life time memories.
The trip was well organized and the hotels we stayed in were very nice and all the staff in the hotels were friendly and helpful.
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Email Ron & Karen | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
In spite of our large group of 14 and our complex itinerary everything went off without a hitch!
Our Dancing Zebre Safari representative, Jessica Mathews, was able to coordinate the various arrival dates, times and activities seamlessly. The 4 facilities where we stayed were very well run by their camp managers and staff. The food and services provided were all better than anticipated.
For our safety Maasi Warriors would escort you to and from your lodge. At our last camp we were able to explore the area without an escort while it was light. For those uncomfortable walking alone a Maasi Warrior would accompany them. Our driver/guides Frank, Hassan, and Miraji, are well educated and able to explain and answer questions about the many different animals, birds, insects, vegetation, trees, and landscape surrounding you. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was professional, personable and polite! My only wish would be that the vehicles not follow so close to one another to reduce the dust intake for those with respiratory (asthma, COPD) issues or those wearing contact lenses. Not a big deal but several mentioned their concern.
Bottom line-It was the "trip of a lifetime"! Jessica did a wonderful job for our group of 14! Wouldn't hesitate to use again, or recommend Dancing Zebra Safari
Thank you so much Jessica
Ron & Karen G