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:
- $12,151 to $43,397 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Sarah Mason | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dancing Zebra was very thorough, truly cares about its clients, and has a passion for Tanzania.
Our experience with Dancing Zebra was fabulous from start to finish! We booked our Tanzanian safari + Zanzibar beach honeymoon through them. The trip was awe inspiring and unforgettable! 10/10 would recommend booking your trip with them. This was our first time to Sub-Saharan Africa, so we were unsure what to expect and how to get around. They made sure we were taken care of every step of the way and there wasn't any guesswork (which was a huge relief). Communication was clear, timely, and thorough. It was reassuring that they booked us at places they had personal experience with and recommend based on their own travels.
Edson, the driver we were booked with, was amazing! We adore him and will ask for him when we visit again. He is a wealth of knowledge, helped us find a good spot for photos, and has a great eye for spotting animals and recognizing the different bird calls.
We opted for more comfortable luxury lodgings, and the value for the pricing was excellent. Each location was wonderful, with meals included and comfortable rooms.
If you want an amazing experience all around and want to work with someone that truly cares and has a wealth of first-hand experience, then do not hesitate to book with Dancing Zebra Safari!
Email Donna D. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jessica’s knowledge, passion and patience helped provide us a Tanzania Trip of a Lifetime!
Dancing Zebra Safari surpassed our expectations and provided an amazing experience which we will never forget. We began working with Jessica in 2019 to assist us with booking the right locations and route for our adventure through the Serengeti. She came up with an itinerary that would provide us variety, ample wildlife and the Great Migration. Life and the pandemic delayed our trip but, Jessica hung in there with us through re-bookings etc. and we were finally able to travel this year.
Jessica handled all bookings for our 12-Day trip, from detailed daily travel book, visa information, Lodges, in-country transfers, drivers and anything we needed during our stay. I felt we received great advice, recommendations, professionalism and superior service. Communication was exceptional and timely, accommodating with changes and happy to assist in a genuine way. She even arranged a private romantic congratulations dinner for us as we just got engaged to be married. We felt very well taken care of!
We spent time in Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Eastern and Northern Serengeti National Park. Our Dancing Zebra driver, Edson, was very knowledgeable and passionate about the areas and wildlife. He was dedicated to finding every animal we wanted to see and committed to providing opportunities to position us just right for a great experience. He did his absolute best to ensure we saw the Big 5, found cheetahs, lion cubs, and many more. Not only were we lucky enough to witness the migration, we saw 5 Wildebeest crossings complete with Crocodiles!
The accommodations Jessica selected for us were simply amazing, with views, plunge pools, tasty food, great wine, wonderful staff and excellent service. The Lodges and Camps were perfectly positioned for what we wanted to accomplish and absolutely incredible. We could not have asked for anything better.
We had a fantastic trip, I would not change a thing and we are looking forward to going back some day with family. I highly recommend going to Tanzania and working with Jessica at Dancing Zebra Safari for your incredibly well-planned adventure. She is the best!
Email Amy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dancing Zebra was an absolute pleasure to work w/ & if I'm fortunate to go again it will be w/ DZ!!!
Before leaving for this trip of a lifetime, I was overwhelmed with the feelings of gratitude to be so fortunate and blessed to be able to experience such an amazing opportunity. Dancing Zebra and Tanzania did not disappoint!! I left this Safari and experience with even more gratitude and appreciation then I ever expected. On our drive to the Serengeti airport on our departure day, I couldn't keep the tears from falling as I reflected on my time on safari in Tanzania. Besides the beautiful, breathtaking and unique landscapes and most AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL animals, the people of Tanzania were beyond wonderful! For those who travel, we all know that it's the people that make the place. The welcome, the hospitality, the spirit and the smiles of the Tanzanian people were also a huge part of this special experience. And our most beloved Tanzanian....Ian, our safari guide! We were beyond blessed to have him guide us, teach us and share this experience with us. Thank you Ian for everything!!! We will never, ever forget you!!! You are truly the best! Although everything was beyond wonderful, this would all not be possible if it wasn't for our knowledgeable, caring and hard working tour operator Jessica at Dancing Zebra. Her passion for Tanzania and it's people shine through and her personable and thorough approach let you know you are in great hands. Jessica stuck with us through the trying times of Covid and delivered the most amazing, special and memorable itinerary one could ask for. I wouldn't have changed a thing and if I am so fortunate and blessed to be able to go on safari again, it will be with Jessica at Dancing Zebra. THANK YOU Jessica for your caring touch and your personable investment in making this vacation into what dreams are made of! I will never forget this one!!! MAHALO NUI LOA!!!
Email Doug F | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
If you want a fabulous African Safari experience, book with Dancing Zebra!
We just returned from our trip of a lifetime - 3 weeks experiencing the wildlife and landscapes of the Serengeti as well as Rwanda to see the Mountain Gorillas and Golden Monkeys. The entire trip was orchestrated by Jessica Mathews, owner of Dancing Zebra. We met with her, described what we were looking for, and asked her to map out our itinerary. We trusted her judgement and guidance and were richly rewarded! We spent two weeks exploring various parts of the Serengeti and photographing the fabulous landscape and animals. Our guide/driver had 16 years of experience in the Serengeti and considers it his "office". He loves his job and he is a master at it. He knows where the wildlife is, the best times to find them, and the judgement to wait or move on when the situation presents. In one case we spent an hour waiting and watching a leopard as she went from sleeping to her first kill of the morning.
And the tent lodges Jessica arranged for us were unbelievable! Tents in name only, they are secluded, comfortable, spacious..dare I say luxurious? With our own private porch from which to view the wildlife! Food and service were fabulous.
Jessica has built relationships with all the best people and operators in the area. She knows who the best are and only works with them. She travels to Africa regularly to keep tabs on the people and constant changes and has fallen so in love with the country. In fact, she's building her own home in Tanzania.
You won't find anyone with more personal knowledge, connections, and understanding of your interests. Book with Dancing Zebra!
CA
Email Louise | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Jessica-every trip detail was perfect & provided unforgettable surprise experiences
This was a trip of a lifetime to Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Chobe River, Botswana. Every detail was attended to. We had the beautiful comfortable accommodation and every meal was delicious. There were so many surprises beyond all the amazing wildlife that we came to see-night game drive; lunch out on the Serengeti with animals in the distance; picnic lunch with monkeys more than happy to try and steal the food; dining under the stars with candle light; seeing the sun set in the distance while we enjoyed wine and appetizers; sunrises with lions nearby; wonderful safari guides Steven John and Mokili who were so knowledgeable, fun, entertaining, efficient. So many special moments. The lodge staff anticipated our every need and made us feel so comfortable. They were so warm and welcoming and absolutely delightful. They kept us safe escorting us past various wild beast hanging around our lodging. We experienced a visit to a Maasai Boma-so interesting to learn about their lifestyle. From peaceful surroundings to Cape Town where we experienced a culture shock of noise and busyness and there too enjoyed what the area offered. The saying "you get what you pay for" is true and we were not disappointed at all.
We came home to speak of our wonderful experiences and our daughter and husband and friends are now excitedly planning a future trip with Jessica/Dancing Zebras.
Email Steve | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The experience was very efficient and imformative.
Our experience working with Jessica went very well. We had been referred to her by some friends who had used her the previous year and were also happy with their Safari. The only thing we were a little disappointed in was our two hard tented camps in Tanzania. The staff were wonderful and very accommodating, the food and condition of the properties were not quite what we had hoped for. We would upgrade to nicer facilities on our next trip. Both of our guides, Frank and Bosco, were first class in service, knowledge and personality.
CA
Email Priya | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reliable, really understood our trip goals, put together the best itinerary, friendly, available
My husband and I used Dancing Zebra Safari to plan an 8 day itinerary in Tanzania. They were INCREDIBLE! The Safari itself was a dream come true - when the wildlife, people, and accommodations. More over, Jessica really understood what we wanted from our trip and planned an incredible itinerary. Through back and forth I felt she really created the perfect trip for us! She was also very accessible leading up to the trip with any questions we had and dealt with a flight delay so smoothly! Also the guide, Thomson was a HUGE highlight - he was so knowledgeable and it was a pleasure to spend so much time with him! We will be recommending Dancing Zebra to lots of friends and family :)
Epic Experience
This was by far the most epic and memorable experience we have ever had. From the planning to executing flawlessly on the itinerary, it exceeded our wildest dreams. From the airport pick up to drop off, they took care of all our needs. We literally worried about nothing! The amenities were five star and the food were delicious. The staff at all the camps were friendly and went above and beyond. Our guide Edson was not only a blast to hang out with but also found us the best animals to see. We are still in awe of this incredible trip. You cannot go wrong choosing Dancing Zebra Safari!
Email Michelle & Randy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our guide was so well acquainted and formally educated in the wildlife, their habitats and behaviors
Our Africa safari was the trip of a lifetime! We celebrated retirement and while we had traveled extensively during our careers, a safari trip to Africa required special attention and we could not have managed without Jessica’s expertise at Dancing Zebra. Jessica’s many trips to Tanzania gave us great confidence and we relied on her suggestions when planning. She was organized and timely when responding to our many questions. Jessica checked in with us during the trip, which was unexpected but really nice. We also appreciated that the general managers and staff at the different lodges knew Jessica and were connected to her while we were traveling. Jessica prepped us on packing, tipping, visas, the food and the culture. It was all so well organized and exceeded our expectations!
Our safari guide Thomson was awesome. We spent 12 days together and he was so knowledgeable and patient with all the pictures and videos we took. He knew every animal, their habitat and behaviors. Thomson knew where to take us to see the Big 5 and made certain we experienced everything we came to Tanzania to see! We learned so much from him and left with a feeling of awe and education. We even learned a little Swahili from Thomson! he knew when to offer information and when to stay silent and allow us to just take it in. He was very easy to be with.
One of the many highlights of the trip was visiting Rwanda. We visited the genocide museum, the Dian Fossey Research and Conservation Center (watch Gorillas in the Mist) on the Ellen DeGeneres campus and trekked up a mountain to see and “visit” with a family of gorillas! Here too, the guides, porters and trackers were so experienced and knowledgeable. It was a visit that we’ll relive and remember forever! Jessica worked with us on planning all of it and we’d highly recommend Dancing Zebra if you’re thinking about a safari!
Email KC | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Seamless and smooth safari!
We used Dancing Zebra to book an 8-day Elewana SkySafari in Tanzania. It was truly a well-planned, seamless, VIP experience. I particularly liked The Manor at Ngorongoro, which is an elegant property reminiscent of the posh Air Force Officer's Clubs of the 1930's. The game drives were outstanding, with plentiful up-close wildlife. Dancing Zebra kept us informed every step of the way, including a check-in mid-trip to ensure all was well. I would not hesitate to recommend or call upon Dancing Zebra or SkySafari for their outstanding vacation product!