Company Owners, Mathew Jensen and Albert Keronye
Tapestry of Africa Tours and Safaris
- Offices In:
-
United States
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2024)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $600 to $1,200 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email Kim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trip of a lifetime with Tapestry of Africa - 11 day safari to Kenya and Tanzania
I will start this review by saying that some of us in the group had been on safari 12 yrs ago, myself included and absolutely loved it. Now fast forward, I couldn’t find the company I had used 12 years ago for Kenya but I had used Basecamp for Tanzania and they are still in business. That does not surprise me as they were excellent.
This time around I found out about safaribookings.com from Tripadvisor and went to check it out. That is where I found Tapestry of Africa. They did both Kenya and Tanzania so I wouldn’t have to do the coordination between the two countries myself and could use just one company. Perfect!
12 years ago, I had to wire deposits and final payment to the two companies I used and that is somewhat stressful. If you have ever done it, you know what I mean. I don’t know about all the companies now-a-days but with Tapestry of Africa I was able to pay by credit card which was a big deal for all of us. It was a painless process.
They were a fairly new company at the time that I booked which had me treading carefully. They only had a couple of reviews on their site and had no presence at all on Tripadvisor yet. So I called them and had a conversation with Matt and many, many emails. He sent me all their licenses and other documentation and worked with me tirelessly to come up with the perfect safari itinerary for myself, my husband, my sister, her husband, my nephew and our parents. In short he earned our trust. He was very patient and helpful, all the time.
Matt always responded VERY quickly to any questions, suggestions and changes that we made. He was absolutely wonderful to talk to and very genuine.
Some of the camps that we stayed at were suggested by Matt and some of them I found. Between the two of us we came up with an awesome itinerary for us. We had a budget we wanted to stick to and I told him what we were looking for in places we would stay. From that he could determine what would work for us. He did that beautifully! All the camps were amazing.
We had the added dimension of the fact that my parents are 82 and 84 years old. My dad, at 84, often walks with a cane and can be unsteady. I asked if we could have a step stool to help my dad get into the land cruiser. The answer was of course and each vehicle always had a folding step stool to help my dad into the truck. We had three different guides as we went from Kenya to Tanzania and back to Kenya again. All three guides were wonderful, very knowledgeable, so patient and helpful with my dad, great spotting all the wildlife and good drivers. I cannot say enough about all of them. We learned so many new and interesting things that I didn’t know from the last time.
I would highly recommend Tapestry of Africa to anyone. They will take care of you and make your safari absolutely wonderful. In fact, we are looking to go Uganda next year and would really like it to be Tapestry of Africa that takes care of that trip also.
If you are thinking of going on safari, just do it. And hire Tapestry of Africa to be your guides and take care of your group. You won’t be disappointed. Worth every penny.
CA
Email Suzanne | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent tour and would highly recommend
This tour changed our prospective on life and made us aware that life isn't just about what we possess, but happiness and appreciation of how these people live in the moment. We have done a lot of travelling and the people of Kenya and Tanzania were some of the friendliest that we have encountered. My husband is 84 years old and has trouble walking. The guides went out of their way to accommodate him. They had a stool to help him in and out of the vehicle and aided him in walking the paths and stairways. The guides were most knowledgeable about the animals and birds and even this 82 year old brain learned something new every day. The accommodations were A1. Better than many hotels we have stayed at and the food was extraordinary and plentiful. We would highly recommend Tapestry of Africa to anyone.
Email Jean | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing in every way!
This truly was a trip of a lifetime thanks to the care and attention to detail of Tapestry of Africa. From our initial outreach to Matt, one of the co-founders, to the day-by-day interaction with Hilda, Albert's (the other co-founder) warm welcome and wonderful send-off we couldn't have asked for anything more! We had two guides -- one for Kenya (Joe) and one for Tanzania (Josphat) really made this a special experience. They were extremely knowledgeable and able to spot the best animals a mile away! Thanks to their eagle eyes we didn't miss a thing! We even saw two leopards and the elusive black rhino. All of our accommodations were excellent, but the Breezes Resort in Zanzibar was a special treat and the perfect way to end our safari. Other highlights of our trip (I was with my sister) were: the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, a hot air balloon ride at dawn, and a visit to a spice farm and Stone Town in Zanzibar, including an al fresco lunch of authentic Swahili food. Matt and Hilda were especially helpful in tailoring our trip to accommodate all our specific requests and helping with several last minute changes that we requested. My sister and I would recommend Tapestry of Africa without any hesitation to anyone who wants to go on Safari. Be sure to stay at Mbali Mbali Camp, my personal favorite!
Email Tim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Private Safari
We had a great tour. Guide was from Uganda and knew all the best places to go. Saw everything we wanted to see and jewels the guide shared. Because I knew nothing about Uganda, I sent a wish list and they created an itinerary and handled the logistics.
Email Marion | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional and flexible.
From the very first email we knew we made the right choice in tour companies. We had made several changes before deciding on a tour package and at no time were we made to feel that we were being a bother. They worked with us to make sure we got the best experience within our price range
On the first day of our tour we were met by our guide Joe, who would be with us on the first half of our Safari as well as Albert one of the owners of the company. They were both very enthusiastic and made us feel right at home. We visited Nairobi National Park and we could have ended our Safari there as we saw more than we expected on our first day. The next several days with Joe were amazing as we saw so many many Lions and cubs ( my favorite ) as well as Elephants with their babies ( my sister's favorite ). When it was time to say good bye to Joe, he introduced us to our next guide, Joseph who was also enthusiastic and welcoming. The days we spent with him were just as amazing!
Both our guides were friendly, knowledgeable, attentive, and a lot of fun. They made our experience more than we could have hoped for! We ended our Safari in Zanzibar which was beautiful and a great way to end!!
I will be recommending Tapestry of Africa Tours to anyone I know that would like to go on Safari in Africa!!
Email Shilpa | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very knowledgeable, reliable and friendly staff.
We had a great experience on our 13-day safari through Kenya and Tanzania. It was once in a lifetime experience.
Email Tanay | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wild Close Encounters in Africa
Tapestry staff is always on, always connected, always responding. That is the best experience a customer can have, especially while touring an unknown country and exploring wilderness. Special kudos to Matt.
They planned with every single detail in mind. Everything worked perfectly.
Kenya guide Sammy and Tanzania guide Yuda, both are trained for this business. Have acquired college education and go through continuous learning. Both knew exactly where to stop to spot the impossible.
Albert, from Nairobi, personally greeted us and also bid us good bye.
Thank you Tapestry of Africa. Looking forward to more adventures together.
Email FRANK MADDOX | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely Incredible ❗️❗️❗️ The Best Trip Ever ❗️❗️
My wife and I; along with five other family members and two friends just experiences the most amazing and incredible journey of our life. Our group of nine included; four, 45-50; one mid 60's; and four, mid 70s to early 80s. As a group, we are very experienced travelers with averaging having visited over 40 countries each; some over 70. Four members have visited all seven continents and another four, six. I felt that I needed to lay this foundation for my review.
Each of us felt that this was the most incredible experience of our lives. Tapestry of Africa provided us an unbelievable, life changing experience. Their organization and communications with us was exceptional. Hilda provided support to us at all times and made us feel so special. Since there were nine in our group, they provided two vehicles with fantastic guide/driver. In Kenya, we had George and Vincent; in Tanzania, Yuda and Tanzanian Vincent. These guides were not just doing a job of guiding us in the National Parks and Conservations Areas. They were on a mission to share a lifetime of experience with us and to change our perspective on nature, wildlife, and conservation; they succeeded. We all have a greater appreciation for the experience we had and know that we have to help ensure these parks and conservation areas are available to future generations.
What can I say about the lodge accommodations, they were top notch and spectacular; the food delicious; but most importantly, the people were so friendly and sharing of their culture and the heritage are striving to protecting.
Our safari was planned as 11 days, five nights in three different national parks in Kenya and the same in Tanzania. Our group arrived a day early in Nairobi and Tapestry organized a day tour around Nairobi which included the Nairobi National Park; a visit to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust which is world famous for their work with orphaned elephants and rhinos. We saw the feeding time for over 20 baby elephants, the one baby rhino and a lone baby zebra and we got to fed giraffes at the giraffe center.
We spent the last two nights of the safari at Tortillas Camp in Amboseli National Park. This was a beautiful spot to end our incredible voyage of discovery. There is a perimeter fence and guards to ensure our safety but which allows us to roam the camp grounds and enjoy the natural beauty. I highly recommend adding another day there before returning to Nairobi.
Lastly, I want to thank the Matt and Albert who were always available to assist and answer questions.
CA
Email Chase Stevens | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thorough, Accommodating and in Sync with what we were looking for.
We just did a 2 week safari and beach adventure with Tapestry of Africa. It was our first safari and we wanted to make sure we got everything as perfect as possible. During the planning phase I worked with Matt and Hilda to make adjustments to our itinerary as we wanted to eliminate 1 night stays as much as possible and decided to fly between Nairobi and Masai Mara as well as between the Masai and the Serengeti. All the changes were handled smoothly and in the end we ended up with a perfect customized adventure. Hilda was great to work with and very detail oriented. We decided to leave our last safari camp a day early and head over to Zanzibar for an extra day. Hilda was fabulous in arranging the last minute changes to our flights and booking an extra day at the Melia. She also arranged a last minute balloon ride for us as well as a game drive in Nairobi while we had a 12 hour wait for our flights home. Everyone at Tapestry was great to work with and very pleasant. From the time we landed in Nairobi and were met by Albert at the airport, we got the feeling that we booked with a great group of people. Bonifiace and Andrew were the guides we had in Kenya and Tanzania, both felt like good friends by the time we said our goodbye. Same with Joseph who took us out for the last game drive. All 3 guys are knowledgeable, personable and very accommodating. Still don't know how Andrew was able to spot the Dung Beetle while driving. The Big 5 are what most people want to see, but seeing a couple of The Small 5 was very cool too, and of course The Ugly 5. The vehicles were great, comfortable and fun. In the end, we had an absolutely incredible experience, saw far more animals than we ever imagined. Everywhere we went the food was fabulous and the accommodations were superb especially the Nairobi Serena, Kilima Camp in Masai Mara, Serengeti Serena, Lion's Paw, and the Melia in Zanzibar. Would definitely recommend Tapestry of Africa. We are already talking about a return visit.
Email Jessica | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime experience- ASANTE!
I have just come back from a two week Safari/Zanzibar trip with Tapestry, and there are no words to describe how grateful I am to have chosen them to make our dream trip become a reality.
First, the whole planning/organizing process of the pre-trip was five star service. Matt, Albert, and Hilda all helped me and my mom figure everything out. They gave great advice, led us in the right direction without every pressuring us, and helped to tailor-make our itinerary so that it was perfect for us. They were also able to help us with logistical things like visas, medical appts, etc.
From the moment we landed in Kenya, everything was taken care of. We did not have to worry about a thing from the time we were in their hands, and for the entire two week trip, they stayed in touch making sure that we were happy and that everything was going according to plan.
Highlights:
-All lodging was amazing, the places they chose for us were beautiful and we felt lucky to stay at every one of them.
-They helped make our dream of a hot air balloon become a reality, organizing everything for us ahead of time. If you are able to do this, DO IT! It was breathtaking.
-From start to finish, their professionalism and organization made it possible to completely disconnect and enjoy the beautiful savannah. Not only were they able to answer any and ALL questions with a great respond time, but they even helped us with logistical issues getting refunds for a flight home that they were not responsible for.
Now for the real highlight, and the real reason you MUST choose them for your trip- the guides.
-Kevin: from the moment he picked us up at the airport, Kevin was so kind, knowledgable, and helpful. Thanks to him we got to take advantage of our few hours before Safari, visiting the giraffe center, a bead center (amazing!), and a quick tour of Nairobi.
-Kim: I can't imagine what our safari would have been like if it weren't for Kim. He was with us for our four days in Kenya, and made everything easy, interesting, and so much fun. He was so friendly and extremley intelligent, thanks to his conversation during the long rides, we learned a ton! He was happy to answer all questions, of which we had money, about animals and other curiosities we had about Kenya in general. In terms of the game drives, he had all the tricks! He is a skilled "finder", great driver, and has wonderful energy! From the first minute it became clear that he wanted nothing more than to make sure we saw the Big 5 (which we did!), it seemed like he would be more dissapointed than us if we didn't.
-Joseph: For the remainder of our safari, we were in Tanzania with Joseph. The highlight of our trip was the Serengetti (there's no way to prepare yourself for how amazing it is), and a lot of that is thanks to Joseph. Like Kim, he made it his mission for us to see the Big 5 (again!), and we did! He knew the park like the back of his hand, and knew EXACTLY where to go (it didn't seem like all guides knew because we were often by ourselves). He found us out of this world experiences, driving among lions on their rocks (total lion king moment!), stopping in the middle of hundreds and hundreds of zebra, and a perfect sighting up-close and personal of tons of other animals. He has a great attitude and made sure we were having fun the whole time.
Guys- we are so grateful to you! Hopefully we will cross paths in the future. ASANTE SANA!!
I am so grateful that for this once in a lifetime trip, we chose Tapestry Africa. No notes! If we were to ever repeat this vacation, we would go with them without a doubt.