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
Email Adam | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Magical Trip to Kenya with Tapestry
My parents (early 60s) and I (mid 30s) recently returned from an 8-day safari in Kenya scheduled and hosted by Tapestry of Africa. While there, we visited Ol Pejeta, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, and the Maasai Mara. We are all from Indiana, and my parents had never been to Africa, which made the prospect of a safari, while exciting, feel potentially very overwhelming. As I was planning for the safari, around 7 months in advance, I came across Tapestry of Africa and was initially drawn in by the “familial” feel of the operation, with a website and offering that avoided making me feel like a “number” as some larger operators did. While trying to encourage my parents to join me on the trip, they had a number of practical questions which prevented them from feeling comfortable in being fully engaged. However, after finding a potential safari option from Tapestry that I thought would work well for us, I reached out to Dr. Matt, one of the co-founders, and within a couple of days, he joined a Zoom call with all three of us, spending an hour answering questions from the philosophical to the mundane, offering suggestions which would help enhance our safari, and assuaging many of the anxieties we had. After getting my parents’ agreement to join, as I worked with Dr. Matt to customize the plan and dates, he was incredibly responsive, and we went through 4-5 drafts of the itinerary (all prompted by mild edits I made) before settling on our final plan. Dr. Matt was upfront and honest about where he thought we could save money, the reasons behind certain choices, and thoughtful about how to make the most of our safari experience.
In the ~5 months between making our deposit and leaving for safari, we were well taken care of, with Tapestry’s new visa processing taking away one point of concern. The whole team was responsive to highlighting things we should be taking care of (vaccinations, shopping items, etc.), answering incremental questions as we thought about packing, and assisting with special requests (helping us to source distilled water, planning a stop for us to attend Mass, etc.). This led us to feeling quite comfortable that everything had been accounted for and taken care of by the time we departed the US. After a long flight, it was immensely comforting to be met directly outside the airport by Albert, the other Tapestry co-founder, who made us feel at home in Kenya by the time we made it to the car to pick us up. Despite some real fatigue, we had a nice day in Nairobi as Hilda/Albert had helped to curate fun, “low effort” activities which exposed us to Kenyan culture in a comfortable way.
Our safari started early the next day, as Albert was up early to meet us and introduce us to our guide for the safari part of our trip, Vincent. We would meet two additional Tapestry safari groups in our travels, both of whom seemed to have highly personable and knowledgeable guides, as it is obvious Tapestry prioritizes finding truly superior guides. Having said that, I would be remiss if I did not say that Vincent was the optimal guide we could have possibly wanted for our safari experience. His first comments to us before leaving Nairobi is that “we would be a family” for our journey. And sure enough, by the end of the safari, Vincent felt like an adopted son to my parents and an adopted brother to me. His knowledge of each and every park we went to was unparalleled. He had an innate ability to take us to parts on and off the beaten path, beautiful vantage points, and everything in between while always keeping our day impeccably on time. His knowledge of animals (let alone his ability to spot them) was vast, and he was proactive in sharing information while also having the patience to answer our innumerable questions. He was constantly in contact with other guides who obviously had respect for him, and we benefited from numerous sightings that we were tipped off to. Vincent was regularly engaging, funny, and sparked adventure in us through his off-path excursions and patience in pursuing sightings. We feel incredibly blessed to have had Vincent introduced into our life, and I know Tapestry’s personal touch through the whole process is part of what brought Vincent as a guide.
Without going in-depth on each and every camp/activity, suffice it to say we stayed at some truly memorable properties curated by Tapestry that made our safari experience feel comfortable and, in places, luxurious. The safari itinerary which we booked provided a good spread of natural landscapes and animal sightings. The driving between the camps was thoughtfully broken up with well-placed stops and/or sights. Our suggested add-ons (a stop at a Masai village, a stop to visit with local children, Mass at a local cathedral, hot air balloon ride, etc.) were all additive and helped diversify our time nicely. The game drives themselves were obviously spectacular as we all agreed each drive had at least one “unique” highlight that kept us utterly engaged.
Overall, I could not recommend Tapestry enough if you want a personalized experience where you feel like part of a broader family instead of just being another group on an assembly line. The openness and warmth of everyone we encountered made a completely new and, at times, challenging experience feel manageable and fun. I can only hope Tapestry continues to be able to retain this localized feel as time passes.
Email Leila and Family | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very professional and gave us an experience of a lifetime
This is long…
Wow! What an amazing adventure we had with Tapestry of Africa Tours and Safaris! We planned a private 2 week safari with the help of Matt and Hilda to make it exactly what we wanted. We are a family of 4 (sons are 20 and 17). We flew in a day early to Nairobi and stayed at the Giraffe Cottages Bar & Restaurant (not the expensive Giraffe Manor but very close to it-you should check it out-not part of our tour but highly recommend) and visited the Giraffe Center to feed the Rothschild Giraffes (so cool). We were picked up the next morning by Albert (one of the owners) and driven to a lovely small airport to fly to the Masai Mara. We were picked up by Kim who was an excellent safari guide. Taught us so much and immediately upon being picked up our game drive began! Zebras, hippo, giraffe, elephant, etc.!!! It was basically this way until we reached the first lodge (Mara Elatia). It was lovely and my sons had their own tented room and my husband and I had our own. You need a guard at night to walk you to and from the main lodge for meals, etc. Kim suggested we visit the Rhino sanctuary that wasn’t originally on our agenda but we are so glad we did. We walked around with Julius the baby giraffe following us to see the white rhinos just living their best lives (with a baby rhino too). The next morning we did the hot air balloon ride over the Masai Mara. While very expensive, just do it! It was beautiful watching the sun rise and the animals from above. The champagne breakfast afterward was AMAZING! My son said they had the best eggs he has ever eaten! Later Kim picked us up for another game drive. He found a cheetah for us and while we missed the crossing of the wildebeests we did see them thinking about crossing again. No biggie. We did see the heard running across the street further along their path to another body of water. The next day we drove for a few hours to the border, then dropped off at an air strip (no airport) with an hour delay, so a 3 hour wait to fly to the Serengeti. Just do the full drive. We thought flying would be worth it but it wasn’t. We waited just as long as if we had driven and would have saved over $1000. Not the tour companies fault but I’m sure this isn’t the first time it has happened. We were picked up by Vincent who drove us to Enkirari Wilderness Camp with a game drive on the way! So many animals everywhere!!! After check in and lunch Vincent took us on an evening game drive (so cool-so many lions). The next day was a day Game drive in the Serengeti. Vincent is THE bomb! He got us in front of a lioness feeding her babies and a leopard so close it walked behind the Land Cruiser!!! We will never forget that! The next day was to the Ngorongoro Crater. That was a beautiful drive and we saw white Rhinos in the wild. We never found the elusive black rhino but he tried! We did another drive there the next day but I think one day is enough to see most of it. We stayed at the Ngorongo Forest Lodge and it was nice. We got a massage there as the “African Massages” we got were taking a toll on our backs (and our drivers did the best they could but those roads are no joke)! The next day we went to a lodge I looked up called The Original Maasai Lodge. I hope they add this to their itinerary as it was the most authentic African experience my family had. The Maasai were so welcoming. They do a cultural experience at night with spear throwing, dances, jumping, campfire learning about the culture and then dinner. The rooms overlooking the Savannah are breathtaking. The next day we did a nature walk with a Masaai and learned a lot about how they use plants and even saw zebras and giraffes. Our final stop was to the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort which reminded us a lot of our trips to Mexico. We enjoyed the stay as it was relaxing. We did a Viator tour sailing/snorkeling on a Dhow Boat. It was cloudy but still nice. We are now at the airport on our way home to the US. It really was a magical trip and we are so greatful the team helped us curate the perfect safari for my family.
Email Al | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding tour itinerary and level of service by Tapestry of Africa
We just completed the 15 day Grand Safari with another couple. In addition to the 15 day tour we also had Tapestry of Africa add a few days upfront in Nairobi to check out Nairobi and shake off the jet lag. From the office support staff to the 2 guides we had for Kenya and Tanzania everyone was reliable, friendly and a pleasure to work with. E Mails with questions during the planning and booking phase were quickly replied to We also signed up for the sunrise hot air balloon over the Masai Mara NR, don't pass up on this. Would definitely recommend touring with Tapestry of Africa.
Email Chris and Ellen Brant | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Matt showed great flexibility meeting our specific needs, creating a perfect Safari for us
Jambo Albert and Matt,
After a few hours of sleep in our own beds I felt it important to express our appreciation right away. We left Nairobi at 3 am and arrived the “same day”, June 29th, in Phoenix AZ around midnight, via Istanbul and JFK. That was a 31 hour journey (including the 10 extra hours of time zones we traveled through), but it was all well worth it.
Ellen and I both enjoyed a spectacular vacation, where your company's terrific guides of Joseph, Amos and George, every day, brought us memorable, visual, unique, masterpieces of Kenya and Tanzania wildlife, in their natural setting. Each guide was outstanding, patiently waiting as I snapped great images or accompanying videos of Africa’s animal habitats along the way. As we view these experiences down the way, they will be gentle reminders of the wonders we shared with each other during our Safari and the bonds we made over the fortnight stretch with these three marvelous individuals.
We both loved every moment. Ellen’s joy and exuberant daily was so important to me. Before traveling to Kenya and Tanzania she was apprehensive; fearful of high temperatures, sleeping too close to the ground and bugs, in “tents’, but finding the luxurious camp sites and hotels to be some of the finest establishments we have ever stayed in during 50 years of travel. The warm greetings and hospitality shown at each location are unmatched.
I personally appreciated the extra effort to ferry the supplies needed for Ellen’s medical needs. It has been critical that we both live life to its fullest over the last 6 years of Ellen’s cancer treatment. She came through it all with flying colors.
Please pass on our very best to all the company's employees, who helped make this Safari happen, particularly with the last minute changes, due to the ebola outbreak in Uganda. Ellen and I would like you to thank Joseph, Amos and George, especially for their outstanding contribution to our adventure of a lifetime. So, please share this message with each of them.
Finally, we wish your company continued success and we would be delighted to recommend your expertise in masterfully organizing the Safari on our behalf. Each daily detail helped provide a perfect, magnificent and magical vacation.
Yours sincerely,
Ellen and Chris Brant
BR
Email Josi and Raoni | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Perfect and Unforgettable Trip
Our trip to Africa was simply unforgettable! If we could sum up the experience organized by Tapestry in one word, it would be perfection. Everything was planned down to the smallest detail and exceeded all of our expectations.
The safaris in Masai Mara and Serengeti were magical! Seeing the wildlife so close was thrilling, and it was only possible thanks to Tapestry's wonderful guides. What fantastic professionals! They were relentless and completely committed to finding the animals for us to see. With so much patience and knowledge, they guaranteed us unbelievable moments in the savanna.
The hotels chosen by the company were also a highlight of their own: memorable, super comfortable, and perfectly integrated into nature. We were welcomed with so much warmth, and the service was impeccable from start to finish.
We came back home with hearts full of joy and gratitude. Congratulations, Tapestry, on your amazing work with tourism in Africa. You are awesome! 🦁❤️
Our safari was curated with expertise, professionalism and with a personal touch for our family!
Tapestry of Africa curated a 14 day safari in Kenya and Tanzania with private guides and luxury lodges. Matt worked with our family to develop a perfect trip; he met with us via Zoom to describe each day, showed excellent examples of our lodges with included meals, and educated us on how to prepare for the trip. Our Kenya driver/expert guide, Kim, picked us up in Nairobi and immediately started us off toward our game drive in Ol Pejeta Convervancy. Upon entering the gates, we immediately saw elephants, giraffes, zebra, then were amazed at a male and female lion walking right next to our vehicle, then stalking a warthog. Kim was professional, kind, and knowledgeable about all the animals and the best places to spy them. During our trip we spied 3 different leopards, which are typically elusive animals, but Kim guided us to them knowing where they typically stay. Each luxury lodge we stayed at was special with such friendly and expert service, beautiful accommodations, excellent and delicious food. We even took a hot air balloon ride over the savanna to see the animals and beautiful sunrise. Tapestry’s staff would keep in touch on a daily basis to make sure our needs were met. In addition to Ol Pejeta Conservancy, we went to Lake Nakuru National Park, Masai Mara National Reserve, then to Tanzania where our guide, Eddie, was equally knowledgeable and professional to guide us through Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, then back to Kenya with Kim to guide us through Ambroseli National Park. Everywhere we went, it seemed the animals seemed to come to us or walk right by our vehicle. We saw elephants, lions, hippos, rhinos, buffalos, zebras, giraffes wildebeest, hyenas, cheetah, leopards, warthogs, gazelle, meerkats, every kind of African bird, the beautiful Masai people, the famous baobab trees, ancient volcanoes and Mount Kilimanjaro! Our first trip to Africa captured our hearts and we can not wait to come back for our next adventure!
Email Lexie Iacono | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dreams Fulfilled
This was the honeymoon of a lifetime. We are still dreaming about our trip around Kenya. Our tour guide George was absolutely incredible. His kindness, warmness, and knowledge on animal life was spectacular. The communication was thorough and the service of Tapestry exceeded our expectations. We saw everything we wanted to and more! Would definitely recommened and can't wait to do another tour with Tapestry.
Email Ron A | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A 'Trip of a Lifetime' visiting national parks and reserves, customized every detail and hassle-free
I began researching my dream retirement trip about a year ago. After reviewing dozens of safari tour websites, I kept coming back to Tapestry of Africa. The reviews and testimonials seemed to describe exactly the kind of "trip of a lifetime" I had been dreaming about for years. I filled out an inquiry on Tapestry's website and shortly afterward received a phone call from Dr. Matt Jensen, the company's founder and owner.
During that initial call, Dr. Matt wanted to understand exactly what we were looking for so he could customize every detail and create a trip that would be both adventurous and hassle-free. He scheduled a Zoom call with us a few days later.
On that call, we discussed visiting both Kenya and Tanzania and exploring their national parks and reserves over a three-week period. My wife of two years was somewhat reluctant about traveling to Africa. She had previously visited Uganda through the college where she worked and remembered the "budget-friendly" accommodations and long hours spent traveling between parks on rough, potholed roads. I promised her this trip would be different.
During the Zoom call, Matt presented an itinerary he called the "20-Day Beyond Luxury: A Kenya and Tanzania Safari Spectacular." In Kenya, he selected Meru National Park, Samburu National Reserve, and Masai Mara National Reserve. In Tanzania, we would visit Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Park. We would then return to Kenya to visit Amboseli National Park, famous for its stunning views of Mount Kilimanjaro.
To minimize long drives on rough roads, Matt included six internal flights between destinations. The package included all game drives—I participated in more than 20—as well as meals, drinks, a couple of spa treatments for my wife, and a hot-air balloon ride for me.
We stayed in beautifully designed tented suites, along with a few properties that would be considered luxury hotels. All the while, we were surrounded by national parks and reserves filled with incredible wildlife. We saw all of the "Big Five," along with cheetahs, wild dogs, hippos, and countless other animals.
Everyone we encountered was exceptionally kind and helpful. From the greeters at each camp and lodge to every member of the staff, we consistently received five-star service. Our guides and drivers—including Benson, Amos, Sammy, and others—were incredibly knowledgeable. After spending two or three days with each of them, we felt we had developed genuine friendships.
One of the greatest sources of peace of mind was knowing that if we had a question or encountered a problem, Albert, Hilda, or Matt were only a phone call away. Because we were traveling as a couple rather than with a group, we initially had some concerns about logistics. Who would meet us at the remote airstrips? How would border crossings work? Who would be waiting for us at each destination? Tapestry of Africa had every detail covered and checked in with us almost daily throughout the trip.
Did everything go perfectly? No. Air Kenya canceled two of our internal flights without explanation. My guess is that it was related to fuel costs and low passenger numbers. However, Tapestry informed us as soon as they learned of the changes and immediately arranged alternative transportation. It meant a long day traveling by safari vehicle over bumpy roads, but the situation was completely outside of Tapestry's control.
For me, this truly was a trip of a lifetime—one I will never forget. I returned home with more than 2,000 photographs to help preserve the memories of everything we experienced.
I give Tapestry of Africa five stars and would highly recommend them to anyone seeking an unforgettable African adventure, combined with the comfort of knowing every detail is professionally handled.
Email Jim | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
TOA provided everything we could have expected with a safari.
Selecting a Safari Tour Operator can be a daunting task, as there are so many operators and places to go. To boil it down I selected 3 with good reviews and requested quotes. Only one was respectful of our requirements (particularly budget) and flexible in working with us to maximize viewing time and minimizing travel time between camps - that was Matt from Tapestry of Africa. We decided to limit our 10 days to Kenya to minimize travel time and Matt selected 4 “venues” (2 national reserves, a national park, and a private conservancy). The lodges Matt selected were all great. As there were 7 of us, we chose to have two safari vehicles (Toyota LandCruisers). This made animal viewing easier, and gave us back-up if either vehicle had a problem (neither did). The driver-guides (Macharia 'Masha' Kamau and Joseph Ndungu) that hosted us were wonderful - competent, knowledgeable, and all-around great guys. With their leadership we saw every type of animal one could expect to see, and learned so much about the animals, landscape, and peoples of Kenya. Our thanks to all the TOA team: Matt, Albert, Hilda, and Elizabeth. If we go on safari again it will be with these folk.
Email Dr. Steven Myers | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tapestry of Africa is great at planning Safari experiences and their personnel are wondeful
After running the Cape Town Marathon, our group traveled to Kenya, where we started our safari adventure with Tapestry. Matt and Albert came personally to receive us at the airport. Since we arrived early, they took advantage of the extra time by taking us to a sanctuary where we could feed Giraffes. It was a fantastic experience. We stayed the night at a beautiful hotel by Serena. We then drove to Amboseli Park for our first safari, it was awesome and our driver, Kim was great! We stayed at the Amboseli Lodge, which was cozy and had a beautiful view of Mt Kilimanjaro. Next, we traveled in landcruisers to Tanzania, where we hiked 5km up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our group returned home the next day, but my wife and I arranged for 2 more safaris at Lake Manyara and at Tarangire for 2 extra days. Our driver, Yuda, was stupendous. We saw many animals at beautiful Lake Manyara, but Tarangire was impressive with its many Baobab trees. There we even saw a Leopard resting on a branch of a tree! We stayed the night at the Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, which has wonderful accommodations, a beautiful mountain view of Lake Manyara, and cozy environment. Meals were all included in the package and were very tasty. Our safari trip with Tapestry was indeed an amazing experience of a lifetime! Thank you Matt, Albert, Kim and Yuda for a fabulous adventure!! You guys are awesome!!
