Armadillo Overland Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Member Of:
- Field Guides Association of Southern Africa
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $140 to $373 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Rachel Clark | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An absolutely amazing adventure!
I have nothing but great things to say about this tour company.
I went with a group of six people at the end of October for a five day panoramic safari trip. We saw so many animals! Chris's knowledge of animals is incredible, and he had so many interesting things to say on whatever we came across. Chris's truck was amazingly comfortable, and it was a great way to drive around the national park. He was enthusiastic, friendly, and so organized. The food was quite honestly the best food I have had in South Africa.
Highly highly recommended - book with Armadillo Overland Safari & Adventure Tours, I promised you won't regret it!
US
Email Mary Lynn | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Armadillo Safari & Adventure Tours was fabulous! Chris is an excellent guide and chef!
The Armadillo Safari & Adventure Tour did an outstanding job! The safari experience far surpassed my expectations. Chris is a natural host! We'd spot an animal and Chris knew to stop so we could relish in the moment. The Tour was organized, pleasant, and by far the best vacation I have ever experienced! I recommend
The Armadillo Safari & Adventure Tours! Thank you again Chris!
US
Email Cami | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Cannot imagine exploring Kruger in any other way
The tour was absolutely amazing. Chris was so great and made us feel comfortable. The vehicle was incredible, the food was so much better than expected, the tents were high quality and we had an amazing time. Highly recommend.
US
Email Brian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We wouldn't do it any other way
There is so much good packed in the experience that Chris and Nicky made possible that I am having a hard time deciding what to talk about first. They were genuinely welcoming when we first arrived and made us feel comfortable right away. It was more like meeting up with old friends than the typical business transaction these tours/safaris tend to be. Chris' cooking skills on a campfire are enviable. We never felt rushed even though my wife and I are chronically late people: Chris kept us on track to see wildlife until our heart's content.
As far as the amazing vehicle that Chris has constructed, well in my opinion, it would be tough to get a better situation for seeing an abundance of game, even in a busy location. It has just about everything you need and is kept well stocked with drinks. We have been trying to explain how awesome it is to our friends but it is hard to illustrate the cleverness of it until you get the full picture and are actually there.
Chris and his wife, Nicky, are extremely knowledgeable but even in instances where they did not know the answer to our question, they made sure to check and let us know.
Overall, we honestly couldn't have imagined such a great experience. We plan on doing another trip in a couple of years when our daughters are older and we wouldn't consider booking it with anyone other than Chris and Nicky.
A million thanks from Brian and Angela.
Email Di | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A fantastic trip
I went on a 5 day budget camping safari in Kruger national park with my daughter and we had a fabulous time. Chris and Nicky were incredibly hospitable and looked after us all with great generosity and care. They had a seemingly encyclopaedic knowledge of everything!! The vehicle was great, it was much higher up than most vehicles making it easier to see things, it also had plenty of room to move around, a toilet on board and a supply of cool drinks. They also cooked us great camp food. I would definitely highly recommend it in every way.
CA
Email Paul and Trena | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
7 Day Kruger National Park Safari - tent camping
If you are here at this site reviewing "reviews", then you were just like us when we were doing our "homework" before decisions were made to invest in such an amazing experience. If you are wanting a simple, very enjoyable camping safari experience... LOOK NO FURTHER. Armadillo Overland Safari & Adventure Tours is owned and run by the owners, Chris and Nicky. Excellent communication from start to finish. They take great pride in their company and the service that they are providing to their guests, no detail was too small or too large.
We did a 7 day safari tour - tent camping, having stayed at one private resort camping site facility and three different SANS Park camping locations within Kruger National Park.
All the camping sites were well set up, having all amenities.. hot and cold running water with lit bathrooms and shower facilities, swimming pools too.. as we affectionately referred to: "glamping". The meals were very good, being cooked at the campsite after a fun day of safari driving. Chris is an amazing cook!!! Chris will be sure to discuss the options clearly with you about the various camping facilities.. as in our case, we chose a more rustic camping experience for our last night, it was awesome. Simply put... Chris is there for your experience.
And of course... Chris's specialized safari truck..."Truck Norris". You will not be disappointed with what this truck can do. It sits much higher in elevation than most other vehicles that are common within the park. And as a result, you have an unobstructed view when it truly matters. As you can imagine, when a pride of lions have been located, well it attracts many onlookers who are all jostling for position to get the best view. With Chris's truck, no problems, you will have the view you want. Not to mention, Chris does not shy away from driving his truck into all the locations and authorized off shoot roads that typically take you along the river beds where most wildlife is likely to be seen. To top it all off, Chris has an amazing amount of bush and wildlife knowledge, and he never grew tired of the unending questions being asked of him. We learned so much. It was an amazing trip, Thank you to Chris for making it so. Paul and Trena.
Email Alastair | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible, Fantastic, Wonderful - The perfect way to experience Kruger!
If you are thinking about an all inclusive Safari tour of Kruger, look no further!
Chris not only designed and built a unique and one of the best vehicles for viewing game, he is also a fantastic host, guide and gifted cook.
I had never been on Safari or to Kruger/SA before and from being picked up in Jo'Berg to the final game drive, I could not have asked for a better experience.
Truck Norris alone is worth choosing Armadillo as the windows are huge - ideal for photographers - and the elevated position means you have an unrivalled view of nature; there are drinks in a refridgerated cooler, you can read up on the park, game, tracking while crusing along with lots of space to enjoy the ride.
I have to say I enjoyed the tour so much that I have told my parents they must go with Chris and am hopeful of engineering a way to come back again soon!
US
Email Stefan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great all around experience, great views, amazing food, fun times!
Chris was an amazing guide and we were really lucky to get to spend 4 days with him in Kruger National Park. He was very knowledgeable with regard to the wildlife and he knew a lot about the plant-life as well. Perhaps one of the coolest parts was his knowledge of astronomy. Sleeping out under the stars and looking up at the Southern Cross was magical. We saw almost everything we were hoping to see. The food was probably the best surprise. Chris is an amazing cook!
CA
Email Barry Mcleod | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our Safari with Armadillo Overland Safaris was far above my wildest expectations!
Everything about our safari was perfect. When Chris picked us up in Johannesburg in "Truck Norris", we weren't sure what we were in for. It soon became apparent that Chris had designed and built a very comfortable and unique Safari vehicle. Once we arrived in Kruger Park the amazing features of the truck really stood out. We were able to move around to different seats and viewing positions in order to see and photograph the animals we began to see. (Becasuse Truck Norris is such a tall vehicle, we were able to see over other vehicles and we had a much better chance of finding animals in the distance!) Chris is an excellent and very well informed guide and he took us to areas where we were able to see hundreds of wild animals We saw all of the big five including dozens of lions, and elephants. Chris even woke us up to witness 3 lions taking down a buffalo, just outside our camping compound ar 1am. Speaking of Camping, we were very comfortably housed in tents and incredibly well fed over the 5 days Even the weather was great. If I ever get a chance to go back to South Africa for another safari, I would definitely choose Armadillo Overland Safaris. It was one of tghe best weeks of my life!
Email Helen | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A once in a lifetime experience done the best possible way.
Going on safari has been a lifelong dream of mine. Right from the moment I sent an enquiry through to Chris, to the moment he dropped me back at the airport after the safari, I felt safe, well looked after and well informed about every aspect of the safari, which meant I was free to sit back, relax and enjoy everything that Kruger had to offer.
Before you go on safari, people warn you that you shouldn't expect to see something every day and that, when you do, it might be an elephant far in the distance or a buffalo herd on the horizon. I tried to manage my expectations as best I could. When I saw Chris's Armadillo truck, I started to get really excited. The extra height meant that our feet were at the level of most cars' roofs. This means you can see further, and also you can drive up to any sights people are viewing at the roadside without being blocked by a car in front.
It is hard to describe the wonder and the experience of a safari adequately, and we were exceptionally lucky on ours, but here is a quick list of what we saw, close up (touching distance, were it not for Kruger's rules and personal safety concerns): 5 different groups of lion at the roadside, including one pride of 18 lions, one of which was Kruger's only resident white lion; innumerable elephants, some crossing the road; a crash of rhinos crossing the road in front of our truck; herds of buffalo; a leopard sitting in the branch of a tree at the roadside; zebras; giraffes; kudus; beautiful birds and plant life... You get to watch how the animals actually behave, in the real world, and Chris gives you time, space and information to enhance this. Perhaps the best part of the safari was when we were woken in our tents at Satara by the sounds of heavy breathing and growling. These were the sounds of a buffalo being taken down by a coalition of 3 male lions right outside the perimeter fence. We were able to watch it all, as well as check in on the cycle of life and scavenging that played out afterwards between the hyenas, the jackals and the vultures.
Apart from the experience itself, there is NO OTHER vehicle like Chris's doing safaris. It has better height than the others by a good couple of feet. It also has tables, comfortable seating, a flush toilet, a library of reference books and even an honesty bar on board to you can kick back with a cold beer or cider whilst watching the natural world play out in front of you. Chris is a generous and excellent cook, the food was superb. The tented accommodation is also very comfortable.
I am the sort of person who will always find reason to moan about something, but I literally cannot think of a single thing to complain about on this trip. It was flawless, one of the best experiences of my life, and I envy you the anticipation of not having done it yet.