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
Email Cameron Peverett | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful dedicated staff who ensured we had the best experience possible.
This safari went well beyond my expectations. Chris and Nicky were wonderful to deal with and made us feel comfortable at all times. Their knowledge of the animals and obvious delight in experiencing the sightings with us made it really special. I feel a bit spoilt as I can't imagine a better way to see so many wonderful sights and animals in such a short amount of time. The opportunity to take our time and really enjoy what we were experiencing was perfect. Thank you so much!
US
Email John | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great safari experience: safe, fun, and worth every minute
If you are looking for a luxury safari, this is not your company. If you are looking for an adventure in the African Bush the way that South Africans do it themselves; if you are looking for safari guides who truly care about the plants and animals of South Africa above all and who want to share those with the world; if you are looking to have some fun, to get a little dirty, and to see a part of the world rarely seen anymore in its raw beauty, Armadillo is for you!!
I'll start off by saying that we booked this particular tour because it perfectly fit our timeline and budget. We were looking for a low-budget, camping tour that would really allow us the time and flexibility to see the animals and terrain of Kruger. We are 3 young men from the USA who have extensive travelling, camping, and adventuring experience. This was the only safari we could find that fit everything we wanted for the timeframe we had. We did the 8-day safari with 5 nights in the park and a trip to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre and Elephant Whispers as well as the Blyde River Canyon.
I am SOOO glad we went with Armadilo!! They gave us everything we wanted and more!!
This is truly an all-inclusive company. From the time we were picked up from the airport to the time we were dropped back off at the airport in Joburg, we never lacked anything. The food was certainly plentiful, filling, and tasty. We would buy the occasional snack at one of the park shops, but even as 3 big guys used to American-sized portions, we were never hungry. The tents we used were spacious and sturdy, and we were provided with sleeping bags, pillows, and comfortable, 4-inch mats to sleep on. Drinks were available in an honesty bar on-board the safari truck whenever we needed for a very small fee. Potable water is available from taps at all of the campsites as well.
Chris and Simon (his son) were our guides. Chris is truly an expert of the African wildlife and fancies himself a birder as well. Not only were they great at spotting animals for us, they could identify most species with ease as well as give us more in-depth information about them. We did see all of the Big 5 including a Black Rhino, as well as a Sable Antelope, Cape Clawless Otters, and several other rarely seen animals. Yes, we were lucky to have seen them all, but Chris and Simon really helped create our luck. They were not simply tour guides who were doing their job, happy to be rid of their customers at the end of a game-drive. They became friends and companions who were fun to be around. Along with their combined knowledge, well... it was a privilege to be with them!
The last thing to note here specifically is the safari truck. It is no ordinary vehicle. This thing was custom-built specifically for taking groups on safari. There are some pluses and minuses of it, but in all, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. First of all, it is completely enclosed. That makes it feel far more secure than the traditional open-sided trucks you may be expecting. That does sometimes limit the visibility of animals if they are directly in front of or behind the truck; however, because it stands a good 15 feet above the ground, you are so far above the other vehicles that you will see things they could never see. We were eye-level with girrafes and elephants. We could see above the road-side brush and small trees. We could even see over the top of any other vehicles that would pass by or park next to ours. One major caution: If you have a difficulty with ladders, this may not work for you. Because of its height, you have to climb a ladder or steep stairs to get in and out of the truck. Also worth noting is that it has an on-board espresso machine for those early morning game drives and a charging station for all your electronics which takes standard South African AND European plugs.
So, in summary: we were hoping to go on a safari to see the animals of Kruger. What we got was an adventure much more fulfilling than that! We thought this would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip to South Africa, and all of us want to go back even more now than we did before. And I can tell you this: If we were going back, we would definitely go on a safari with Armadillo again in a heartbeat! I hope to keep in touch with Chris and Simon as well.
US
Email NL | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lovely Family and Great Experience
Chris and Nicky are welcoming, thoughtful, and hard-working. The truck was clean and in great condition with all the amenities described by others. Chris is very skilled at driving the large truck. The drive to the park (on the highway) was at times very bumpy. But inside the park where the speed was slower, the truck was very comfortable and perfect for looking for wildlife. When we started our safari, Chris and Nicky had just finished another one the night before. In light of how tired they must have been, they surprised us with their preparation, sense of humor, and sustained enthusiasm for the bush. Nicky somehow brought a full-sized chocolate cake into the wild to make the birthday trip extra memorable. She also thoughtfully recommended a great book for the kids from one of the gift stores inside the park. There was a misunderstanding about the itinerary but it was resolved with no issues at all. We felt well taken care of throughout the trip. :)
Email geoff Simpson retha debeer | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
whole family experience
Thanx to Chris and truck Norris for a great family camping and exploring adventure our 6 and 7 year old have the best memories of their lives including camping under the stars from geoff and retha
I have a video on Facebook of the fun we had in Krueger with chris
4 day Safari with Armadillo tours
Our Safari with Armadillo Tours has been an wonderful and life-long held experience. Not only because of the animals we have seen, but also because of all the effort that Chris has put in creating an amazing experience for his guests. Chris is genuinely interested in his guests and does more than his best to make sure his guests have a great time. Truck Norris, Chris knowledge of the area and the wildlife, his work for the group, and at the end of the day, the great campfire conversation with Chris, our trip couldn't be any better.
Definitely recommended to everyone!
PL
Email Anna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
6 days Safari + Panorama Route
That was the experience of our life!!! Our family of 4 have spent 6 days in Kruger on board of Truck Norris. Everything was perfectly organised from the very beginning - Chris patiently and quickly responded to all my questions before making a final decision, than we were picked up from Jo'burg and the tour began. We were on camping safari, full equipment was provided by Chris - tents, sleeping bags, mattrecess, pillows, chairs, etc. Chris took care of us all the time - he was our guide, safari driver, excellent chef and storyteller. It was nice to sit at night near campfire and have a chit-chat on different subjects.
Travelling in Truck Norris was sooo comfortable - a lot of space, big windows, a fridge with stocks of cold beer, coffee machine and toilet. As we sit much higher than in standard safari vehicles we had better views. We saw so many animals! Chris has amazing knowledge of Kruger nature and he is happy to share it with his guests. Additionally our games were not strictly limited as in other safari operators, we spent at least 7 hours on games a day. I'm pretty sure that it is the best value for money.
I have to mention the delicious food prepared by Chris himself - that were home-made meals like pasta, steaks, curry, salads, etc. - quite different from my imagination of camping food (that was my first time sleeping in a tent :-)).
All in all - the only what can I do is to strongly recomend Chris ans his Armadillo Overland Safari & Adventure Tours. You will not be disappointed!!! Chris - once again I would like to thank you for your hospitality, patience and wonderful time we have in Kruger. Big respect for your hard work to satisfy your guests.
Email Sarah and Robbie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent from start to finish!
My husband and I joined Chris and his son Simon for a 8 day camping safari for our honeymoon. Where do we start, we had never been on a safari before, but enjoyed camping and thought why not!
Well it was an excellent experience from start to finish, everything was perfectly organised, Chris and his family work consistantly day and night to deliver an amazing experience for their guests.
The 'Chuck Norris' safari van was spacious, comfy and gave us a great view of Kruger which was head and shoulders above the other safari vehicles in the park. The truck catered for all safari necessities from fridges full of beer and cold drinks, a library, white board for animal sightings, coffee maker and a toilet!
There was a fantastic selection of very tasty food during our tour, from breakfast on the go to full evening meals everything was freshly prepared by Chris on his trusty braai!
All the camp sites facilities were clean, the tents Chris provided were spacious, comfy and took minutes to assemble with plenty of room for bags.
Lastly of course the animals, we saw so much wildlife whilst in Kruger. Chris and Simon went out of their way to try to find the animals the group wanted to see, sometimes we were driving in the park for upto 6 hours a day as new animal kept popping up along the way!
An amazing time, we are planning our next trip already!!
DE
Email Catherine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Part of our South Africa Visit!!!
We could not have been happier with our safari experience! We chose to do tent camping. The sleeping arrangements were very comfortable. Waking to the different bird sounds was wonderful. Chris is quite a chef and all our our meals were delicious! We even made it a challenge for him and specified 'gluten free diets'.
I don't think our experience in the park and surroundings could have been any better. We had a view that no one else could have. It was nice to be able to interact and move around inside 'Truck Norris' with all the creature comforts. Chris and his daughter, Ginny, were so knowledgeable about all in the park. There wasn't one bug, bird or animal they didn't have a wealth of information on. With their expertise, we were able to see the "Big Five" and so much more. They knew just where to go and what to do and were some of the nicest people I've met.
I have to say, our safari was a great value! If we were to have gone on our own, I don't believe we would have spent any less money. I would arrange to go with Chris again in a heartbeat and would recommend him to anyone wanting a wonderful, fulfilling experience. For us it was perfection!!!
For us it was perfect
NO
Email Gulbrand & Annabel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What an adventure!
We traveled with Armadillo Overland for a 7 day camping safari in the Kruger in the last week of January.
The route is well thought out. It's a good mix of different activities and animal sightings and Chris tailored the route based on what we were interested in seeing.
You will not only get to spot wild animals but also learn a lot about their behavior, characteristics, society. As Chris is passionate about birds you will also get to be more aware of them and how they fit into the eco system, and that adds a nice twist to the trip.
In general Chris took very good care of us, being both guide, driver and chef. We missed his home-cooked meals for the rest of our ZA-trip.
Moreover, the truck really is ideally set up for the safari, giving you the best of both worlds: comfort and convenience (comfy seats, cool drinks, bathroom, a library of reference books) as well as great viewing (the height let's you see animals other vehicles can't, sliding windows gives you the sounds and picture-taking advantages of an open vehicle).
The camping was basically "glamping" in nice stand-up tents on well-maintained camp sites. It was very pleasant to sleep in the tent on the comfortable mattresses.
All in all you will not be disappointed by booking a safari with this great mom-and-pop outfit. Highly recommended
DE
Email Johannes | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Safari experience at Kruger with superp safari vehicle and fantastic guides
Everything went very smoothly from the booking on. Chris answered all our questions before the safari promptly and friendly so that we already had a good feeling before we started.
Chris and Nicky then picked us up at 7am on the first day of the safari to drive to Kruger with us. It takes a few hours to get there, we then switched vehicles right near the Kruger entrance and had lunch at a lodge of friends of Chris and Nicki. The food during the safari was superb! Chris is able to cook perfect meals on a campfire, also very versatile (e.g. Curry, Gnocchi, steak). The food really exceeded our expectations by far.
The safari vehicle is also amazing. Great view and hight to see everything around you, tables, fridges, electricity, a coffee maching - all on board. It feels like a living room :)
We saw all of the big five during the 5 days and Chris and Nicki are very knowledgeable about all the wild animals. You can ask them anything and if they can´t answer straightaway they´ll make sure to look it up for you in the large amount of wild life books they have with them.
2 binoculars are also on the truck, I would recommend to bring own ones as well if you´re in a bigger group because there´s just so much to see.
The accomadations Chris booked for us (we booked the midrange packet) were also great. I did a Safari before in Tanzania and for the same budget we got a much higher standard at Kruger. The safari tents are superb, I even liked them better than the bungalows.
We can recommend that safari really to anyone, Nicki and Chris are really lovely people to spend a safari with and we would book it again any time.