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20 Years of Adventure Powered by Safari-Condo
20 Years of Adventure Powered by Safari-Condo
, SafariNo. 007, SafariNo. 997, LiechiNo. 735
Our First Encounter with a Safari-Condo
In 2006, we bought our first Safari-Condo, a small 16-foot GMC Safari. It was the seventh one Mr. Nadeau had built. Our children were 2 and 4 years old at the time. My sister, a Westfalia enthusiast, always told me that traveling this way is freedom. It wasn’t until we’d driven a few kilometers toward the Bruce Peninsula—just a few days after our new purchase—that I truly understood what she meant. Feelings of freedom, independence, and a thirst for adventure immediately took hold of us. Twenty years later, that feeling is stronger than ever!
SafariNo.007: A Different Way to Travel
We kept our 007 for 7 years, from 2006 to 2012! It took us from the Maritimes to Florida. We also attended the Safari Condo gathering on the Magdalen Islands in 2007. It was while chatting with a seasoned traveler, JIM, and other pioneers of the VanLife movement that we realized the possibilities our Safari Condo offered us. Toward the end of 2009, we had a burning desire to take our family on a trip for a few months in our 007. My partner and I decided to take a six-month deferred-pay leave in 2013.
Our 007 had some mileage on it, but that wasn’t a problem. We wanted to head to the American Southwest and maybe also to Baja California in Mexico. The problem was that our little ones were growing at an insane rate!!! Conclusion: 16 feet is way too small for this trip! We sold it in 2012: a new owner gave it a third lease on life in the Lac Saint-Jean region. I think the 007 is still on the road today!
SafariNo.997: The Revelation
In 2012, after months of consideration, analysis, and comparisons with other types of Vehicles pop-up campers, Class C RVs, travel trailers, and other Class B RVs), we always came back to the Safari Condo. The features we couldn’t really find elsewhere are the quality of the interior craftsmanship, the energy-efficient appliances, the quiet operation—perfect for sleeping whether in the city or out in nature—and its reasonable fuel consumption. One of the major highlights is the natural light that Safari Condo models with a canvas roof provide. Do you own a Safari Condo? Then you know exactly what we mean! Whether sitting or standing, you have nearly 365-degree visibility. You’re completely immersed in nature! Plus, the canvas roof lets us have our two kids sleep upstairs.
That’s how we found this gem—an LC2008 with a low-profile canvas roof, built on a Savana 3500HD chassis with a 4.8L V8 engine. We had Safari Condo make a few upgrades to it: a high-profile roof, rear air conditioning, and more.
Our 2013 trip was “École Buissonnière” in western France. We traveled for six months in 2013 in our 997, along with our two little adventurers, ages 9 and 11. You can read all about our trip and see incredible photos on our Blog Buissonnière Blog (school on the road, vaccinations, discoveries, adventures, and more) at the following link: https://safari997.blogspot.com/
In 997, we visited the Maritimes again, as well as the coast all the way to the Keys, traveling through the Gulf of Mexico, the American Southwest, and Baja California (Mexico), among other places.
During that trip, the boys had put their passion for soccer on hold to enjoy this family adventure. When we got back, it was our turn to devote ourselves to years of being soccer parents. We sold our 997 in the fall of 2013.
LiéchiNo.735: A Way of Life
It was after a few years of traveling as parents of soccer players—and staying in hotels for tournaments—that we realized: we just can’t do this anymore without a Safari Condo!!! Freedom, comfort, flexibility, spontaneity—all of that had disappeared from our trips.
In 2019, Isabelle gave her car to our oldest son, Antoine, who was 17 at the time. We decided to buy another Safari Ondo as a second vehicle. We’ve also had an idea floating around in our heads for a while now: to set off and explore South America for several months. We looked at what’s new on the market and other options, but we just couldn’t help but come back to our love for the Safari Condo! There was no getting around it. We established criteria for the RV that would be our companion on our South American adventure. We want an 18-foot model, the MC version (no cabinet blocking the 365-degree view), no propane system (getting propane in South America with a U.S.-spec tank is a hassle), a Webasto gasoline heater, an electric water heater, a canvas roof, and a V8 engine with a limited-slip differential.
We found our future companion in the classified ads. It was an MC2005 with 210,000 km on the odometer, in pristine condition, and had had only two owners. The previous owner—whose name escapes me—had worked on the creation of Radio-Canada’s EXPLORA channel. He and his wife had named it ROLAND. Its former owners could never have imagined that seven years later, Roland—renamed LIÉCHI—would be traversing the lands of Patagonia and the southernmost roads on the planet! I’ll explain the symbolism behind the name in another post.
Liéchi and I went as far north as the53rdparallel in Labrador, and a few days ago, we were at the53rdparallel south in Patagonia!
Liéchi's Preparation for the Andes
The preparations for the truck took nearly two years. I could write a post about the reasons behind the upgrades, but basically, we adapted the truck and equipped it for South America—taking into account its unique characteristics, climate, altitude, remoteness, and the critical need for self-sufficiency.
For the truck portion: suspension modifications and adjustments for off-road use, rear bumper with storage compartment, spare tire on a swivel arm with two 20-liter jerry cans. Everything related to the wheels and suspension has been upgraded to heavy-duty (HD) components. We also had to modify the radiator, water pump, and fan, and install a transmission cooler and LED lights, as well as fit BF All-Terrain KO3245/75/16 tires (5), remove the fiberglass moldings from the door sills and replace them with steel off-road running boards, install agravel guard along the entire underside of the truck, and replace the truck’s battery with a gel battery capable of withstanding the harshest vibrations. Not to mention all the sensors, spark plugs, and wiring...
As for the Safari Condo: a quick trip to the factory was in order to give it a little facelift. So, the factory team gave it a nice upgrade: a new electric water heater, new fabric, a new roof vent, and new faucets. We’ve replaced the old system of marine batteries and solar panels with the new technology that Safari Condo uses in its new Vehicles we’ve switched to lithium batteries, a 2000W inverter, solar panels with MPPT, and all the necessary wiring.
With 277,000 km on the odometer, and no rattling noises or “Check Engine” light coming on, Liéchi boarded his ship in Baltimore on Monday, January 26, 2026, for his voyage to South America. The ship arrived in Argentina on Friday, February 13, and we were able to take possession of it in Zarate, Argentina, on February 20.
Let the adventure begin at our mobile base camp!
From Buenos Aires to Ushuaia in PATAGONIA!
We’ll tell you about our first few weeks in an upcoming post. But I can already say that, having traveled more than 5,000 km, we made the right choice in relying on our trusty and reliable companion, Liéchi—our 21-year-old Safari Condo!
See you next time,
SebIsaOverlanders from El Calafate, Patagonia, Argentina.