Guides
Brendon Schmikl – guiding since 1990
Brendon Schmikl, owner of Wilderness Encounters, has been a nature guide since 1990, with the last 15 years working exclusively in South Africa’s Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. After the early years as owner/operator of Encounter Africa, a business conducting overland safaris to Botswana, Brendon began guiding and managing various safari lodges in the Timbavati before serving for 3 years as conservation manager at one of the reserve’s private farms. For the past 9 years he and his wife, Sheri, have owned and operated Wilderness Encounters, specializing in offering private safaris for overseas visitors seeking an intimate bush experience at their own private camp. Brendon has earned a 3-year, National Diploma in Nature Conservation from Tshwane University of Technology located in Pretoria. He is also fully licensed for professional guiding from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism with training in advanced weapon handling for dangerous game. Along with African mammals and birds, Brendon’s special interests include conservation, ecology of savanna systems, soils and plants. He is still frequently called upon to assist with managing or guiding at various camps in the Timbavati.
In addition to his bush involvements, Brendon also serves as Project Manager for Florida, USA-based, A Spring of Hope, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing running water to impoverished schools in South Africa and Uganda. www.aspringofhope.org Brendon identifies needy government schools, ‘divines’ water on school property and manages the drilling of wells, subsequently conducting the installation of much-needed water systems.
Alan McSmith – guiding since 1987
As a young boy, if someone asked Alan McSmith what he wanted to do with his life, he would dream aloud, “I want to put on a backpack, camp in the bush and track elephant.” In the bush for nearly a quarter of a century, Alan has earned a solid reputation for his enthusiasm, gentle humor and empathy for the bush. Those of us who know Alan from his years in the Timbavati, know his burning passion for nature involves a unique bond of understanding with elephants.
Spanning the years as a professional wilderness guide, Alan has driven, walked, poled and paddled through the wild-lands of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland. For Alan, “A wilderness and wildlife encounter is about getting off the beaten track. It’s about tents, campfires and tracking big game in remote destinations.
Alan specializes in small groups, mobile safaris, non-motorized canoe/dugout excursions, relatively un-commercial camps, authentic experiences, walking safaris, remote destinations (lower Zambezi, Kunene River) and just pushing the limits! According to Alan, “Tented camps…that’s where the magic is!” Alan, always a consummate professional with an eye for safety, loves anything that’s personable and fun, involving a quirky sense of adventure.
Andreas Liebenberg – in the bush since 1994
“Animals are important and we love to see and appreciate them. But what’s really important is what comes before the animals, and that’s the natural habitat that sustains them. Understanding, preserving and protecting that precious habitat must be our most critical concern,” so says Andreas Liebenberg, who has a demonstrated commitment to the preservation of nature as a founder member of the Peace Parks, a multi-national land protection effort seeking to preserve the natural migration patterns of animals.
Over the past 17 years, Andreas has also taken part in various conservation efforts in Tanzania, Sudan and South Africa involving predator monitoring and relocation, as well as the translocation, restocking and monitoring of elephants at Quicama National Park in Angola. Having studied the ancient art of tracking with the River Bushmen in Botswana, Andreas shares that knowledge with guests visiting the tranquil riverine bush camp he established in 1994 in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
Andreas has a deep love for the finer points of nature and is happiest when tracking animals on foot and studying animal dung, insects, birds, and sharing tracking, bush craft and survival techniques as well as demonstrating the medicinal uses of bush vegetation. Andreas’ guests can choose to take advantage of additional unusual and fascinating activities such as rifle craft, bush navigation with maps and compasses, a reptile presentation, and assisting professional wildlife veterinarians and conservationists in their game capture duties.
Along with his love of the bush, Andreas is also highly skilled in martial and life arts. He is a 15th Dan in Ninjutsu and represents the Japanese grandmaster in South Africa.
Patrick O’Brien – guiding since 1998
“I have always believed that images are an influential tool that can change people’s mindsets,” says guide Patrick O’Brien, referring to his love of bush and wildlife photography and helping beginning or advanced shutter-bugs get the best results. “We as photographers have the ability to create images and art that will educate people about Africa’s wonderful diversity.” Adding to his fascination of Africa’s well-known big game, Patrick has a keen interest in birds, reptiles and arachnids, completing educational courses under experts in raptors, scorpions and spiders.
These less-celebrated bush creatures have taught Patrick the benefit of patience, waiting for the right moment and understanding species behavior, while offering guests an opportunity to improve lighting and composition techniques as well as their attention to detail. “Being among a herd of African elephants enables you to understand their social structure and behavior in order to capture rare moments that can be easily overlooked if not understood.”
To date, Patrick has been involved with 5 intense research projects, collecting data and processing information for scientific studies on lions, elephants and leopards. Patrick is known for his meticulous eye for detail, observation and the enthusiastic sharing of data with information-hungry visitors. Patrick’s guests enjoy 5-star comfort in the heart of the Timbavati Private Nature.
Keith Jenkinson – Guiding since 1997
Sporting a dry but accommodating sense of humor, Keith Jenkinson is a highly-studied conservationist, with a National Higher Diploma in Nature Conservation from Tshwane University of Technology, later expanding his education with special training and qualifications in wildflowers and birds.
As a final-year student, Keith began his field training in conservation and ecological management at the headquarters of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Keith was sent into the bush daily to tackle all issues of reserve maintenance, including fire regimes, anti-poaching, vegetation monitoring, game counts and problem animal control. Keith’s natural passion calls for a deeper look at nature, encouraging visitors to “Take time to study the relationships and interdependencies of species from termites to elephants, to get a holistic understanding of the system.
I believe a safari is about slowing down and absorbing the sights and sounds of Africa and getting a better understanding of nature in the process.” Keith’s guests enjoy 4-star accommodation in the world-acclaimed Sabi Sands Game Reserve.
Dale Jackson – Guiding since 2000
“Showing visitors the wildlife, the trees, and telling them all about the bush, watching them learn and seeing their eyes light up….that makes my day!” says an enthusiastic Dale Jackson, when asked about his favourite part of guiding. “I love the unexpected, taking time and watching the social interaction of animals.”
As a boy, Dale spent his weekends and school holidays exploring various Lowveld game farms and reserves, thanks to his dad’s genuine love of the bush and desire to share that passion with his kids. Those early adventures were the beginning of what would become a quest for continuous learning about all aspects of Nature. Dale has earned the Field Guide’s Association of South Africa’s (FGASA) highest guide grading, the SKS in Dangerous Game. He’s completed continuing education courses, earning certificates in scorpions and raptors. Dale’s current studies include the third level of FGASA’s Tracker qualification, specializing in the interpretation of animal tracks and signs.
Dale loves both driving and walking through thousands of hectares of unspoiled wilderness and takes every possible opportunity to spend a night under the stars. His guests enjoy accommodation in spacious, 4-star luxury tents in the heart of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
