Gerhard Thirion
Growing up on a 260,000 acre game farm just north of the Etosha game reserve, Gerhard developed a burning passion for wildlife, nature and different cultures at a very early age. His holidays were spent horse riding, walking in the African bush, sleeping under the stars, fishing, conducting game capture operations and helping his father repair fences destroyed by elephants.
After high school he joined Namibia’s national airline as a loadmaster and gained valuable experience in the handling of all kinds of cargo-even a bad tempered rhino called Brutalis. He then joined a courier company, as operations manager but the absence from the bush just magnified the passion for nature in his heart. After nine years in the freight handling business, Gerhard returned to the bush where his passion for sharing nature experiences with visitors could be realized.
In order to achieve this, he attended evening classes and successfully completed the Namibian guide’s course in only six months. The following 2 years he started doing guided safaris throughout Namibia on a freelance basis. He also traveled to Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa when on holiday with his family.
Gerhard’s big break finally came with the new millennium when he was offered a permanent position with Wilderness Safaris as a mobile safari guide. He believes that he has got the best job in the world as it permits him to accommodate his passion for Namibia with its diverse wildlife, cultures and landscapes. Safaris to the most remote areas in search of different cultures still living in their traditional ways or tracking free roaming black rhino and desert adapted elephants in the Namib Desert are among his favorite activities.
In 2004, Gerhard was appointed as manager of Serra Cafema Camp, in the very remote north-western part of the Namib Desert, where he gained a wealth of experience and knowledge while working in this stunningly beautiful environment.
Gerhard is currently based in Windhoek as concession manager for the 37,000 hectare, Kulala Wilderness Reserve, bordering on the magnificent dunes of the Sossusvlei area. He is also the brand manager for Wilderness Safaris’ Explorations department in Namibia, and still actively involved in all aspects of guiding.
Gerhard’s enthusiasm and insatiable quest for knowledge provides for life-changing and exciting experiences while exploring the wilderness of Namibia.
After high school he joined Namibia’s national airline as a loadmaster and gained valuable experience in the handling of all kinds of cargo-even a bad tempered rhino called Brutalis. He then joined a courier company, as operations manager but the absence from the bush just magnified the passion for nature in his heart. After nine years in the freight handling business, Gerhard returned to the bush where his passion for sharing nature experiences with visitors could be realized.
In order to achieve this, he attended evening classes and successfully completed the Namibian guide’s course in only six months. The following 2 years he started doing guided safaris throughout Namibia on a freelance basis. He also traveled to Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa when on holiday with his family.
Gerhard’s big break finally came with the new millennium when he was offered a permanent position with Wilderness Safaris as a mobile safari guide. He believes that he has got the best job in the world as it permits him to accommodate his passion for Namibia with its diverse wildlife, cultures and landscapes. Safaris to the most remote areas in search of different cultures still living in their traditional ways or tracking free roaming black rhino and desert adapted elephants in the Namib Desert are among his favorite activities.
In 2004, Gerhard was appointed as manager of Serra Cafema Camp, in the very remote north-western part of the Namib Desert, where he gained a wealth of experience and knowledge while working in this stunningly beautiful environment.
Gerhard is currently based in Windhoek as concession manager for the 37,000 hectare, Kulala Wilderness Reserve, bordering on the magnificent dunes of the Sossusvlei area. He is also the brand manager for Wilderness Safaris’ Explorations department in Namibia, and still actively involved in all aspects of guiding.
Gerhard’s enthusiasm and insatiable quest for knowledge provides for life-changing and exciting experiences while exploring the wilderness of Namibia.
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