Wilderness Encounters

Brendon Schmikl, co-owner of Wilderness Encounters, has been a nature guide since 1990, with the last 15 years working exclusively in the 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 on a private farm in the Timbavati. Then in 2002, Brendon and his wife, Sheri, started Wilderness Encounters. From 2002 to 2011, Wilderness Encounters specialized in offering private safaris to overseas guests seeking an intimate bush experience at their own private camp. As the availability of these non-commercial venues suddenly became scarce, Wilderness Encounters, switched its focus toward the sharing of knowledge; pointing former guests, their friends, and new acquaintances to the very best guides who we personally know and respect and have witnessed in the field for 10+ years. To date, Brendon continues guiding on a freelance basis in the Timbavati and Klaserie Private Nature Reserves, working along-side and keeping an ever-watchful eye out for the very best guiding talent.

Brendon is now also the project manager for a rhino breeding and anti poaching non profit in South Africa although he is based in the U.S. Wildlife Protection Solutions is committed to breeding and conserving rhinos in Africa and Indonesia through running breeding programs and focusing on using drone technology to fight poaching. He travels regularly to South Africa to work on the breeding project and to develop relationships with other parties involved in the conservation of rhinos.

Brendon has a 3-year, National Diploma in Nature Conservation from Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa. He lives just outside the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve with his wife Sheri and pug, Penny.