Alex Smit was born on the 7th April 1960 in Windhoek – the capital of the then South West Africa. He grew up in Upington in the Northern Cape – a semi-desert region in the northern part of South Africa, bordering Botswana. He spent many years in the Kalahari and he is a specialist on the plants of this region, the red sand dunes, the well known Springbok and the Oryx better known as the Gemsbok. The Kalahari is the place where many tourists visit to see South Africa’s splendid birdlife and to follow the tracks of the rare Bushmen.

Alex was a senior officer in the Infantry in the South African Army for seventeen years. During this time he received his provincial colours for 14 years in a row for target shooting for Northern Transvaal, Western Province and Griqualand West. He represented South Africa for three years as a Springbuck in 8 tests against countries like Israel, America and the Republic of China. Alex still holds the S.A. record in the 500 to 100 Fire and Movement Competition with a score of 187 out of the possible 200 points. For six years he was a member of the Civil Forces’ Gold Cup team with the highest score of 243 out of the possible 250.

Alex is an animal lover and a conservationist and he loves the outdoors, camping, photography and to entertain guests around a “hardekool” (hard wood) fire. His 4 X 4 off-road trips take him from the beautiful Table Mountain in the Cape of Good Hope to the grass planes with their roaming Wildebeest in Kenya in North Africa - over the red and yellow sand dunes of the Kgalagadi, past the “kameeldorings” (Camel thorn trees) of the Kalahari, to the thick swamps of Botswana.

Alex is married to Alta and they have three daughters. They run a very successful Internet stationery business – www.salesonline.co.za.

If Alex is not in the office, you will find him hunting in the Karoo - or will be busy informing tourists about the feeding habits of the Cape Wild Dogs. He will explain passionately to you the difference between gha(Pronounced : “gha”) or ntjama’s.(“n” + click your tongue while you say the “n” + -amas – a Bushmen word for a type of grass and roots).

Alex is also a keen rock and surf fisherman! Like any normal angler he is not shy to tell you about the time when he caught 5 Cobs (Salmon) in a row within 30 minutes, averaging 12 kilograms each!!! “That happened in December 2001 at Mile 108 in Hentiesbay (Namibia)...in the middle of the day” he says, with a dreamy look in his eye. Or were the fish perhaps 15 kgs each ? One will never know!

Alex is an accredited nature and cultural tour operator GP 2227. Except for the many years experience on guided tours, he was also formally trained in Nature Guiding and Overlanding to take tourists far and beyond the borders of South Africa. Alex is proud to be a member of several nature committees and is also a researcher on the African Lion while on his trips to the Kgalagadi and Serengeti.