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THE GUIDES AND INSTRUCTORS :

Richard Behne was the first South African to be certified as a Mountaineering Instructor under the MDT scheme (Mountaineering Development and Training Trust). He was also one of the founder members of SAMGA,( South African Mountain Guides Association), and holds their Alpine Guide qualification .

Richard spends every available moment of leisure time in the mountains and is an active trad climber, sport climber and boulderer, and occasional alpinist. He has climbed routes like the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses and the American Direct on the Dru, various routes, including the Ice Window, on Mount Kenya, grade 30 sport routes, and trad routes throughout southern Africa, as well as on the crags of the British Peak District, the Lake District and North Wales, where Gogarth is a favourite venue.

If not on the mountain he will often be found in the bushveld of South Africa, Namibia or Botswana and this knowledge will be shared with you on any of the exciting climbing safaris he leads.

On occasion GAIA will utilise other qualified guides and instructors. Two of the experienced guides and instructors you might meet are :

Stuart Brown. He has been involved in mountaineering training since 1986, leading courses at Veld and Vlei and National Outdoor Pursuits. After moving to Switzerland and learning German he continued instructing and guiding on rock and ice in the Alps and around Europe for the university of Zürich, Akademischer Sportverband Zürich. Stuart holds the Swiss Rock Climbing Instructor Award level 3, is also Swiss national referee and national route setter for competition climbing and currently owns De Bos, the popular climbers accommodation in the sport climbing area of Montagu.

David Vallet. David is currently pursuing a qualification as a full UIAGM guide and, as such, will be the first internationally accredited guide in South Africa.