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the team at

african bush bird tours

Tanya Förtsch

- Senior Tour Designer & Accounting

Tanya Förtsch was born in 1975 in Namibia. She visited a German school in Swakopmund and then studied Travel and Tourism in Cape Town, South Africa.
She decided to explore the tourism industry in Germany, and spent a total of 8 happy years in Munich. After a travel agent training, Tanya worked for Lufthansa at Munich Airport in the training department. It has, however, drawn her back to their home country.  After a break from tourism to publishing, she has returned to the tourism sector again. She has since planned the travel routes for customers with enthusiasm and tries to fulfill every wish.

Manfred Förtsch

- Operations

Manfred Förtsch was born in 1976 in Windhoek, Namibia. He finished his education with high school Windhoek and studied B Comm in Pretoria.
In 1997 he explored the tourism and decided in 1998 to work as a freelance tour guide – thus he could show his home country to the visitors. This he did so successfully that he after 3 years decided to start a company where he offered his tour guiding services. The business grew over the years and thus he founded African Bush Bird Tours. Currently Manfred focuses on the quality control of the company-owned vehicles and planning customized tours for our guests.
His motto: "We create vacations include the 3 pillars: 1. adventure, 2.  recovery, 3. information transfer."

Nicole Boye

– Senior Tour Designer

Nicole Boye was born in 1984 in Windhoek, Namibia. She visited a German school in Windhoek and went to Stellenbosch for 2 years to study Health & skin Care Therapy. In 2008 she decided to do something different and explore the tourism industry. She worked for 5 years for Lufthansa at the Munich airport as a Service Professional. She decided to come back home to Namibia in 2013 and has worked in the tourism industry ever since. She plans travel routes for clients and loves working with people of all nationalities.

Petra von Schumann

- Tour Designer

Petra von Schumann was born in 1972 in Sint Maarten, the Netherlands. She attended a German school in Bünde, Germany during her formative years. She then completed four years of ballet studies at the University of Hanover, Germany. In 1998, Petra decided to emigrate to Namibia, where she worked in the tourism industry on a farm until 2019. Looking for new opportunities, she moved to Windhoek and took the position of an office manager at a radio station. In 2022, Petra started a new adventure and joined African Bush Bird Tours. With a passion for working with people, Petra finds joy in helping clients make their dream vacation come true.

Herbert Lauenroth

- Tour Guide

Herbert Lauenroth was born on 17.09.1956 in Germany, and graduated with a diploma as a diesel mechanic after school. In 1982, Herbert took on a new challenge and decided to start a life in what was then known as Southwest Africa, now Namibia. He first worked for two years as a manager in the mechanical department of the Etosha National Park, where his interest in fauna and flora was awakened. Herbert's colleagues, two San / Bushmen shared many aspects of their culture with him, thus intensifying his love for his new home. Then Herbert took on the adventure of managing some guest farms and lodges, together with his wife. Here he collected a great variety of experience. During this time Herbert also continued training in agriculture, livestock, horse breeding and much more. Since 2017, Herbert decided to start a new life as a tour guide, which he does with great passion.

Wilfried Hähner

- Tour Guide

Wilfried Hähner is a born and bred Namibian, who rather travels in his motherland than overseas. He has started guiding on a part time basis some 15 years ago. Wilfried (alias Willi) has successfully completed the NTA (Namibian Training Authority) National Guide Assessment Level 4 and the FGASA Field Guide Assessment (NQF2). As he is passionate about everything, the unspoilt beauty of this amazing country has to offer, Wilfried has furthermore completed various Wildlife Campus courses, to broaden his horizon. He loves people and Namibia and is eager to make every journey an unforgettable one. His favourite hobbies include birding, reading, travelling, listening to music and patrolling for his neighbourhood watch. Willis life motto is: Count your blessings and be grateful of what you have!

Elias

– Assistant

Elias was born 1977 in Okahao, in the northern region of Namibia. He went to school in the Ovamboland region of Namibia and moved to Windhoek, to seek for work. Elias is a great help to African Bush Bird Tours doing all kinds of repair work needed, painting, cleaning the cars and looking after the office garden with lots of love and detail. Elias is a very loyal person to us and brightens our day with a hearty smile.