What Would You Do When a Lion Sniffed Your Toes?

He has a Masters Degree in Botany/Ecology, specialising in large mammal feeding ecology and Predator ecology. Trained in advanced counter poaching techniques by the Specialised Wildlife Protection Academy, he is a FGASA Level 1, Lead Trails Guide.

Ihlane means wilderness in Zulu (he’s from KwaZulu-Natal), and you can follow his adventures on instagram @ihlane_trails.

I loved walking with Rogan from Ihlane Trails. He's intuitive, empathetic and so tuned into the bush that you immediately feel at home, even when home is a sleeping mat on a sodic site, and your visitors are curious hyenas.

Dianne Roerig

Q: How long have you been a guide?

I’ve been a guide for about 5 years – most of that freelance. I’ve done it while studying and have been full-time for the last 2 years. I am currently doing a PhD looking at leopard popularion dynamics in Zimbabwe in multi-use landscapes.

Q: What made you want to become a guide?

I grew up wanting to be a game ranger, so it was always going to happen at some point. My parents said I had to get a degree first…

Q: How many trails do you do on average a year? (COVID aside!)

About 20 per year

Q: Which is your favourite trail in SA/in the world?

I love hiking in Balule for the amount of wildlife you see. Another memorable one was a 5-day hike in Sweden, on one of the country’s most famous routes the Kungsledenthe. There was incredible scenery, snow, glacial lakes, northern lights…

Locally, I am very keen to hike in Makuya.

Q. What has been your most scary/exciting encounter with an animal on trail?

One of the coolest ones, but also scariest for guests, was in Maseke, when we were sleeping on a koppie with the most awesome views.

One of our guests was on night watch and because of the slope, she just missed seeing a pride of lions approach. The next time she shone the torch, a lion was sniffing my foot. It was a curious sub-adult.

I had my head torch on and sat up and shouted at it. It ran about 3m away and turned around and looked at me like ‘what’s the problem dude?’

I got my rifle, turned the torch on, and then saw about 8 more lions behind the sub-adult. I didn’t feel threatened, but for most of the guests this was their first walk in a big five environment, and their first encounter with lions on foot.

In 10 years time this is what the guests will be talking about…

Q: Tell us about food on trail

Pre-Trail Food Co, I ate a lot of cous cous and tuna! I do think about nutrition/waste/weight etc. A lot of my meals were about getting calories but missing micronutrients. I started craving something fresh.

Q: Which is your favourite trail food meal?

The Lentil dhal (and rotis) or the Beef potjie.