When Vivian Met a Sneaky Elephant

An Interview with Vivan Butler

I met Lead Trails Guide, Vivian Butler, for a coffee at the Hoedspruit Cafe, and we got chatting about how he got into guiding and his passion for The Kruger Trail.

The Kruger Trail is a relatively new trail, and the first guided guests set off on their adventure in 2018. Vivian’s fabulous photos feature in our Ultimate Guide to The Kruger Trail, so if you haven’t checked them out yet, go and take a look!

How long have you been a guide?

I’ve been a guide for about eight years, with 2022 being my ninth year in the industry, and I officially qualified with FGASA in 2017.

I worked under a freelance contract for SANParks in Kruger up until 2020. After 2020 SANParks decided they were not going to give freelance contracts anymore, so in order to continue guiding in Kruger, I then had to join the SANPARKS Honorary rangers.

What made you want to become a guide?

Well, that’s the thing – if you’d asked me years ago, I never would have thought I’d end up being a guide. In a way, I sort of fell into it while doing my Masters’s research on the “Feeding ecology of the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in the central Free State” at Amanzi Private Game Reserve (in the Free State).

The guys at the reserve needed someone to help with the guiding, and so I started helping out, and that’s how I got involved in guiding.

My dream has always been to work for SANPARKS in Kruger as either a ranger or an ecologist/ mammologist/plant scientist or any other position at their scientific services, and who knows – maybe one day I’ll still get there!

What is your FGASA number, and what are your qualifications?

I’m a lead trails guide (FGASA #26090), and I also have a BSc in Zoology, an Honours Degree in Wildlife Management, and an MSC (Master’s degree) in Wildlife Ecology.

How many trails do you do on average a year?

I reckon I lead about 20 trails a year on average. Different trails, although mostly in and around Kruger or the Greater Kruger.

I’m guiding the following trails this year (2022):

• 8 Kruger Trails
• 10 Nyarhi Bush Camp trails
• 6 Sand River Bush Camp trails (similar to Nyarhi, but you stay in a fenced camp at Sand River in permanent tents.
• At Nyhari, you bring your own tents, and it’s an open camp)
• Plus, various freelance walks as and when they come up.

Of the trails you’ve done in SA or globally, which is your favourite?

Without a doubt, my favourite trail is definitely The Kruger Trail. So far, I have only done legs 1 to 4 a number of times each, and next year I hope to complete legs 5 and 6 as well.

The Kruger Trail is approximately 650km in length and, as such, is divided into six different legs of 100 to 120 km each, each of which usually takes five nights and six days to complete. As a guest on the trail, it will take you three years to complete the whole Kruger Trail!

Are there any trails in SA or the rest of the world that are on your bucket list?

The Otter Trail is definitely on my bucket list. I’ve been wanting to do it for a very long time and have just never gotten around to doing it.

What has been your most exciting encounter with an animal on trail?

My most exciting and special experience, I think, occurred at Makumu, where I was walking with Alan McSmith.

We had been walking almost all day and eventually picked up some elephant tracks heading down to the Klaserie River. We followed the tracks and came across a breeding herd of elephants down in the river.

It was a very warm day, probably high 30s into the 40s, and we were sitting in a line under a big Jackalberry tree in the shade, just enjoying the view and watching the elephants drinking and playing in the water.

Something must have alerted us, but for some reason, we looked back behind us, and there was a big bull elephant that had sneaked up behind us and was probably no more than two meters away from us, standing right over us.

We hadn’t heard him approach, as elephants are able to walk extremely quietly. So we all just quietly turned around and looked over our shoulders at this large bull elephant just standing almost on top of us. We didn’t react, and he stood there and then eventually just walked around us. He moved off to feed on a tree next to me about five meters away and then slowly ambled on down to the river to join the other elephants. It was an absolutely magical moment.

It was also fantastic talking about the experience afterwards with Alan McSmith, as he is such a legend in the guiding community. Our whole reaction to the experience and what transpired that day, he believes, was in part due to us all being relaxed and in the right mindset. You know, after walking all day, I suppose you just get a bit closer to the bush and are able to relax into the whole experience. So there you go, just one of those magical, magical experiences.

Which is your favourite trail food meal?

My favourite trail food meal at this stage is definitely the Chicken and lentil curry.

Wrapping up Our Interview With Vivian Butler

Trails Guides like Vivian offer a new perspective on the bush, and if you haven’t been on a guided trail yet, we highly recommend it!

If you’d like to see more of Vivian’s adventures, you can follow him on Instagram. If you’ve been on a trail with Vivian or have a trip booked with him (such as The Kruger Trail), please get in touch with us – we love to hear your stories from the ground!