“Shhh,” our guide whispers, commanding quiet as we ease up a dusty track an hour into our first game drive. My eyes dart, trying to catch whatever he’s seen on the horizon, scanning the scrub and the road ahead.
I get confirmation I’d make a terrible safari guide when, seconds later, I spot a male lion strolling down the middle of the track, just metres from our open-top Land Cruiser. At his side, a lioness locks eyes on our vehicle as it slows to a halt.
It’s a moment I’ll never forget: my first sight of the majestic big five in the wild. The feelings come all at once - calm in the presence of Africa’s greatest predator, disbelief at being so close, and sheer exhilaration that this was only the beginning.
This was drive one of six at Jumeirah Thanda Safari. Over the next three days, I’d get closer than I thought possible to extraordinary wildlife, while learning about the park’s conservation work and retreating each night to sprawling private villas managed by the Dubai hotel group.
Set within 16,500 hectares of private reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, the property is home to lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo, plus hyenas, zebras, impala and more than 500 bird species. Each day promised new tracking adventures to tick more animals off the list.
Our first drive begins with our guide, Amend, and tracker, Nhlanhla, asking what we hoped to see. A car full of safari novices replies with a chorus of “lions!” Elephants, giraffes, rhinos and leopards quickly follow. Smiling, Amend tempers expectations: “It’s Zululand, not Disneyland,” he says, but promises to try.
As we enter the big five reserve - separate from the lodge area - Nhlanhla suddenly signals for Amend to stop. Hopping from his perch at the front, he’s spotted a lion’s print in the dust and follows it for over an hour.
It’s clear we’re in expert hands. Nhlanhla has been at Thanda 14 years, Amend since last October. They work in sync, reading the land and each other. Traditional trackers, they follow dung, footprints and broken branches, and coordinate with other guides to share sightings.
Animal welfare is central here. A strict rule allows only two vehicles at any sighting, giving animals space and visitors rare moments of exclusivity. At times it felt like it was just us and the wild.
Drives run morning and evening, with rest stops for refreshments. After our first lion sighting, we pause to debrief, still buzzing. Sunset drives become my most treasured memories. Amend agrees: “It’s all about the sunrise, the sunsets, and those unforgettable moments.”
Over three days the thrill of seeing lions never wanes. We stumble on a lone lioness mid-sprint to the lodge for a bathroom break - nothing halts urgency like a big cat in your path. On the last day we find a male with three females, springing to life when he scents a rival nearby. It’s like watching Planet Earth, but live.
As a first-timer, my illusions are quickly quashed. I thought animals were digitally tracked and easy to find. In truth, it’s hide and seek, the adrenaline peaking when after hours of waiting, something finally appears. The leopard was the only big five to stay elusive.
I also assumed elephants were obvious. Wrong. Despite their bulk, they vanish into greenery. Our sighting came only after veering down an overgrown track Nhlanhla had never tried before. We heard branches snap, then finally a young bull emerged, enormous and blocking the road.
My last misconception was that it’s all about the big five. In reality, our guides were just as excited by the smaller creatures - from warthogs (immortalised as The Lion King’s Pumba) to plants and dazzling birds - as they were by lions or rhinos.
One thing didn’t surprise me: the emphasis on conservation. Rhino poaching is an ever-present threat, so the hotel has a strong team working on anti-poaching efforts. Endangered species such as rhinos and cheetahs are carefully monitored by a dedicated team.
At the lodge, we stayed in a vast four-bedroom villa with a living room, terrace, communal fire pits and a pool. Villas can be booked privately or by the room, with facilities shared. Two daily game drives, three chef meals, snacks and select drinks are all included.
Each villa is privately owned, with mirrored layouts but distinct interiors. Ours had a fresh, Hamptons feel - crisp whites, canopied beds, light and airy spaces.
We visited in June, South Africa’s winter, so I skipped the pool. But after early starts, nothing beat sitting on the outdoor lounge, breathing in the fresh reserve air and gazing at the endless green views. If a giraffe or warthog wandered by, it felt like the perfect extra.
Jumeirah Thanda Safari is a three-hour drive or a 60-minute helicopter ride from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. From the UAE, Emirates operates daily direct flights between Dubai and Durban.
