It is not often that a human gets to see one of the big cats in the flesh. Getting so close to a lion that you can see the yellow of its eyes is surely one of the best feelings in the world.
The thrill of a game drive is in that you don't know what you are going to see. The excitement of "not knowing" is exhilarating. Of course the bigger the reserve, the greater the number of animals and the better your chances of seeing some of the greatest species of the animal kingdom.
Perched on one of the back seats of the open-top, safari-adapted Land Rover, clutching a rough wool blanket to keep the morning chill at bay, your eyes scan the undergrowth, the African brush, the Kwazulu Natal savannah for signs of life.
Despite your best intentions and no matter how furtively you scrutinise the wilderness, it just isn't enough to lure the animals out. However, Truman Ndlovu, 34, a tracker with over 15 years' experience in South Africa's Kwazulu Natal, knows where to look.
Ndlovu has worked at the Thanda Private Game Reserve, about 300 kilometres from Durban, since its opening in 2001. Thanda means love in Zulu.
Spread over 7,000 hectares, the reserve is home to 15 elephants, 16 white rhinos, 100 buffalo, four cheetahs, eight lions, 60 giraffes, 128 zebra and nearly 700 wildebeest, besides herds of impalas, kudus and nyalas.
Ndlovu organises game drives and takes guests out in the early morning and the late afternoon to spot wildlife.
The reserve has a dirt road network about 180 kilometres long. Every morning Ndlovu climbs into his safari truck which can accommodate about ten passengers and a spotter in a seat fixed above the bonnet. Together they track the animals. A gun rests on the dashboard, just in case.
The reserve is about to double its size to 14,000 hectares due to the arrival of 14 black rhinos. "I am really very happy about this. Fourteen black rhinos are coming to Thanda," Ndlovu drawled. The black rhinos, a critically endangered species, are coming from the Kwazula Natal wildlife board and their arrival is a testament to the hard work that has gone into creating the Thanda Reserve, which was once a cattle farm.
When a giraffe and two zebras come into view, Ndlovu explains how some animals depend on each other for safety.
A couple of impalas leap across the burnt-orange road and turn back to look at the vehicle with blinking eyes. "We have impalas in high numbers. They are the one antelope that can adapt to any condition," Ndlovu said.
After reiterating a few rules to be kept in mind, such as not to stand or make loud noises near the animals, Ndlovu and spotter Wynneth Godlimpi soon bring us face to face with African buffalos. Their large, upturned horns almost entirely covering their crowns make them look like Dutch maidens with bonnets. They are extremely ill-tempered animals and are considered to be among the most dangerous.
"It can be difficult to track any animals but I started at a young age. I joined the game reserve as part of the anti-poaching unit and was taught about following tracks and working out which way the animals have used. Tracking the Big 5 can be more difficult than all the others though takes more experience to achieve," said Godlimpi.
Next we spot a disgruntled elephant, busy tearing down branches. His ears flapped as we approached — a clear sign we were not welcome visitors. As we moved away swiftly, an alarm call pierced the air. Ndlovu stopped. A leopard was close.
Sitting in the car, the bush seemed dense. We waited. Tracks lined the road but the direction the predator had taken seemed unclear and it was time to head back to the lodge.
Resort manager Sue Davis, a Briton who embraced South Africa 20 years ago and came to Thanda six months ago, simply loved it. "The camp is not fenced in. So at night you need to be escorted back to your room. Only the exterior of the reserve is fenced. The whole concept of the lodge is that it is not fenced so the interaction with the animals is more interesting," she said. Guests at Thanda cannot walk around on their own, especially at night as the main restaurant and reception area, as well as the wooden walkways and the rooms, are not fenced in.
"We actually had a fresh kill yesterday. Two cheetahs, brothers, killed a water buck near the watering hole close to reception. We stood on the deck and watched," she said cheerily. "Trackers have guns as a defensive measure and depending on the situation will fire warning shots in the air."
To transform the cattle farm into the Thanda Private Game Reserve, most of the animals had to be introduced and alien vegetation removed to bring the land back to its original state.
Endangered animals such as wild dogs, hyenas can be found in the reserve. "Hyenas and leopards are naturally found here, though," Davis said. The carrying capacity of the reserve was taken into consideration for the black rhinos to be relocated to the reserve.
"It is quite scientific. We arranged to double our space so we could accommodate them. We do research and monitoring to understand the animal side of things," Davis said. "Most of the animals were born in the park. We have an anti-poaching team who also take care of the maintenance. A lot of the cost of staying here actually comes from the fact that lodges have to spend on maintenance and good conditions for the animals. On the ground we have electric fences. The elephants can be really destructive."
Poaching in the area is almost non-existent. At least Thanda has never suffered from it. "Here any poaching is poaching for food but it is controlled due to our team."
Thanda is the winner of Africa's Leading Luxury Lodge for 2007, 2008 and 2009, and the winner of South Africa's Leading Safari Lodge in 2008 and 2009. Other recognitions included winning an award in the Best Social Involvement Programme category in the 2006 Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism.
To keep in line with the luxury of the rooms that come with a private outside shower, wooden deck and plunge pool, flying Emirates Business Class direct to Durban reduces the stresses of travelling. The new direct flight from Dubai to Durban International Airport takes about eight hours, bringing the wildlife of Kwazulu Natal practically at your doorstep.
Spending a few days at the reserve will feel like a week and leaving it — the only private game reserve in the world to be a member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World — will certainly be a struggle.
