The first light creeps over Zululand’s savannah bushveld, brushing the grasslands in pale gold. The air is still sharp with night’s chill, yet the horizon begins to soften. Somewhere, a francolin calls out, and the rustle of a distant antelope breaks the silence. A mug of hot coffee warms Truman Ndlovu’s hands as he scans the horizon - not out of duty, but instinct. Twenty years ago, he began walking this soil as a young guide in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; now, as Reserve General Manager of Jumeirah Thanda Safari, his gaze carries the trace of both memory and guardianship.

We sat down with Truman for a chance to hear his story firsthand and to better understand what a typical day in the African bush is like. From the moment he began speaking, his warmth was unmistakable: a grin stretched from ear to ear, a laugh so full it set off chuckles all around.  He jokes easily, but speaks from the heart, every word rooted in the land he’s long called home. There’s a natural magnetism to him, the kind that makes you lean in and listen just a little closer.

From Young Guide to General Manager
“I was young, hungry and very enthusiastic,” Truman says of his early days. In 2004, he was the only local guide to join the team, but his knowledge ran deeper than training. “I brought my childhood,” he tells us. “Herding cattle as a young boy, listening to the birds, watching the animals.” He speaks fondly of the elders who shaped him - those who taught him to notice the signs others overlook. “I came up with my own traditional way of guiding, blending nature with local knowledge and culture.”

As the years passed, Truman’s role evolved, but the heart of his work remained the same. “I wanted more,” he says. “To grow - to guide others like me.” Stepping into the position of Reserve General Manager felt like a natural extension of the path he’d been walking for years. “Now I’m always observing,” he explains. “How the environment is changing, how to make it sustainable. I’m looking after our conservation, our habituation, and making sure the species here are protected in the best way.”

Guardians of the Land
That commitment begins with rhinos. At Jumeirah Thanda Safari, rhino conservation is paramount. “Out here, it’s no longer like in the old days,” Truman explains. “Most rhinos are now dehorned.” The sight may be unfamiliar to some, but as he gently clarifies, “It’s not cruelty - it’s a second chance at life.” Dehorning helps protect rhinos from poaching, giving them the chance to live and breed in peace. Each procedure, each tracking collar, each foot sensor is part of a larger plan, monitored daily and responded to in real time.

Black rhinos are some of the world’s most endangered animals - elusive, solitary, and increasingly hard to find. That’s what makes it so special here. At Jumeirah Thanda Safari, both black and white rhinos roam freely, peacefully coexisting across the reserve’s 16,000 hectares. “They live very much in harmony,” Truman notes warmly, explaining how he’s often seen the two species sharing a habitat overlap. The reserve is part of the Black Rhino Expansion Project and follows a strict rhino management plan, with boots on the ground, patrols beyond boundaries, and community outreach programmes that share one simple message: conservation is everyone’s future.

Guests, too, can witness this work firsthand, joining Priority Species Monitors in the field to observe the daily work of preservation.

A Day on Safari
It’s in the early hours of dawn that Truman feels most in tune with the land. “Don’t miss the mornings,” he says. “Yes, it’s cold, but the bush speaks differently at this time. It’s a peaceful way to begin your day: birds calling are the only sounds, and animals are your only traffic. You never know what you’ll see.” Before the sun has fully risen, guests climb into open vehicles wrapped in blankets, coffee cups in hand, awaiting their first glimpse of wildlife. Game drives promise close encounters with the Big Five - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino - all thriving within the reserve’s protected terrain.

Of all the animals that move through the morning hush, it’s the elephant that holds Truman’s heart. “You never get bored watching an elephant,” he says, his voice full of affection. His surname, Ndlovu, means elephant in isiZulu - a connection he carries with pride. “Even when they’re emotional or stressed, they show you. Sometimes you can see the tears flow on the sides of their faces.” He speaks of them like old friends, admiring their wisdom, calm authority, and the deep bonds within each herd.

For those preparing to visit, Truman suggests packing with care. “The mornings and evenings can be cold,” he advises, “so bring something warm, a fleece or proper jacket you can layer.” As the day unfolds, breathable fabrics and neutral tones are best. A wide-brimmed hat is essential, and so is a good pair of binoculars.

After hours tracking wildlife, guests return to camp to find a hearty breakfast laid out and waiting. “The teams at the lodges will have something beautiful prepared for you,” Truman says. Late morning unfolds at a leisurely pace. Guests might cool off with a dip in the pool, pause on the terrace to spot animals gathering at the watering hole, or retreat to the spa, where Zulu and Western healing traditions meet in deeply restorative treatments.

In the afternoon, guests set off again, later pausing for sundowners - refreshing drinks and light bites - as the sky turns gold. As dusk deepens, the bush stirs with nocturnal life: hyenas begin to slink across the plains, owls blink from high branches, and, with luck, a leopard may cross your path. Back at the lodge, evenings unfold with fireside stories, starlit feasts, and the rhythm of Zulu song and dance around the boma, a traditional outdoor gathering area.

For a different kind of connection, guided walks bring guests face to face with the smaller wonders of the bush. “It’s about trust,” Truman says. “Trusting your guide and tracker, who speak the language of the land. You watch the ground, read the signs, feel the wind.” These walks slow the pace, inviting travellers to understand the ecosystem beneath their feet rather than simply observe from afar. Traditional knowledge and stories are shared along the way, passed down from generations who have lived close to this land.

Tailored for All Ages
For families, safari is an extraordinary experience that feels increasingly rare - days spent outdoors, unplugged, deeply present. And children adore it. “Once they’re old enough to understand, about four or five years, they start to connect,” Truman says. “They learn how animals behave, how to listen, how to look.”

From the Bucks & Bugs Club for little ones to the Junior Rangers course for older kids, Jumeirah Thanda Safari gently nurtures a lifelong love of the wild. Children learn to track footprints, study dung, recognise birdsong and trees, even keep a logbook of their discoveries. “At the end, we sit down together and review what they’ve found,” Truman smiles. “We present them with a certificate declaring them Junior Rangers. It’s a very rewarding experience for a child and something they never forget.”

The Feeling of Thanda
In isiZulu, Thanda means love, and for Truman, it runs through everything.  Love for the land, for the animals, for the people who call this place home. It’s there in the quiet rituals of each day, in the way the team remembers your name, the way the guides share their stories, the way every creature is watched over with care. “We make you feel like you belong,” Truman says. “Like you’re home.” And somehow, in this vast wild place - beneath the acacia trees, with the sun rising over the grasslands - you do.

Book your stay at Jumeirah Thanda Safari, and discover the magic of the bush, and the peace it brings, firsthand.