Ulster welcomed back Stuart McCloskey and John Cooney to the starting XV, with Werner Kok making his Ulster from the start.
The match was played in hot conditions, with the temperature hitting the high twenties in the altitude at Emirates Airline Park.
The early stages of the match saw both teams looking to catch each other out using high balls, with Lions getting some joy early on.
Around the ten minute mark, the hosts took the lead. A powerful maul from a lineout at the halfway line was steered into Ulster's half, and hooker, PJ Botha, passed to Francke Horn who carried metres before he popped it off to winger, Rabz Maxwane, who raced clear down the touchline for an early score.
Wolhunter would miss the conversion, but would add a penalty minutes later after Ulster were pinged by the referee.
Horn was then influential again, as on the 40 minute mark, the Lions captain finished off another powerful maul from the lineout. Wolhunter added the extras for a 15-0 lead.
Ulster rallied and notched a try before HT. After a good spell of pressure going into the Lions 22, Ulster had made good ground up after big carries from Sean Reffell and Stu McCloskey.
A penalty gave Aidan Morgan the chance to kick into the corner and from the resulting attack, it was scrum-half, John Cooney, who sniped over from the base of a ruck for the try. The try went unconverted and Ulster went into the break ten points behind the hosts.
Ulster came out for the second half and were immediately on the front foot. Fly-half, Aidan Morgan, dived over for brilliant try, that was good reward for the patient attacking play Ulster showed in the opening period of the second half. Morgan made it two tries in two matches after last week's score against Glasgow on his debut.
The Lions responded well and had a try attempt held up from superb Ulster defence getting a hand underneath the ball.
However, despite the home side's disappointment at that, they had an earlier pen that gave them the chance to hit another lineout from 5m out. This time, replacement prop, Franco Marais, got over to score from the maul.
The Lions scored a fourth bonus-point try through Henco Van Wyk, who was put clear after a line break from the Player of the Match, Quan Horn, did well to catch a high ball and move into the Ulster 22.
Wolhunter's conversion and second penalty of the match minutes later put the home side into a commanding twenty point lead at 30-10.
Ulster's Werner Kok, got himself a try on his first start, after showing great determination to gather a clever kick downfield from replacement scrum-half, Nathan Doak.
Tighthead prop, Corrie Barrett, then got himself a maiden try in white, after he powered over the line from a ruck late on to secure Ulster a bonus-point fourth try.
The Lions stayed true to the frantic nature of the game, and grabbed their fifth try through Wolhunter, who ran through a gap to score.
Richie Murphy's team will now recover and get ready for the second match of the South Africa tour against Vodacom Bulls next Saturday in Pretoria.
Scorers
Emirates Lions
TRY: Maxwane, Horne, Marais, Van Wyk, Wolhuter
CON: Wolhuter 2
PEN: Wolhuter 2
Ulster Rugby
TRY: Cooney, Morgan, Kok, Barrett
CON: Doak
Teams
Lions:
Quan Horn; Rabz Maxwane, Erich Cronje, Rynhardt Jonker, Tapiwa Mafura; Kade Wolhuter, Sanele Nohamba;
Morgan Naude, PJ Botha, Asenathi Ntlabakanye; Reinard Nothnagel, Darrien Landsberg; Jarod Cairns, Ruan Venter, Francke Horn (C)
Replacements: Franco Marais, Juan Schoeman, Conraad van Vuuren, Ruben Schoeman, Siba Qoma, Renzo du Plessis, Nico Steyn, Henco van Wyk
Ulster:
(15-9) Ethan McIlroy; Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Aidan Morgan, John Cooney;
(1-8)Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole; Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor (C); Matty Rea, Sean Reffell, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: James McCormick, Eric O’Sullivan, Corrie Barrett, Iain Henderson, James McNabney, Nathan Doak, Mike Lowry, David McCann.
