Visit to Eswatini: Why this tiny country blew me up

Visit to Eswatini: Why this tiny country blew me up

A visit to Eswatini was never at the top of my wish list. How foolish from me

I will not lie: Eswatini's visit (formerly Swasiland) was a compulsory exercise. This point on the map between South Africa and Mozambique offered Peter the opportunity to hook up another country to qualify for the Century Club.

I was less enthusiastic. We only had 11 days to see South Africa, and the attempt to squeeze into Lesotho and Eswatini seemed a bit exaggerated. Peter insisted that it was possible, and so I reluctantly said yes.

As it turned out, visiting Eswatini was one of the best travel experiences I have ever had. Here is why it beats far above its weight.

best chance to see rhinos in Africa

I was sad to leave the nearby Namibia without seeing a rhino. It was at the top of my bucketlist and after 17 fantastic days on Safari it was bitter sweet to leave the country with unfulfilled hopes.

Keyword Eswatini. In the course of our three -day visit, we saw 13 (!) Nashorns, including two of the hard -to -grapping black art. In fact, we saw two rhinos nearby within five minutes after our arrival at our first meeting point. Admittedly, that was a bit of a cheat because the rhinos were orphaned, but the others were actually wild.

Eswatini is proud of his work to protect the rhinos. The country has lost only three in the past 24 years, compared to two to three a day in South Africa.

According to Lonely Planet, Eswatini offers some of the best encounters with rhinos on the entire continent. It certainly didn't disappoint us. In fact, it was one of our most magical wildlife experiences to see a rhino mother and a rhino baby.

wild animals on the bed

We divide our stay on three Big Game Parks: Mkhaya, Hlane and Mlilwane with overnight stays in the first and last.

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• Alt = "Visiting Eswatini: Our accommodation for the night">
• Alt = "Visit to Eswatini: Comfortable accommodations">
• Alt = "Visit to Eswatini: Comfortable accommodation">
• Alt = "Visiting Eswatini: Our bed with Moskitonetz">
• Alt = "Visiting Eswatini: Our balcony area">
• Alt = "Visiting Eswatini: An antelope wanders by">

mlilwane on the west side of the country had equally charming accommodations, including large “beehive” structures that were built from natural materials. There we found a wart pig with two little babies who lazy outside on the lawn.

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• Alt = "A stay in a beehive is common when visiting Eswatini">
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• Alt = "In our beehive">
• Alt = "Two warts pigs">
outside are grown outside
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optimism

In April 2018, King Mswati III announced that his country would now be known as Kingdom of Eswatini to celebrate 50 years of independence from British rule.

Some say that this is a trick to distract from the problems of the country - two thirds of its population live below the poverty boundary and it has the world's highest prevalence rate for HIV/AIDS - but many welcome the opportunity to shake the country of colonial rule and a new beginning.

It would be wrong to comment on the nation's mood after only three days in the country. What we can say anecdotically is that there seems to be strong optimism and belief that things get better. Tourism is a key component for improving the Eswatini economy, and we only felt welcome in "Africa's latest kingdom".

a feeling of fun

If you want to prepare discomfort to a British, force him to choose between audience participation and rejection that borders on rudeness. I agreed and decided on the former, and so I found myself how I hit my legs into a drum strike next to a fire in Mkhaya.

alt = "If you visit Eswatini, you may have to take part in one or two dances"> Atlas & Boots Actors at MHKaya

Of course it was humiliating and apparently endless at first, but when the mood loosened, my fake laugh became real. The fun among the actors was irresistible and finally everyone agreed to two spectators. (I would like to note that Peter was one of the two dissenters; the same Peter who had suggested to visit Eswatini.)

lush landscape

Despite its small size (17,364 km2), Eswatini houses a variety of landscapes, from thorny bushland to forested gorges. It also feels incredibly green for an inland.

alt = "A warm welcome to Eswatini"> Atlas & Boots A friendly reception in Mlilwane

mlilwane offers a network of hiking trails and many adventures in the picturesque Ezulwini valley (valley of the sky), flanked by the dramatic mountain backdrop and the huge Usuth forest, which extends into the distance. We only spent one night there and wished we had longer to explore the area.

far away from the leaked paths

We were in quite a few well -known countries, including Vanuatu, Tonga, Dschibuti and St. Kitts. A visit to Eswatini reminded us of why we love to move away from the beaten path.

alt = “A visit to Eswatini is her best chance to see rhinos in Africa”> Atlas & Boots rhinos, the HLLANE lazy without a human soul in sight

Excursions in small groups, intimate dwellings, a slower movement pace and a general feeling of calm are more likely in places like this. The fact that we saw four rhinos under a tree and nobody could be seen apart from our guide Manqoba was really something special. A visit to Eswatini offers a wealth of these experiences.

to see so much more

Our three -day stay led to the most important highlights from Eswatini, but there is so much more to see. We would like to return to explore Mlilwane and visit the Siebe Rock, the second largest monolith (a single piece of rock) in the world behind the Australian Uluru.

alt = “Siebebe Rock in Eswatini”> Fair use SieBe rocks

Eswatini is also home to the oldest mine in the world. Ngwenya has been dismantled since the Stone Age and its iron ore deposits form one of the oldest geological formations in the world.

Visit to Eswatini: Tips

• If you spend the night in Mkhaya, you will not come too late, but also no more than half an hour early, as you do not receive access to the park outside of the agreed meeting times. Wait in Phuzumoya (essentially a collection of small shops on the roadside) instead of going to the gates. Pack a travel bag with long pants and closed shoes because you may have to stow your main luggage.
• If you drive yourself, rent a 4 × 4 because there is a route from Mkhaya to Hane with many potholes. Note that if you arrive from South Africa, you need a letter of approval of your car rental that allows you to enter Eswatini (our letter costs 550 tsar / $ 40). We felt absolutely safe while driving in Eswatini. You may notice that some cars let your lights flash; These are taxis in Colectivo style and can be ignored.
• If you are on safari, make it clear what you want to see, especially if you are on a private trip and have a free ticket to take your time.
• inform your accommodation in advance if you are a vegetarian or have other nutritional needs.
• stay for more than three days if your schedule allows it.
• do not provide your visit with geo-tags and do not share live updates, as Wilderer may be able to use this information to locate rhinos.

Visit to Eswatini: The essentials

Was: Visit to Eswatini (Swasiland) on a self -driving through the country.

Where: We divide our time between three big game parks:

mkhaya game reserve: This accumulation of comfortable stone houses with open walls offers up close encounters with nearby wild animals. Mkhaya was described as the best chance of seeing pointed homes in the African wilderness. It certainly didn't disappoint us.

hlane Royal National Park: We didn't stay at the Ndlovu Camp in Hane, but we have experienced one of the best safaris in our lives. Even if you are in transit, take time for a safari.

Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary: We stayed in a “beehive” in Mlilwane. Pirsch trips are possible here as well as a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling and riding.

online at Big Game Parks, by email at reservations@biggameparks.org or by phone at +268 2528 3943/4 or +268 7677 6772.

When: The best time for a visit to Eswatini are the dry winter months from May to September, when low vegetation and dwindling water sources make it particularly easy to discover wildly.

from October to March it is hot and wet, but don't let it put you off. The landscape is lavish and green, which enables vapor -free photos, and given the small size of Eswatini, the game is rarely too difficult to recognize.

like: We rented a car from Avis in Durban, South Africa, and visited Eswatini on a three -day self -passer tour with a stopover in Mkhaya, Hlane and Mlilwane before we returned to South Africa on the way to Johannesburg. Note that you need a letter from your car company that allows you to enter Eswatini (for an additional fee of around 550 tsar / 40 USD).

driving in Eswatini is not difficult, apart from a route between Mkhaya and Hlane, where dozens of potholes slowed our progress. It was just navigating in our 2WD, but should really be addressed with 4WD.

We flew to South Africa with South African Airways. Book flights at the best prices via Skyscanner.

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Lonely Planet South Africa, Lesotho & Swasiland is a comprehensive travel guide for Eswatini, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and take the less busy road.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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