The ups and downs of Swaziland

‘The King of Swaziland has fourteen wives and 27 children’, I was informed at the car hire while I was sorting out the required letter of authority for entering Swaziland from a car rental company at South Africa.

There is really very little information about Swaziland. Although it’s a fairly popular destination among South Africans, everyone else seems to rarely venture into this tiny kingdom, giving preference to its bigger neighbours of South Africa and Mozambique.

However, those who have been there, claim that it is better in every way – safer, nicer, with animal parks to rival South Africa’s ones.

 

 

Me, my husband and our 3 year old daughter spent our 4 nights in Swaziland in two of its game parks, run by Big Game Parks. It is a non-profit trust which manages three game reserves in Swaziland: Hlane Royal National Park, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and Mkhaya Game Reserve.

Our 2 nights at Hlane Royal National Park started with a big shock when we realised that right in front of the restaurant stood 2 big white rhinos with just a flimsy barbed wire fence separating them and us. Clearly the fence is there for their protection not ours.

The open-air restaurant overlooks a waterhole where rhinos and elephants regularly gather around, therefore this is where we spent most of our time in Hlane. Due to the extreme poaching, rhinos are a rare sight in the wild, even in Africa’s biggest national parks. Here, however, I counted 9 rhinos gathering around the waterhole to drink, graze and laze in the sun. That’s more then we saw in a week’s time in Kruger National Park.

It was a magical setting, eating great dinner with my family in lantern light (there is no electricity in the camp), looking at the waterhole surrounded with rhinos. As the sun was setting below the horizon, a family of hippos came out to graze. It was an incredible experience being this close to these, often dangerous, animals without the ‘safety’ of a car.

Warthogs and impalas were running through the fence to graze on camp’s grass offering us some more close wildlife encounters.

Our second day in Swaziland we started with a drive around. We took mainly dirt roads towards the northwest of the country and the spectacular Drakensberg Mountains there. The road took us through many villages where the time seems to have stopped, poverty was undeniable but didn’t seem to be as bad as other places I have seen in Africa. People, however, were wonderful. Everyone was happy, smiling and waving at us as we drove past, shouting “Hello!”. This friendliness was evident throughout Swaziland. People were always smiling, always happy. So much so that we couldn’t help but relax and feel happy along with them.

The afternoon was spent driving around Hlane. The roads are suitable for 4x4 only, I don’t know how we didn’t get stuck in our little car. It was, probably, more luck than judgment.

I was a little disappointed with this drive, we hardly saw any animals: some elephants, nyalas, a load of birds and the biggest spider I have ever seen. But nowhere near the amount of animals that can be seen at the waterhole from the camp. Lions and cheetahs are kept in separate enclosures that can only be accessed going on an organised game drive which we couldn’t take with our young daughter.

Next day it was time to leave our lovely rondavel in Hlane National Park and head to Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary.

Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Ezulwini Valley or 'Valley of Heavens'. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Surrounded by high peaks, the pristine park has grasslands, rivers and a large variety of wildlife. The drive to our camp took us through some spectacular scenery, and the camp itself wasn’t disappointing either. We booked ourselves in a beehive hut. It was the most stunning ‘room’ I have stayed in. The traditional grass dome shaped huts, arranged in circle, were comfortable, with en-suite bathrooms, yet so far removed from any other accommodation.  

The restaurant here is built over another waterhole – the ‘Hippo Pools’. Although we didn’t see rhinos or hippos there, we did spot a crocodile, a turtle and a load of birds in and around it. There were also many warthogs warming close to the fire in the morning’s chill and nyalas and impalas were grazing all around the camp. There were also plenty of warning to be careful at night of hippos that can come into the camp, however we didn’t come across any.

Despite containing many animal species, like zebras, wildebeest, blesbok, lots of crocodiles, hippos and many other animals, you are allowed to walk or ride a bicycle around the park. In fact, there are many walking and riding trails and we decided to go on one. Unfortunately, we decided to do it right before the middle of the day when it was getting hotter and hotter by the minute. All the locals were wearing fleeces and long trousers. After all, it was midwinter. We, on the other hand, were starting to cook in our shorts and t-shirts, particularly when we started to head out on a walk with the strong sun beating down on us. It really wasn’t sensible. And after only 10

minutes we had to admit defeat, turn around and sit the remaining of the midday at the restaurant, drinking ice cold drinks and trying not to move at all. At +35 it was one of the hottest days I have ever experienced. When we asked one of the staff how they can possibly be cold, they said it gets to over +45 in summer. I don’t think I want to go there in their summertime…

When the heat of the midday had passed, we set off for a walk around the park. Viewing wild animals from a car is not the same as standing only a few metres away from them. Watching a baby zebra drink milk or a crocodile swimming in a lake and another one lazing by the water, soaking up the late afternoons’ last rays of sun, is an experience like no other.

Our last full day in Swaziland we spent at Mantegna Cultural Village and Falls. It is a traditional village with purpose built huts for each member of the family as well as ones for food and beer making, goats and like. A traditionally dressed guide took us around the village explaining the old way of life. He introduced us to the rules that men, women and children had to obey to. Some of them were rather interesting ones. Like, a man could (and still can) have as many wives as he likes as long as he can afford them. A virgin wife would cost 19 cows, but a wife who was not a virgin could be negotiated for. If a wife could not bear children, her sister would step in and have a child with the wife’s husband for them. If the husband could not produce children, than his brothers would help out in secret. Women, who were submissive to men, were not allowed to eat brains, tongues or feet of animals. Brains – so they wouldn’t become as smart as men. Tongues – so they wouldn’t talk to much. And feet – so that they wouldn’t run away. The stories the guide told us were very interesting, often amusing, nevertheless I couldn’t help but think I am glad I don’t have to follow rules like that and am, relatively, free to live my life the way I see fit.

The highlight at Mantenga is the internationally acclaimed song and dance performance, it blew me away. The perfectly prepared, organised and performed spectacle is a must-see when visiting Swaziland. It is so good that the group have toured the world, with the biggest achievement yet being performance in 2012 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in South Africa. It is easy to immerse yourself in the beat of the drums and tap your feet along with the dancers wondering how high would you be able to kick. It is both mesmerizing and culturally significant.

It is undeniably one of the most wonderful places I have had a fortune to visit despite the issues that the country face. I love the people, the wildlife and, most importantly, the way I felt when I was there. So completely and utterly happy.