Read about Ron & Viv's journey so far through Africa - Late February - early March 2007.

 

 

Swaziland flag.

 

 

The park had a good number of white rhino as well as numerous giraffe.

 

 

AFRICA TRIP

Late February - Early March 2007

Swaziland and the Royal Hilane National Park

The side of the road for the first few km once in Swaziland was a near continuous line of small native family farmlets and an the occasional grocery shop, while the backdrop of hills and valleys were clothed near continuously in plantations of pine and gum. Most of the houses are conventional style, square in shape and with a tin or even a tiled roof. Round thatched roof houses were in the minority – unlike Lesotho. There was also more cars and the people seemed more affluent.

The continuous line of farms and houses lessened as we headed north but there were still villages and the like scattered along the way. Arrived at the Royal Hilane NP gate at about 4pm and booked in for the night. The price was a very reasonable R260 for the four of us – R25 each to enter and R40 each to camp. The NdLovu Camp just 300 metres from the main entrance is well set-up and consists of a few rhondals and a bar, restaurant and shop along with a braai area close to a large dam which acts as a waterpoint and is a major attraction for the wildlife in the area. The camping area is spread out just a stone's throw from the bar area and is a beauty with plenty of room, a few shady trees, a very well managed toilet and shower block, a camp kitchen as well as a sink and tap area a little bit away from the main facilities.

The large number of dead trees was caused by a big elephant population back in the 1990's. This park had virtually nothing in the 1970's and has been restocked – the fenced area around the camping area being the ‘introductory area' for wildlife and where the rhino are kept behind wire for safe keeping.

After checking out some very narrow tracks in the vicinity of ‘Hunters Rock' we headed back to Mahlindza Waterhole where we used the bird hide to check out the animals. There was a heap of impala, a mob of wildebeest came in briefly to look and bolted at some noise (us?) while a warthog with some of the biggest teeth I'd seen, had a bit of a wallow before leaving. The croc made his presence felt by snapping a careless bird, which attracted the attention of the half dozen cranes nearby. The cros had been lazing in the channel – the best spot for a drink, while all the animals had been wary of going to what was the best spot and instead taking the muddy water from the very edge of the muddy waterhole.

Along the way we saw lots of impala, a few warthog and quite a few nyala, especially females and their young. There was also some great giraffe and some big white rhino, including a mother and calf close to the track we were on.

The sugar cane comes right up to the northern boundary of the park and the rolling rich green fields of irrigated sugar cane continue right to the South African border. The towns along the way were pretty busy and we stopped at one to get a cool drink as it was very hot. There were plenty of chickens in wide flat wire cages waiting their fate and all around was hussle and bussle.

Got thru the border with little problem and cruised north through South Africa to the main highway where we stopped at Komatipoort for a quick shop in the local (and poorly stocked) supermarket before heading into the delights of Kruger National Park.

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FOR MORE PICS - SEE PICTURE GALLERY PAGE ON SOUTH AFRICA, SANI PASS & LESOTHO

Swaziland Map