Adventures In Eswatini

Friday 3rd October

Fly to Johannesburg, South Africa

Overnight in flight

Saturday 4th October

After arriving in Johannesburg, we’ll be met by our transfer vehicle at the airport and cross the border into Eswatini. We’ll check into our unique roundhouse accommodation at the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. Arranged in a semi-circle, these beehive-shaped huts have the feel of traditional Emaswati homesteads complete with Emaswati kraal fencing.   We’ll have an afternoon at leisure to rest, relax, or take a stroll through the wildlife-filled grounds that surround the accommodation.  

 In the evening, we’ll meet for dinner where we can get to know each other and learn more about Eswatini from our guide. Dinner will be enjoyed in the Hippo House restaurant which overlooks a birding watering hole – a great introduction to Eswatini’s wildlife while we eat.  

Dinner included. Overnight in Mlilwane.  

Sunday 5th October

We’ll begin our African adventure with a nature walk through Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in the Ezulwini Valley, this huge game reserve is backed by towering mountains and the leafy Usutu Forest. We’ll cross the lush landscapes below the soft green hills and hear the calls of nearby animals such as zebra, wildebeest and exotic birds grazing on the plains.   

Later, we’ll embark on a safari that focuses on the conservation efforts underway in Mllilwane and the reintroduction of species into Eswatini.    

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Mlilwane.  

Monday 6th October

The highlight of today is a horseback ride through the African bush. After meeting and getting to know our horses, we’ll embark on a trail through this stunning nature reserve and experience the thrill of riding through the African landscape, hopefully spotting wildlife along the way. In the afternoon, there’ll be more wildlife encounters during a guided walking safari that takes us by watering holes where animals come to quench their thirst.   

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Mlilwane.  

Tuesday 7th October

Today we’ll venture to Hlane Royal National Park, home to the largest herds of game in Eswatini including the undisputed King of the Jungle, the mighty African lion. Our accommodation will be located next to a watering hole which local wildlife frequent. During the dry season, a zoo-worthy assortment of animals gathers here giving us a great chance of spotting elephant, white rhino, zebra, and prides of lion.

On our way to this African wildlife haven, we’ll be stopping off at a school for vision-impaired children to meet staff and pupils. It promises to be a moving cultural exchange. Arriving in Hlane in time for lunch, the afternoon is free to use as you choose. Relax or explore the local area before we end the day with a sunset safari.   

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Hlane

Wednesday 8th October

There’s an opportunity today to visit the Sangoma, a very powerful person in Swazi culture who is believed to possess miraculous healing powers and the ability to foresee the future.

We will take a walk around the community before enjoying a traditional lunch prepared by the ladies at Shewula. Shewula Mountain Camp is the first community eco-tourism project in Eswatini and one of the most successful in the whole of southern Africa. The camp is fully owned and run by the community, meaning that all profits are shared to help develop and improve this impoverished area.  

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Hlane.  

Thursday 9th October

We start today with an early sunrise safari, maybe to the sound of roaring lions if we’re lucky!  Returning to the camp at Hlane for breakfast we then have the opportunity to learn more about local wildlife and handle a collection of skulls. There’ll be a talk about Eswatini’s conservation programme and a hands-on insight into how snares are used by illegal poachers, and the tireless work of the anti-poaching team to combat them.

There’s an optional excursion to the Mahlindza Waterhole where a bird hide overlooks a stretch of water where enormous herds of impala and other ungulates congregate. This safari will take us extremely close to some of the nation’s finest big game and will be the last we share in this wildlife-packed African landscape.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. Overnight in Hlane.

Friday 10th October

After breakfast, we’ll leave Hlane behind and make our way to Hawane. On the way we’ll visit to a nearby basket-weaving workshop. Our senses will be heightened by the smell of lutindzi grass and the musical sing-song voices of the Swazi women as they prepare orders to be shipped to all parts of the world.

In the afternoon we’ll stop at a local craft market to discover how Swazi candles are made in a community-owned business. We can feel the wax and find out how it’s sculpted into animal shapes.  Later, we’ll check in to the Hawane Resort Arms, comfortable thatched chalet style accommodation set within extensive, beautiful gardens rich in native flowers and trees.   

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Hawane.  

Saturday 11th October

Today, we’ll spend our morning walking in Malolotja Nature Reserve, a mountain wilderness on the northwest border with South Africa. We’ll learn about ancient tracking techniques from our guide, and, with any luck, we’ll spot some of the park’s wildlife. The reserve is home to zebra, wildebeest, reedbuck, leopard, and more.   

Later, there’ll be a visit to the Ngwenya glass factory, a business committed to using locally sourced materials in production of its high-quality glass products. There will be ample time to browse the shops for souvenirs.  

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Hawane.

Sunday 12th October

This morning we will have the chance to experience a local church service, listen to the singing and maybe even join in! Afterwards we’ll take a tour of a local village rarely visited by tourists.  The Swazi people here live off the land using traditional farming methods and celebrate a culture that has barely changed in centuries. Welcomed into a typical mud-brick homestead by a local family, we’ll listen to enchanting fables and learn about their way of life.   

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Hawane.

Monday 13th October

Transfer to the airport and journey home.  

Breakfast included.  Overnight in flight.

Tuesday 14th October

Arrive back into the UK

If you are a UK passport holder you do not need a visa for Eswatini or South Africa, however you do need at least 3 months left on your passport after the date you arrive and 4 blank pages available.

Any other passport holder please check the relevant requirements.