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At the endsharp Encounters on foot and horseback in , the small African kingdom where immense creatures come surprisingly close

WORDS PETER GRUNERT @petervg73 PHOTOGRAPHS PHILIP LEE HARVEY @philip_lee_harvey_photographer

A white rhino, known as Masalempini, and her calf in

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Left: Mkhaya nature guide Bongani Mbatha 30˚C at noon and zero at midnight. aimed like a medieval siege weapon. hills and fields of Mlilwane Wildlife stands before We creep in silence through the Fortunately, his ears indicate Sanctuary, they are shrouded from a pair of bush. Bongani is on high alert, feeling calm. Bongani grins and signals to harm – so long as they sidestep the white rhino. Right: Maja which direction the breeze carries move backward in a broad zigzag. crocodiles that lurk by the waterhole. Tsabedze and our scent in, and sniffing for the So we zig and we zag, and for some Ann grew up in this highveld Ann Reilly earthy richness of fresh rhino dung. reason the rhino keeps following. As country. In the shadow of Execution ride out at dawn Bongani’s hand rises. Before us is a we head more urgently sideways Rock – from which serious criminals in Mlilwane bull rhino: a whopper, longer and again, drowsiness brought on by the were once thrown – she played on the heavier than the Land Rover we’ve left escalating heat of day overwhelms land worked by her grandfather, behind. He chomps on grass and, as him. The rhino winds on to his knees Mickey Reilly. Family legend has it he turns towards us, a female almost and settles into a siesta, his partner that Mickey fled enrolment to the as gigantic is revealed. We close from joining him. Irish Catholic priesthood. He fought 25 to 20 to 15 metres, crouching low. in the Anglo-Boer War and, at the ‘Watch the ears,’ says Bongani, his The horse cousins turn of the 20th century, settled in voice a cautious murmur. ‘See them the southern African kingdom of starting to orientate in our direction? As Ann Reilly gives a flick of her boots Swaziland, as eSwatini was long The male is concentrating on you. If her horse, Troy, hurtles forward, called. He built a new life through tin one ear becomes cocked back, that plumes of iron-rich dust arcing out mining and farming. In 1960, Ann’s will be a first sign of aggression. If he behind him. Wildebeest stare father, Ted, gifted Mlilwane, the makes a “huff-huff” sound, that will through the haze. Muscular and family’s maize farm, to establish a be your clearest warning.’ shiny-coated, these aren’t the rangy reserve for creatures hunted out of The bull rhino continues chewing. creatures that struggle through existence in colonial times. Working He walks straight at us, his horn Africa’s Great Migration. Between the with the current King Mswati III’s

The remaining rhinos into Mkhaya Game Reserve’s 10,000 First, the slightest nub of an infantile hectares of dense bush, and our Land horn emerges. Then eyes, timid Rover bounces onwards up a dirt and curious. Prodding the dust track. Antelopes are everywhere. with a stumpy foot, the calf gathers Towering kudu raise their necks confidence before skipping out above magic gwary trees laden with from behind his mother’s enormous sweet berries. Harems of impala barricade of a rump. circle in clearings, and tiger-striped The calf makes a gentle panting nyala flick their ears behind thickets sound – a contact call, to reassure his of acacia thorns. mother. Red-billed oxpeckers ride on A radio message, given in code to the rhinos’ backs, hopping off to confuse potential poachers, lets pluck ticks from around ears and Bongani know that more white undersides. Then the birds fuss and rhino are close. ‘Shall we walk?’ he chirrup away, sending their hosts a asks. ‘Just remember, if something signal that other creatures are nearby. happens, don’t try to run away. ‘The mother’s name is Masalempini You can never outrun a rhinoceros.’ – that means Remains of the War,’ White and black species of rhino whispers nature guide Bongani are abundant enough at Mkhaya to Mbatha. ‘She is a white rhino born just allow frequent sightings, as long as after a time of heavy poaching, from you search when they’re most active. 1988 to 1992. Perhaps that explains In the dry southern-hemisphere why she is so aggressive. She has hit winter, the rhino feed now, in the vehicles many times in the past.’ morning, and at dusk, hunkering Masalempini and her calf disappear down against temperatures close to

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late father, Ted Reilly also set up grass. ‘It’s easy to smile when you corners of eSwatini have few Hlane Royal National Park. enjoy riding out so much,’ she says. tarmacked roads to carry commerce ‘I think I’m one of the most blessed Along with her colleague Maja, she to them, and face high rates of people,’ says Ann. ‘Growing up here, demonstrates how the horses connect unemployment and HIV infection. I had such freedom. My mother had a with the wildlife, cantering in close ‘We do not always appreciate the rule: “So long as you come home formation with a herd of plains zebra. riches around us,’ says Nomsa, who covered in clean dirt, that will be fine.”’ ‘We once had a new horse here, studied community development, and Ann selects and trains the horses a nervous one,’ Ann says. ‘When that then made it her mission to push for ridden by visitors alongside Mlilwane’s horse saw a zebra, the zebra dropped progress. First she led the building of wildlife. ‘I look for a nice big, soft eye,’ its head before her, and she learnt to a successful community-managed she says. A sturdy, placid mare named relax. They’re both horses – they eco-camp and conservancy in nearby Granite has been chosen for me to understand one another’s language.’ Shewula – ‘after people thought I was ride today. As we trot out through the crazy for trying’. A similar experiment pinkish morning light, Granite spares The missing baboons is now underway at Mhlumeni. Then my knees by edging around thorny she campaigned for recognition of the scrub, and waits patiently as I stop to ‘I am from a rural place like this,’ unique biodiversity of her birthplace, watch meandering herds of impala, says Nomsa Mabila, warming her leading to Unesco naming the blesbok, hartebeest and roan. hands by the fire pit at Mhlumeni as eSwatini’s first Ann beams continuously as she Bush Camp. She looks out at the lights Biosphere Reserve. And now Nomsa rides through this rolling landscape of homesteads glowing between has helped establish a hiking route of eucalyptus trees and close-cropped layers of forested hills. Such remote into Mozambique, carving out another

Community development officer Nomsa Mabila at Mhlumeni Bush Camp. Opposite: Male impala, distinguished by their gracefully twisted horns

58 December 2019 December 2019 59 GO WILD IN ESWATINI Petros Fakudze wearing a cloak with the red hand that symbolises his occupation as a sangoma, or traditional healer

reason for visitors to come here. King and Queen Mother are known in eSwatini’s largest national park, the Above: Plains We take a walk along the start of the siSwati, the local language. 35,000-hectare habitat of lions and zebra – their trail. Every few steps reveal a plant We call on the sangoma – a job title elephants – creatures intertwined stripes make it with a use in traditional medicine, the that combines faith healer and with royal symbolism. In 2018, George difficult for descent of a butterfly or the scuttle fortune teller. Petros Fakudze survived a mauling by a lioness. She predators to pick out individuals of a lizard. Hornbills shriek overhead beckons me into his consultation hut, pounced while he was trying to among a herd as we reach the twin landmarks the atmosphere set by darkness, remove a tree that had fallen across of Leopard Cave and Baboon Cave Mozambican house music and a little the electric fence used to enclose the – homes to a predator and prey gone apprehension. Petros says he is a park’s apex predators. He shows me before anyone here can remember. specialist in back pain and erectile the deep scars where she bit his arms Our walk continues between the dysfunction. He closes his eyes, throws and legs as he defended himself. homesteads of Mhlumeni. Sibongile down a combination of seeds, shells, We drive out into the bush, Fakudze’s is a cluster of thatched huts bones, bullets, coins and dice, and dodging termite mounds and keeping where puppies scamper and Nokia asks my ancestors for a diagnosis. a watch for fresh lion tracks. The phones ring out. She shares a song ‘They are telling me your work needs lions and elephants live side by side, taught to her by her grandparents, energising,’ he says. I brace myself for in a landscape sculpted by the which she still practises with her six an expensive prescription from the elephants’ whims. The lowveld scrub children. ‘It was sung at my wedding,’ jars of herbs around him. But no. ‘You is more open than in Mkhaya, and she says. ‘It tells of a guy who proposed must go home and light incense. Cook the trees… deader. Their blackened love to a woman. He married her, lamb on a barbecue. And drink wine. skeletons lie thrown about at all took her to his parents’ homestead, Make it red and white wine.’ angles, stripped of their bark by the then ran away. It’s a very old song.’ elephants and pushed to the ground Sibongile is wearing a shawl given The Lion King’s pride during trials of strength. to her at the last Emaganwini, the There are many antelopes and Marula Festival. This is a gathering ‘Never take your eyes off a lion, even fast-dashing warthogs here, but they of women to present the Queen if one is attacking you,’ says George lie low. There are white rhino, too. Mother with the harvest of marula Mbatha, chief ranger at Hlane Royal The elephants are simpler to spot, fruit, used to brew a form of beer. On National Park. ‘If you do, it will get looming above the surroundings like her shawl are illustrations of the to your throat.’ trucks navigating through a village. Ngwenyama and the Ndlovukati – the George should know. His team of Two female elephants join a path Lion and the She-Elephant, as the rangers is charged with protecting we had planned to follow. We await

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An elephant among the battered trees of Hlane Royal National Park. Below: Trainee anti-poaching ranger Tanele Mamba

their next move and they take their animals. I have been taught to keep at time, ambling towards us and pausing least 100 metres from elephants, and to feed. The larger female curls her at least 200 metres from lions – which trunk to tenderly place clumps of I know will see me only as meat.’ grass in her companion’s mouth. Our The hands of Tanele and her vehicle backs up, to reveal the colleagues are strengthened by crisp-edged new pawprints of several eSwatini’s Game Act amendments, lions in the dust behind. They are near. which introduced fierce penalties for A lioness and two young male lions poaching after the slaughter of the stand alert by the electric fence, early 1990s. ‘Compared with the laws listening to the calls of rutting impala of other countries in Africa,’ suggests on the other side – such easy prey, George, ‘these are the strongest.’ yet so unobtainable. The lions slump Hlane’s rangers travel in pairs, down in frustration. They are tired. one equipped with a radio and first They’ve been up all night, roaring to aid kit, the other with an assault voice their dominance. One male rifle. They keep dispersed through eyeballs me with a mix of hunger and the bush, sleeping under the stars. malevolence, then nods straight off. ‘For now I have a stick but soon I will On duty by Hlane’s inner gatehouse learn to use a gun,’ says Tanele. – at the crossing into the realm With that she prepares to step out of the lions and elephants – is Tanele on patrol – the last line of defence Mamba, the latest recruit to George’s for the rhino, zebra, impala and anti-poaching team. She is now three elephant, and the King’s pride. months into her training, having fought through competition with 240 peter grunert is our other applicants for her role. group editor, and would ‘To my knowledge, I will be the like to think a rhino is One of Hlane’s male only female ranger in eSwatini,’ says his spirit animal. His lions – not yet fully Tanele. ‘Why should we limit trip was supported by the eSwatini mature – catches some ourselves? I am learning how to Tourism Authority. sleep after a long night follow tracks and behave near spent roaring and stalking

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MAKE IT HAPPEN Plan your itinerary

The entire nation of eSwatini is smaller than neighbouring 1 South Africa’s Kruger eSwatini National Park, and nowhere is #\ #\ #\ more than a couple of hours’ drive GETTING THERE from anywhere else. Mkhaya #\ 0 40 km #\ Sabie Kruger e# 0 20 miles & AROUND Lydenburg White National Game Reserve is a brief drive Park South African Airways flies River from the border, yet gives a #\ MOZAMBIQUE #\ Manhiça #\ direct from London to Mbombela wonderful taste of wilderness. #] Komatipoort Johannesburg (from £679; (Nelspruit) #\ Moamba Stay by a (usually dry) riverbed at SOUTH flysaa.com), with onwards flights #\ Stone Camp, where you’ll sleep in #\ Waterval Barberton AFRICA available to eSwatini’s new King Boven #\ BEHIND comfortable, partially open Piggs Matola #] #\ #_Maputo Mswati III airport (from £270; #\ #\ Peak Namaacha THE SCENES thatched huts – expect nyala and book with South African Airways Malalotja Sitting outdoors at first light crested guineafowl to peer in. Guests are taken on wildlife drives, #\ Carolina Nature Mbuluzi via flyeswatiniairlink.com). Most Reserve Game Bela in Mlilwane’s main camp, and have the option of bush walks with white rhino (from £210pp, Reserve #\ Maputo #_Mbabane Vista Special visitors rent a car and drive the #\ Mlilwane Siteki Reserve I didn’t breakfast alone. including wildlife drives). Mkhaya, Mlilwane and Hlane all fall Wildlife #_Lobamba #\ o #] t five-or-so hour journey from Sanctuary Manzini u Barely had I got stuck into under the protection of the not-for-profit organisation Big Game #\ p #\ Mkhaya Amsterdam a South Africa (from £20 a day #\ Usutu ESWATINI Game my bowl of cereal than an Parks and can be booked through biggameparks.org. Reserve M l Ponta for a small hatchback, or £63 a #\ #\ excitable rustling from the a Ngwempisi d'Ouro a day for a pick-up truck suited V Wilderness Big Bend boughs of a mahogany Area Piet to rougher roads; sixt.co.uk) or #\ tree revealed a troop of #\ Retief take a transfer minibus such #\ Nhlangano ZIMBABWE vervet monkeys, their eyes BOTSWANA as operated by Transmagnific P #\ MOZAMBIQUE fixed on my oats and raisins. Next it’s on to Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, for ongola Wakkerstroom #\ #\ (£16; goswaziland.co.sz). #\ #\ Ithala A splendid nyala bull came encounters with a variety of rare hoofed beasts, on your Jozini ESWATINI #\ Paulpietersburg Game SOUTH Reserve AFRICA strolling by and rootled for 2 choice of mountain bike, horseback or foot. Clamber to WHEN TO GO SOUTH LESOTHO crumbs at my table, so the peak of Execution Rock for dramatic 360-degree highveld Utrecht #\ INDI AN AFRICA Large-scale wildlife is easiest to Vryheid #\ OCEAN I edged over to the firepit, views, allowing one and a half hours for the steep descent before spot in the dry winter months of Nongoma #\ where a family of warthogs darkness – it gets spooky up there. Accommodation options are

May to September, while birds #\ snored away. I was told the Sondzela Backpackers hostel (from £18pp), domed beehive

tend to be most active in the eight-night#\ #\ itinerary that closely self-guided walks alongside they’ve long guarded their and rondvel huts at the main camp (from £37pp; ideal for families), summer. Seek advice on malaria follows the experiences in our giraffes and wildebeest at prime position here, happily and Reilly’s Rock Hilltop Lodge (from £102pp; over-13s only). precautions, particularly if feature costs from £1,600pp (not Mbuluzi Game Reserve in the splayed out closest to the The latter is a colonial-era bungalow (pictured above) built as a visiting lowveld areas in the including flights), and allows two Lubombo Conservancy. warm embers. PG home for Mickey Reilly’s family. Genet cats, bush babies and tiny hotter, wetter summer. Important nights each at Mkhaya Game blue duiker antelope can be spotted in the ornamental garden. cultural gatherings include the Reserve, Mlilwane Wildlife FURTHER READING Umhlanga (Reed Dance) in late Sanctuary (staying at Reilly’s eSwatini was widely known as August to early September, Rock Hilltop Lodge – see Swaziland until the name change Head northeast, joining unmade roads, Hlane Royal National Park Incwala (the name translates as opposite), Mhlumeni Bush Camp in 2018, the joint occasion of the to visit the rural community around is a final, short drive away – the First Fruits Festival, but its and Hlane Royal National Park. king’s 50th birthday year and 3 Mhlumeni Bush Camp. The camp is 4 only location where you’ll find significance is far more complex) Alternatively Sense Africa can the 50th anniversary of basic, with no hot water in the shower block nor lions in eSwatini. Stay in the rondavels in late December to early set up a twelve-night self-drive independence from the British. electricity – small inconveniences, considering of Ndlovu Camp (from £39pp), with no January, and Emaganwini trip, ideal for a first taste of The kingdom features in Lonely locals have to walk up to a mile to collect clean electricity but hot water in en-suite (Marula Festival) in mid-February. southern Africa – eSwatini is Planet’s South Africa, Lesotho & water. You’ll sleep in a spacious safari tent, looking bathrooms. There’s a good restaurant relatively safe and simple to Swaziland (£17.99); download out across the towards near a waterhole here – perfect for BOOK A TOUR drive around (from £2,450pp, the country chapter Mozambique (from £42pp; tip generously, the wildlife watching with a cool drink in Sense Africa (senseafrica.co.uk) including car hire but not flights). (£2.99) from staff are volunteers; search ‘Mhlumeni Bush your hand – and a gift shop, above is the UK’s sole tour operator This covers stays in Mkhaya, shoplonelyplanet. Camp’ on Facebook or email mhlumenicamp which lives a colony of fruit bats. Brace specialising in eSwatini, and Mlilwane and Hlane, adding com. See also @gmail.com). Expect to hike through hills where yourself for the ominous, booming founder Jenny Bowen has great a stay at the Foresters Arms thekingdom wildlife is steadily returning, and meet roars of lions and curious squeals of experience of the country. An Hotel in the highveld, and ofeswatini.com. homestead dwellers glad to explain their culture. hyenas as a soundtrack to your bedtime.

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