AFRICA DESTINATIONS Small and tall The tiny nation of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, punches above its weight for wildlife, culture and charm, finds Ella Buchan

he bass was provided sunrise safari and breakfast, and the Lowveld bushland, home Tby rutting impalas, their Mkhaya Game Reserve offers to most wildlife sanctuaries and mating call somewhere between a refreshingly affordable Two white rhinos national parks. a sneeze and a grunt. Tree alternative. It’s just one of the soon emerged and After drifting off to that forest frogs and cicadas laid down factors that makes Eswatini – trotted ahead of our soundtrack, I stirred to the the backing track, hyenas which recently changed its name gentle tinkling of a bell and a harmonised with hysterical from Swaziland – a bit different. jeep, then we spied a softly spoken “time to wake up”. howls, while round-eyed greater mother and baby Dressing in the dark for a sunrise bush babies pierced the air with ◗ ANIMAL KINGDOM safari is part of the experience at eerily human shrieks. Tucked on the eastern edge Mkhaya, which has no electricity. I listened to the nocturnal of South Africa and bordering The air was thick with orchestra from my open-sided Mozambique, this tiny landlocked compared with an average of two birdsong as we drove into the stone cottage, tucked in a forest kingdom is home to the big five – a day in Kruger National Park. bush, passing shrubby acacia clearing and with just a net lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants This, combined with its small size trees backlit by a pink-gold sky. between me and the wildlife. and Cape buffaloes. and lack of crowds, makes it one Two white rhinos soon emerged In most safari destinations, Thanks to investment in anti- of the best places to spot white from the bush and trotted ahead sleeping so close to nature poaching efforts, the country has and black rhinos in the wild. of our jeep. Then we spied a comes at a hefty premium. But been a big success story in rhino Eswatini is divided into three mother and baby, its stubby legs Mkhaya with prices starting at around conservation. Three have been broad areas – the mountainous just visible through the long Game £120 per night including dinner, poached, in total, since 1992, Highveld, Middleveld savannah grass. A little further, we stopped Reserve PICTURE: JONATHAN RAMAEL PICTURE: JONATHAN

72 travelweekly.co.uk 25 October 2018 25 October 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 73 DESTINATIONS ESWATINI AFRICA

ABOVE: Rhinos in Mkhaya Game Reserve

LEFT: Rondavel hut at Ndlovu Camp, Hlane Royal National Park PICTURES: SWAZILAND TOURISM AUTHORITY; SHUTTERSTOCK AUTHORITY; TOURISM SWAZILAND PICTURES:

by a tower of giraffes, their spindly hear live music and watch leg-kicking Resort has luxury lodges surrounded necks poking above the trees. One ‘sibhaca’ dance routines. by bright blooms. stared beneath fluttery eyelashes, its At the country’s official ‘50/50’ Recommend a horseback safari at mouth grinding from side to side as it celebrations this April – held on King Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, riding chewed. Mswati III’s 50th birthday, and looking through grassy plains to see zebras, ahead to the 50th anniversary of warthogs and antelopes. ◗ CULTURE CURIOUS independence in September – the Hlane Royal National Park is Beyond safari, suggest clients tour the monarch announced that Swaziland another great-value option, with rustic factory at Ngwenya Glass and browse would be changing its name to The accommodation in rondavels (circular waxy, wildlife-shaped souvenirs at Kingdom of Eswatini. Meaning ‘place huts with thatched roofs) from around Swazi Candles. of the Swazi people’, Eswatini was the £20 per night. I joined a sunset safari, In , the National Museum country’s name before it was under a spotting more white rhinos, giraffes SAMPLE and King Sobhuza II Memorial Park British protectorate, from 1902 to 1968. and hippos. A playful pride of lions cast light on the country’s fascinating For travel information and more tumbled and tussled in the grass a few PRODUCT and, at times, controversial history and details on the transition, the official metres away. Elephants proved oddly leadership. website, thekingdomofeswatini.com, is elusive, until a pair veered in front of Eswatini is an absolute monarchy, a useful resource. our jeep, providing a final highlight as South African and people line the streets of the the sky deepened to an inky navy blue. Airways flies daily capital Mbabane for royal celebrations. ◗ UNUSUAL STAYS After a buffet dinner on a terrace from Heathrow to Each autumn, unmarried girls perform Accommodation comes in all shapes overlooking a waterhole, I headed Johannesburg on a ‘reed dance’ in homage to the queen and sizes. At Phophonyane Falls back to my hut. Taupe eland antelopes its new A330-300, mother, and the king often selects a Ecolodge, guests can sleep in dome- grazed just outside the door. And, in from £781 return. wife following the ceremony. shaped beehive huts perched above the near distance, I could hear the first flysaa.com Several festivals, including All Out a forested valley and waterfall. notes of that bush orchestra, tuning up Africa and Bushfire, draw crowds to Summerfield Botanical Gardens and for its nightly performance. Explore has an eight-day package in Eswatini from Where next? £1,585, including flights from Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Square. dogs and chunky-trunked Johannesburg London (£995 Most visitors fly to Joburg baobab trees. without) and from the UK before driving Kruger National Park departing April the three and a half hours to South Africa’s vast safari Mozambique to October. Eswatini, so it’s an easy add- park is less than an hour’s It’s a three-hour drive to the explore.co.uk on. The cosmopolitan city is drive from the northern tip of capital Maputo, a gateway a cultural hub thanks to the Eswatini, making it a logical to this enchanting country. Operators Apartheid Museum, Cradle next stop for clients hungry Recommend Niassa Reserve, including of Humankind – a World for more safari. The park’s a vast wilderness with lions Cox & Kings and Heritage Site scattered with two million hectares are and elephants, or Quirimbas Tucan Travel also caves and primitive fossils – home to the big five, plus wild archipelago by dhow. offer trips here.

74 travelweekly.co.uk 25 October 2018