Hlane Royal National Park

Hlane Royal National Park is located in the kingdom of eSwatini, an independent country in the north-east of South Africa. The Hlane Royal National Park has an area of 22,000 hectares and consists mainly of forest fields with a number of very old trees. Lions, elephants, white rhinos, giraffes, jackals, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, monkeys and various types of antelope also live in the park, as well as a variety of bird species. The park consists of three sections. In section 1 you will find rhinos, but also various antelope species and elephants. Section 2 is the habitat of the lions and section 3 is the home of elephants and various antelope species. You will not find rhinos and elephants in this section. The park is arranged in this way to better monitor the endangered species and thus also protect them. If you are going to drive through the park yourself, keep in mind that you may only drive in sections 1 and 3. It is forbidden to enter section 2 with your own vehicle.

You will find two camps in the park: Ndlovu and Bhubesi. Ndlovu is located at the entrance of the park and consists of various accommodations such as a campsite, rondavels and self-catering houses. There is also an open-air restaurant where you can have a bite to eat while looking out over a water hole where elephants and rhinos regularly come to drink.

In the evening the camp is lit with lanterns and candles as there is no electricity. An authentic stay in the bush so. Bhubesi is 14 kilometers away and has 6 self-catering stone cottages that are fully furnished and equipped with electricity. Whether you spend the night in the park or go to the park as a day visitor, various activities are offered from Ndlovu. You can explore the park on existing paths with your own transport or you can make a game drive with an open Land Rover with an expert guide. You can also go on a mountain bike tour with a guide in search of the animals in the park (2.5 hours) or take a guided walk to spot birds in particular (1.5 hours). You can make a game drive at sunrise, sunset or in the afternoon, the game drives last 2.5 hours and are accessible to children from 6 years.

For those who are in good condition and would like an adventure in the bush, there is the Ehlatsini Bush Trail of 1 or 2 nights. You walk with an experienced guide through the Greater Hlane Park where zebras, kudus, giraffes, nyalas, Wildebeests and a variety of birds can be found in the beautiful African savannah. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided, but you will have to bring your own snacks and water. You also have to bring your own sleeping bag and pillow, keep in mind that there are no toilet blocks, so really camping.

An activity of a completely different order is a visit to a nearby authentic Swazi village to find out more about their lifestyle and customs. In the Hlane Umphakatsi (Chief-Village), for example, you can see how the women grind flour and braid grasses, get to know the music and dance of the Swasi.

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